بررسی میزان آمادگی، آگاهی و آسیب پذیری خانوارهای استان فارس در مواجهه با زلزله؛ یک مطالعه مقطعی

Introduction: Iran is among the 10 disaster prone countries and based on the report of world disaster relief organization, Iran holds the first rank in mortality following earthquake. Fars province (south Iran) is one of the most earthquake prone areas in Iran. Therefore, the present study was done aiming to investigate the preparedness of Fars province households against earthquake. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the study sample consisted of all the families living in earthquake prone areas of Fars province selected by systematic random sampling. To gather data, a questionnaire, approved by Red Crescent research center of Shiraz was used, which consisted of demographic data preparedness status, knowledge and vulnerability of the families to earthquake. Trained interviewers visited households, and filled the questionnaire by interviewing the family caretaker. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. Results: 500 families were included in this study. Mean age of the family caretakers was 47.5 ± 13.06 years (95% male). 38% of the families had necessary packages for emergencies. Mean score for preparedness, knowledge, and vulnerability of families to earthquake were 13.4 ± 3.27, 5.03 ± 1.37, and 27.61 ± 6.43, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the caretaker’s education level and taking part in training sessions (p < 0.008), but there was no correlation between their age (p = 0.26) or sex (p = 0.3) with attending these sessions.. Conclusion: Results of the present study showed that most of the families lacked preparedness and sufficient knowledge to face earthquakes and were vulnerable to dangers of earthquake. Therefore, providing accurate information for people, as well as increasing their knowledge in facing dangers of earthquake and decreasing its resulting damages seems necessary. In addition, holding maneuvers can be very effective in increasing preparedness. مقدمه: کشور ايران جزء 10 كشور بلاخيز جهان است و بر اساس گزارش سازمان جهاني بلايا، رتبه نخست را از نظر بيشترين تعداد موارد مرگ و میر به دنبال زلزله دارد. از طرفی استان فارس (جنوب ایران) يكي از لرزه ‌خیزترین نواحی کشور ایران بشمار می‌رود. لذا مطالعه حاضر با هدف بررسی وضعیت آمادگی خانوارهای استان فارس در برابر زلزله طراحی و انجام گرفته است. روش کار: در این پژوهش مقطعی جامعه آماری مورد مطالعه کلیه خانوارهای شهرهای زلزله‌ خیز استان فارس بودند که با روش نمونه گیری تصادفی سیستماتیک انتخاب شدند. جهت جمع‌آوری اطلاعات از پرسشنامه‌ ای تایید شده توسط مرکز تحقیقات هلال احمر شیراز حاوی اطلاعات دموگرافیک، وضعیت آمادگی، آگاهی و آسیب پذیری خانوارها در برابر زلزله  استفاده شد. پرسشگرهای آموزش دیده با مراجعه به منازل با سرپرست خانوار از طریق مصاحبه پرسشنامه ها را تکمیل کردند. تجزیه و تحلیل داده ها با نرم‌افزار SPSS نسخه 16 انجام گرفت. يافته ها: 500 خانوار در این مطالعه شرکت کردند که میانگین سنی سرپرستان این خانوار 06/13± 5/47 بود (95 درصد مرد).  38 درصد از خانوارهای شرکت کننده در مطالعه بسته های مورد نیاز در مواقع اضطراری را در منازل خود داشتند. میانگین کل نمره آمادگی، آگاهی و  میزان آسیب پذیری خانوارها در مقابل زلزله به ترتیب 27/3 ± 4/13، 37/1 ± 03/5 و 43/6 ± 61/27 بود. بین تحصیلات سرپرست خانوار و شرکت در جلسات آمادگی ارتباط معناداری وجود داشت (008/0 > p)، ولی بین سن (26/0 = p) و جنس (3/0 = p) سرپرست خانوار و شرکت در جلسات آمادگی ارتباط معناداری وجود نداشت. نتيجه گيری: نتایج حاصل از این مطالعه نشان داد که اکثر خانوارها آمادگی و اطلاعات کافی به ‌منظور مقابله با زلزله را نداشتند و آسیب‌پذیری نسبتاً بالایی نسبت به خطرات احتمالی زلزله داشتند. لذا در كنار اطلاع ‌رسانی دقيق به مردم، افزايش سطح آگاهي آنها جهت مقابله با خطرات ناشي از زلزله و کم كردن خسارات ناشي از آن ضروری به نظر میرسد. همین‌طور برگزاری مانورهای امادگی در افزايش ميزان آمادگي می تواند بسيار مؤثر باشد

Comparing the Effectiveness of Face-to-Face and Non-Face-to-Face Training on Oral and Dental Health Behaviors in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Objective: Diabetes is closely related to oral and dental health. Several oral diseases and disorders are associated with diabetes. The present study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of face-to-face and non-face-to-face training of oral and dental health behaviors based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Materials and methods: This study was conducted among patients with type 2 diabetes referring to comprehensive health centers in Andimeshk in 2021. One hundred twenty patients with type 2 diabetes were randomly divided into two groups: a face-to-face (60 patients) training group and a non-face-to-face (60 patients) training group. For the face-to-face training group, training programs were conducted through lectures with questions and answers, group discussions, and videos in three 60-minute sessions; and for the other group through the presentation of patient education pamphlets. The results were collected in two stages before and two months after the intervention using a questionnaire. Then the data were analyzedusing a chi-squared test, t-test, and paired t-tests in SPSS Statistics 22.0. Results: A total of 120 patients participated in this study. The patients’ mean age was 51.5 ± 8.57 and 51.9 ± 10.1 years in the control and the intervention group, respectively. In both groups, 60% of the participants were female and 95% were married. The duration of diabetes in 57.5% of them was 5–10 years. After the implementation of the intervention, a significant increase was observed in the mean scores of all HBM constructs in the face-to-face training group (p < 0.001). However, there was no significant change in the mean scores of the HBM constructs in the non-face-to-face training group after the intervention (p > 0.05). Conclusions: This study showed that the design and implementation of an in-person training program had a positive effect on improving oral and dental health behaviors in patients with diabetes based on the HBM

Effect of educational intervention based on protection motivation theory on preventive behaviors of respiratory infections among hospital staff

BackgroundHospital staff represent a vulnerable population for respiratory diseases. Consequently, the implementation of training programs becomes imperative as a preventive measure against such infections in these populations. The current study was conducted to examine the impact of an educational intervention based on the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) on preventive behaviors for respiratory infections among a group of hospital staff.MethodsThis experimental study involves a sample of 150 hospital staff from Gachsaran City, Iran, in 2021–2022. The sampling technique involved the utilization of a random assignment approach to allocate individuals into two distinct groups: the experimental group, consisting of 75 participants, and the control group, also including 75 individuals. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire designed in accordance with the PMT. This questionnaire was administered to both the experimental and control groups prior to the intervention as well as two months following the intervention. The intervention program consisted of a total of five sessions, each lasting for 60 min, for the experimental group. These sessions were conducted on a weekly basis over a period of two and a half months. Specifically, there were two sessions held every month and one session held every two weeks. Following the completion of the program, the data was entered into SPSS-24 statistical software for analysis using paired t-tests, independent t-tests, and chi-square tests.ResultsThe results indicated that prior to the intervention, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of perceived vulnerability constructs (p = 0.25), perceived severity (p = 0.63), perceived response (p = 0.32), and perceived reward (p = 0.11). Besides, there was no considerable distinction in perceived self-efficacy (p = 0.84), perceived response cost (p = 0.33), fear (p = 0.45), behavior motivation (p = 0.51), knowledge (p = 92), or vaccination behavior (p = 0.12) before the educational intervention. However, a significant change was noticed in each of the mentioned variables between the two groups after the intervention (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe results of this study indicated that the implementation of an educational intervention grounded in the PMT yields positive outcomes in enhancing preventative behaviors pertaining to respiratory infections. Hence, it is recommended to utilize an intervention grounded in this theory among hospital staff as a viable approach to mitigating the occurrence of respiratory infections

Gender Differences in the Effect of Resilience Training on Emotional Intelligence in At-Risk Students in Shiraz, Iran

Background: The current study examined the effectivenessof resilience trainingon emotionalintelligence(EI) and assessedgender differences in this regard among adolescents living in the outskirts of Shiraz, Iran. Methods: This pre-post study included 191 students and used an intervention consisting of nine resilience-training sessions. The evaluated outcomes were EI and its 15 components. The paired-samples and independent-samples t-tests were used to analyze the data. Results: Out of 191 students, 88 (46.1%) were boys. Before and after the intervention, the mean EI score for boys was 312.52 ± 37.79 and 327.31 ± 37.75, while for girls, it was 310.74 ± 30.05 and 312.20 ± 29.51, respectively. Following the intervention, the scores of boys in problem-solving (P = 0.007), happiness (P = 0.001), emotional self-awareness (P = 0.044), optimism (P = 0.029), self-regard (P = 0.046), impulse control (P = 0.013), and social responsibility (P = 0.042), as well as the total score of EI (P = 0.005), increased significantly. However, only the optimism score (P = 0.004) rose significantly in girls post-intervention. In addition, there were significant differences in the mean of problem-solving (P = 0.006), happiness (P = 0.001), impulse control (P = 0.042), and the total score (P = 0.035) between boys and girls, before and after the intervention. Conclusions: Resilience training may help moderate high-risk behaviors among adolescents living on the outskirts of Iran’s major cities, particularly boys. Based on the gender differences in EI components, it was suggested that female adolescents required significantly more attention. Nonetheless, gender differences in EI components were contentious, and it was concluded that a variety of factors, including the socio-cultural context, may be involved. Keywords: Emotional Intelligence, Gender Differences, Iran, Resilience, Student

Effectiveness of methylphenidate and PUFA for the treatment of patients with ADHD: A double-blinded randomized clinical trial

Background: In some children with ADHD, sub-optimal levels of various nutrients including PUFA especially omega-3 has been observed, and contradictory reports exist on the results of studies conducted on the positive therapeutic effects of PUFA in patients with ADHD. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of methylphenidate and PUFA on treatment of patients with ADHD in Zahedan, Iran. Methods: In this clinical trial, 40 children between 6 and 12 years of age with ADHD were investigated in Zahedan in 2014. Patients were randomly divided into two groups of methylphenidate plus PUFA and methylphenidate plus placebo. ADHD rating scale was filled before and after the study for patients of both groups. Finally, data were analyzed using SPSS18, paired-samples t-test and chi-square. Results: Mean age of patients was 2.9±1.8 years. Thirty-three children (82.5%) were boys and seven children (17.5%) were girls. Mean severity of signs in the group under methylphenidate plus PUFA treatment was 39.9±4.9 before treatment and 20.1±6.0 after 8 weeks of treatment (p<0.001). Mean severity of signs in the group under methylphenidate plus placebo treatment was 41.2±2.7 before treatment and 26.1±9.0 after 8 weeks of treatment (p<0.001). Mean reduction in the severity of symptoms in the group under methylphenidate therapy was 19.7±5.9 and in PUFA and placebo group it was 15.1±9.3 (p<0.067). Response to treatment (a reduction of at least 25% in the signs) in the group taking methylphenidate plus PUFA was 90% (18 patients) and in methylphenidate plus placebo group, it was 60% (12 patients) (p=0.028). Conclusion: This study shows that PUFA is an efficient nutrient to treat ADHD and it can be used to treat patients. However, definitive conclusion requires repeating the study with a larger sample and longer study period. Trial registration: The trial was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (http://www.irct.ir) with the Irct ID: IRCT2015092724209N2. Funding: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this articl

Investigating the Preparedness Status of Households against Earthquake in Fars Province in 2013; a Cross Sectional Study

Introduction: Iran is among the 10 disaster prone countries and based on the report of world disaster relief organization, Iran holds the first rank in mortality following earthquake. Fars province (south Iran) is one of the most earthquake prone areas in Iran. Therefore, the present study was done aiming to investigate the preparedness of Fars province households against earthquake. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the study sample consisted of all the families living in earthquake prone areas of Fars province selected by systematic random sampling. To gather data, a questionnaire, approved by Red Crescent research center of Shiraz was used, which consisted of demographic data preparedness status, knowledge and vulnerability of the families to earthquake. Trained interviewers visited households, and filled the questionnaire by interviewing the family caretaker. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. Results: 500 families were included in this study. Mean age of the family caretakers was 47.5 ± 13.06 years (95% male). 38% of the families had necessary packages for emergencies. Mean score for preparedness, knowledge, and vulnerability of families to earthquake were 13.4 ± 3.27, 5.03 ± 1.37, and 27.61 ± 6.43, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the caretaker’s education level and taking part in training sessions (p &lt; 0.008), but there was no correlation between their age (p = 0.26) or sex (p = 0.3) with attending these sessions.. Conclusion: Results of the present study showed that most of the families lacked preparedness and sufficient knowledge to face earthquakes and were vulnerable to dangers of earthquake. Therefore, providing accurate information for people, as well as increasing their knowledge in facing dangers of earthquake and decreasing its resulting damages seems necessary. In addition, holding maneuvers can be very effective in increasing preparedness

Evaluation the Quality of Health Services Based on SERVQUAL Model in Ahwaz Health Care Centers, Iran

Background: Service quality is one of the main challenges in health systems. In quality management, service recipients play an important role in identifying their needs and preferences. The present study was carried out to evaluate the quality of health services provided in health centers of Ahvaz city based on the SERVQUAL model in 2016. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 384 person referred to the health centers in the west of Ahvaz city in 2016. The sample were selected through quota sampling method. The SERVQUAL questionnaire which measures the five dimensions of Tangibles, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance and Empathy in service delivery was applied to collect the required data. The data were analyzed using paired t-test. Results: In general, there were differences between perception and expectation of the five service dimensions and the differences were negative (expectations were beyond perceptions). The mean total difference of service quality was -0.68 (P-value < 0.05). The lowest and the highest mean scores of quality difference were obtained for reliability (-0.53) and empathy (-1.04) dimensions, (P-value < 0.001). Conclusion: This study revealed negative differences in all five service dimensions. So, promotion and evaluation of service quality should be continuously considered in planning. Since the highest difference in service quality was observed in empathy dimension, it seems essential to hold customer service training courses for increasing communication skills for employee

Epidemiological Survey on the Status of Obsessive-compulsive Disorder among School-age Childrenin Iran

Background and purpose: The age of the onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and its&nbsp;manifestation is now identified at childhood. In the present study, we aimed to&nbsp;epidemiologically assess OCD and its main determinants in school-age children.&nbsp; Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 600 consecutive schoolage children (7-12 years old) in primary schools at Kermanshah, Iran in May 2012. OCD status was assessed using the Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory. Results: In this study, the prevalence of OCD in children were 12.2% (73 person). Among&nbsp;OCDs, 32.0% were male and 68.0% were female with a significant difference (P < 0.001).&nbsp;Among different subscales of OCD, checking was more prevalent in girls than in boys (74.0%&nbsp;vs. 65.0%, P < 0.001), whereas doubting was more revealed in boys than in girls (56.0% vs.&nbsp;34.0%, P < 0.001). In this regard, no differences were found between boys and girls in the rate&nbsp;of washing subscale (43.0% vs. 40.0%, P = 0.456) and slowness domain (30.0% vs. 34.0%,&nbsp;P = 0.294). Totally, mean MOCI score was significantly a higher in girls than in boys in&nbsp;different grades of education. OCD was influenced by father&rsquo;s occupation status, parents&rsquo;&nbsp;education level, order of birth, dependence to mothers and previous history of OCD in fathers. Conclusion: The prevalence of OCD was a higher than other areas in the country and other&nbsp;populations. Because of the existence of OCD potential determinants including socioeconomic&nbsp;level and familial tendency, the high prevalence of the disease must be considered in correlation&nbsp;with these factors