Epidemiological features of children mortality in the area covered by Shahid Beheshti university of medical sciences in 2012

Background and Aim: Under 5-years mortality year is one of the most important indicators of development and health in the countries. Therefore, generating accurate picture of child mortality in order to evaluate the death causes and identifying the avoidable factors for designing the interventions and preventing similar death is necessary. The present study aimed to investigate the causes of deaths in 1 to 59 months children in the area covered by Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 2012. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study that conducted from March 2012 to March 2013, all of 1 to 59 months children deaths in the area covered by Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences were investigated. Required data was extracted from registration forms of the child health office of ministry of health and medical education. Results: The total number of deaths in 1 to 59 months children was 383. The highest frequency of death was observed in the children who aged between 1 to 12 months (57.8%). More than half of the children who died were boy (52.5%). Totally, the most common causes of death were congenital and chromosomal abnormalities (17.5%), injuries (15.4%) and cancers (11.2%). Conclusion: Based on the results, designing interventions such as genetic counseling in high risk couples, training of the parent and children for prevention of injuries and public awareness about the warning symptom of the cancers and respiratory system disease in order to reduce the children deaths is essential

The Relationship between Religious Belief and Mental Health: a study on high school students in Dargaz, Iran, 2010-2011

Background: Religious belief is one of the most important factors in people’s life that can affect their mental health. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between religious belief and mental health among high school students in Dargaz city, Khorasan Razavi province, Iran, 2010-2011. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 157 high school students selected by using two-stage cluster sampling. Then, all students were asked to complete the Mabad questionnaire (a scale for measurement of obeying religious laws) as well as the 28- item General Health Questionnaire. Results: The results of this study indicated significant relationships between religiousness and qualitative variables of general health, physical symptoms, social functioning and anxiety but there was not any significant relationship between religiousness and depression (P=0.27). Correlation analysis showed a significant correlation between religiousness and general health (r= - 0.175, P=0.03) and physical symptoms (r= - 0.182, P=0.01), but there was no significant correlation between religiousness and other subscales. Conclusion: Our findings showed that religiousness and adherence to religious principles could be one of the factors positively affecting mental and physical health of students. Keywords: Religious attitudes, General health, Studen

Comparison of colorectal and gastric cancer: Survival and prognostic factors

Background/Aims: Gastric and colorectal cancers are the most common gastrointestinal malignancies in Iran. We aim to compare the survival rates and prognostic factors between these two cancers. Methods: We studied 1873 patients with either gastric or colorectal cancer who were registered in one referral cancer registry center in Tehran, Iran. All patients were followed from their time of diagnosis until December 2006 (as failure time). Survival curves were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier Method and compared by the Log-rank test. Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors was carried out using the Cox proportional hazard model. Results: Of 1873 patients, there were 746 with gastric cancer and 1138 with colorectal cancer. According to the Kaplan-Meier method 1, 3, 5, and 7-year survival rates were 71.2, 37.8, 25.3, and 19.5%, respectively, in gastric cancer patients and 91.1, 73.1, 61, and 54.9%, respectively, in patients with colorectal cancer. Also, univariate analysis showed that age at diagnosis, sex, grade of tumor, and distant metastasis were of prognostic significance in both cancers ( P < 0.0001). However, in multivariate analysis, only distant metastasis in colorectal cancer and age at diagnosis, grade of tumor, and distant metastasis in colorectal cancer were identified as independent prognostic factors influencing survival. Conclusions: According to our findings, survival is significantly related to histological differentiation of tumor and distant metastasis in colorectal cancer patients and only to distant metastasis in gastric cancer patients

The Prevalence of Obesity and its Associated Demographic Factors in Tehran, Iran

Background: Obesity is one of the most common health problems in the world and its prevalence is increasing in both developed and developing nations with changes in dietary habits and activity levels. The present study aimed to provide population-based data on the prevalence of obesity and some demographic factors associated with obesity. Methods: A community-based, cross-sectional survey was done on 3,000 individuals in Tehran province, Iran, From May 2006 through December 2007. Respondents were asked about their height and weight in the questionnaire. Body mass index was assigned as the measure of overall obesity and was calculated as body weight (kg) divided by height squared (meters). Results: The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 38.3% and 17.5%. The combined prevalence of both overweight and obesity was 51.7% in males and 58.3% in females. The mean BMI ± SD for the total population studied was 26.1 ± 4.7 and it was higher in women than in men (P < 0.05). The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 39.7% and 12.0% in men, and 37.4% and 20.9% in women. The multivariate analysis showed that there was a higher percentage of obesity among older individuals, females, married and less educated subjects. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the prevalence of overweight and obesity are relatively high in Tehran and must be considered as a significant public health problem especially among women. Keywords: Obesity, Body mass index, Tehra

Survival prognostic factors in patients with esophageal cancer registered in Fars cancer registry center

Background: esophageal cancer is the 6th most common cancer in Iran. Prognosis in these patients is poor. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic factors that might affect survival of patients with esophageal cancer. Methods: All patients with esophageal cancer who were registered in Fars cancer registry between 2001 and 2005 were evaluated. They were followed from their diagnostic date until March 20, 2005 (as failure time). Prognostic factors were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier (univariate method) and Cox regression model (multivariate method). Results: Of 161 patients, 99 cases (61.5%) were male. The mean and median survival time was 21.46 and 12 months, respectively. According to the Kaplan-Meier method, variables such as marital status, males' and females' occupation, smoking and type of first treatment were determined as the factors which influence overall survival times of patients. Also, three variables of age at diagnosis, grade of tumor and type of first treatment were identified as independent prognostic factors for survival as determined by Cox regression model. Conclusion: Age at diagnosis and grade of tumor should be considered as the most important prognostic factors in esophageal cancer and early treatment should be considered in order to increase survival time of these patients

Frequency of colorectal cancer in healthy individual's relatives: A cross-sectional population-based study

Introduction: Family history of colorectal cancer has been shown to be related to the risk of developing colorectal cancer. This risk depends on the number of affected relatives and the age at diagnosis. In this study we aimed to estimate the frequency of a positive family history of colorectal cancer in a random sample from Tehran population. Materials and Methods: This study was a community-based cross-sectional survey conducted from May 2006 to December 2007 in Tehran province, Iran. A total of 5,500 peoples (age≥20 years) drawn up randomly by random sampling according to postal codes and invited to participate in the study. All participants completed a detailed health data registry form on family history status of colorectal cancer. Results: The mean age of men with a positive family history was significantly different from men with negative family history. There was no significant difference between mean age of women responders with or without positive family history. Among all participants (n=5,500), 162 responders (2.9%) had a history of colorectal cancer. Of 162, 67 responders (1.22%) had one and 4(0.07%) had two or more first-degree relative with colorectal cancer. Of 5,500 participants, 18 subjects (0.33%) reported having two or more first-degree relative with colorectal cancer or one first-degree relative with colorectal cancer diagnosed at age <50 years. Four subjects (0.07%) had three or more first-degree relative with colorectal cancer. Conclusion: Based on the findings, we estimate that more than 570,000 subjects in the Iran in the age group≥20 years have at least two to three times increased risk of developing colorectal cancer which should be identified and encourage to participate in screening and surveillance protocols of colorectal cancer

Prognostic factors in gastric cancer using log-normal censored regression model

Background and Objective: Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Although its incidence is decreasing, it rarely is detected early, and the prognosis remains poor. The aim of this study was to evaluate prognostic factors in gastric cancer using log-normal regression model. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was done on 746 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma from February 2003 through January 2007. Gender, age at diagnosis, family history of cancer, tumor size and pathologic distant of metastasis were entered to a log-normal model. Relative risk (RR) was employed to interpret the risk of death. Results: Results indicated that patients who were upper than 45 years at diagnosis had an increased risk for death (RR=1.01 95% CI, 1.01-1.03), followed by greater tumor size (RR=1.64, 95% CI, 1.07-2.25) and pathologic distant metastasis (RR=2.14, 95% CI, 1.60-2.86) and similar results in multivariate analysis for greater tumor size (RR=2.04, 95% CI, 1.23-3.33) and pathologic distant metastasis (RR=2.01, 95% CI, 1.13-3.56). Conclusion: This study showed that the early detection of patients in younger and in primary stages and grade of tumor is important to decrease the risk of death in patients with gastric cancer and increase the survival rate

Functional Bowel Disorders in Iranian Population using Rome III Criteria

<b>Background/Aim:</b> To study the prevalence and risk factors of functional bowel disorders (FBD) in Iranian community using Rome III criteria. <b> Materials and</b> <b> Methods:</b> This study was a cross-sectional household survey conducted from May 2006 to December 2007 in Tehran province, Iran, including 18,180 participants who were selected randomly and interviewed face-to-face by a validated questionnaire based on Rome III criteria. <b> Results:</b> In all, 1.1&#x0025; met the Rome III criteria for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), 2.4&#x0025; for functional constipation (FC), and 10.9&#x0025; of the participants had any type of FBD. Among participants with functional dyspepsia, 83.8&#x0025; had FBD; the majority cases were unspecified functional bowel disorder (U-FBD). Of the subjects fulfilling the IBS criteria, IBS with constipation (52&#x0025;) was the most frequent subtype. In the multivariate analysis, women had a higher risk of any FBDs than men, except for functional diarrhea (FD). The prevalence of FBD, FC and FD increased and IBS decreased with increasing age. Marital status was only associated with a decrease in the risk of FBD and FD, respectively. IBS subtypes compared with FC and FD. There was no significant difference between FC and IBS with constipation (IBS-C), except for self-reported constipation; while, IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) had more symptoms than FD. <b> Conclusion:</b> This study revealed a low rate of FBDs among the urban population of Tehran province. The ROME III criteria itself, and the problems with interpretation of the data collection tool may have contributed in underestimating the prevalence of FBD. In addition the reliability of recall over 6 months in Rome III criteria is questionable for our population