Drug Injection to Sites other than Arm: A Study of Iranian Heroin Injectors.

For almost all injecting drug users (IDUs), the first site of injection is the arm. Years after injection, IDUs may shift to using other sites for intravenous (IV) access. Although injection to sites other than the arm is associated with higher risks, literature is limited regarding this behavior. We aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of using IV access points other than the arm among a national sample of IDUs in Iran. Data came from the National Drug Dependence Survey, 2007, which had enrolled 863 IDUs with at least one daily injection. Data on socio-demographics, pattern of drug use, and injection-related behaviors were entered into a logistic regression to determine predictors of injection to sites other than the arm. From all participants, 54.8% reported current injection sites in areas other than the arm. The other injection sites were the femoral venous sinus (17.0%), followed by the groin (14.5%) and neck (11.5%). Logistic regression revealed that living alone [odds ratio (OR) = 1.789, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.218-2.629], being Sunni (OR = 3.475, 95% CI = 1.775-6.801), having higher family income (OR = 1.002, 95% CI = 1.001-1.003), higher age at first drug use (OR = 1.039, 95% CI = 1.009-1.069), longer injection duration (OR = 1.071, 95% CI = 1.041-1.102), and more injection frequency (OR = 1.255, 95% CI = 1.072-1.471) were associated with higher likelihood of using injection sites other than the arm. Using sites other than the arm for IV injection is linked to socio-demographics, drug use data, and injection-related characteristics that can be used by policy makers. This information can be used for harm reduction planning

Importance of Socioeconomic, Clinical, and Psychological Factors on Health-related Quality of Life in Adolescents After Kidney Transplant

Objectives: Health-related quality of life after kidney transplant in adolescents is a major concern; nevertheless, there is a paucity of data on the variables that have an effect on it. This study evaluated the extent to which socioeconomic, clinical, and psychological characteristics explain the variance in the health-related quality of life of adolescent Iranian kidney transplant recipients. Materials and Methods: Into a hierarchical regression analysis, the cross-sectional socioeconomic, clinical, and psychological characteristics were entered among 55 adolescent Iranian kidney transplant recipients. Results: The relative predictive power of socioeconomic, clinical, and psychological variables with respect to health-related quality of life was 21.8% (P = .088), 21.2% (P = .014), and 27.6% (P = .001). Conclusions: Psychological factors had a greater relative predictive power in postrenal transplant health-related quality of life of adolescents than did the socioeconomic and clinical characteristics. Further research should target to improve the health-related quality of life in adolescent kidney recipients by psychological intervention

Are generic and disease-specific health related quality of life correlated? The case of chronic lung disease due to sulfur mustard

<ul><li><strong>BACKGROUND</strong>: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the two most commonly used generic and disease specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures in patients with chronic lung disease due to SM: Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-Item (SF-36) and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ).</li><li><strong>METHODS</strong>: This is a secondary analysis of Iranian Chemical Warfare Victims Health Assessment Study (ICWVHAS) during October 2007 in Isfahan, Iran. In that survey, conducted in an outpatient setting, 292 patients with chronic lung disease due to SM were selected from all provinces in Iran. The total score and sub scores of correlations of SGRQ and SF-36 were assessed. Correlation of quality-of-life scores were evaluated using Pearson’s coefficient.</li><li><strong>RESULTS</strong>: Samples were 276 patients who were selected for our analysis. No significant correlation was found between the total score or sub scores of SF-36 and the total score or sub scores of SGRQ (p > 0.05).</li><li><strong>CONCLUSIONS</strong>: In patients with chronic lung disease due to SM, the SF-36 and SGRQ assess different aspects of HRQoL. Therefore applying both of them together, at least in the research setting is suggested.</li><li><strong>KEYWORDS</strong>: Chronic Lung Disease, Health Related Quality of Life, Generic Health Related Quality of Life, Disease Specific Health Related Quality of Life, Sulfur Mustard.</li></ul&gt

Race by Gender Group Differences in the Protective Effects of Socioeconomic Factors Against Sustained Health Problems Across Five Domains

Despite the existing literature on the central role of socioeconomic status (SES; education and income) for maintaining health, less is known about group differences in this effect. Built on the intersectionality approach, this study compared race by gender groups for the effects of baseline education and income on sustained health problems in five domains: depressive symptoms, insomnia, physical inactivity, body mass index (BMI), and self-rated health (SRH). Methods: Data came from waves 7, 8, and 10 of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), which were collected in 2004, 2006, and 2010, respectively. The study followed 37,495 white and black men and women above age 50 for up to 6 years. This number included 12,495 white men, 15,581 white women, 3839 black men, and 5580 black women. Individuals reported their depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) 11), insomnia, physical inactivity, BMI, and SRH across all waves. Multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to compare black men, black women, white men, and white women for the effects of education and income in 2004 on sustained health problems from 2004 to 2010. Results: In the pooled sample, higher education and income at baseline were associated with lower sustained health problems across all five domains. However, race by gender group differences were found in the effects of education and income on sustained insomnia, physical inactivity, and BMI, but not depressive symptoms and SRH. The protective effects of education against insomnia, physical inactivity, and BMI were not found for black men. For black women, the effect of education on BMI was not found. Income had a protective effect against sustained high BMI among white and black women but not white and black men. Conclusion: The intersection of race and gender alters the protective effects of social determinants on sustained health problems such as insomnia, physical inactivity, and BMI. Social groups particularly vary in the operant mechanisms by which SES contributes to maintaining health over time. The health effects are less universal for education than income. Race by gender groups differ more in SES determinants of BMI, insomnia, and physical inactivity than depressive symptoms and SRH