Data collection after massive natural disasters (focusing on Bam earthquake, Iran)

Purpose – The aim of this study is to explore mortality data collection after a destructive earthquake in Bam, Iran. Design/methodology/approach – This is a case study of mortality data collection using a qualitative approach. The study data were collected through interviews with people involved with data collection and processing in Iran, and an evaluation of routinely collected data. Findings – The results indicated that there were many limitations affecting data collection after the earthquake. These limitations are rooted in basic problems within the existing data collection system and a lack of co-ordination between the groups collecting data, including national and international aid groups that provided help after the earthquake. Research limitations/implications – The research is based on a very large and destructive earthquake; the results may be different for other natural disasters such as floods. Practical implications – The main target group of this study is the decision makers involved with the disaster relief issues at national and international levels. This issue of data collection is imperative for future disaster aid. Originality/value – The study highlights the problems affecting routine collection of mortality data after a disaster, arising from the scant attention paid to proper documentation

Exploring routine data collection systems in Iran, focussing on maternal mortality and using the city of Bam as a case study

Introduction: Health information systems provide information obtained from data for decision making in order to improve the performance of a health system. Although health information systems can be very influential, it can not be exit on its own. It is discussed that the flaw and inefficiency of health information system is rooted to the powerlessness of health system and lack of incorporation in the overall health system [1]. The benefits of using data in planning and implementation go beyond the normal everyday functions of a heath system and include catastrophic situations. Iran is a developing country which experiences a large number of natural disasters each year with a significant number of casualties. Owing to the importance of data for planning, implementation and evaluation, the necessity for sound data is even more pronounced in a country with such conditions. The main aim of this project is to use the city of Bam as a case study to explore the routinely collected data systems in Iran. This investigated the collection of mortality data from all causes, and maternal mortality specifically, in order to determine the usefulness and application of these data systems to monitor the immediate and ongoing health effects of a natural disaster, and to plan for future disasters. Methods: A mixed qualitative and quantitative method used to provide better understanding of the problem at two main data sources, the Medical University and the Civil Registry. This research has commenced with numeric results of maternal ratios and then has employed a qualitative method to gain better understanding of data collection system. The sampling methods are purposive and probability sampling. Interviews, review of documents, and personal observation are the main data collection methods. The data are analysed using qualitative and quantitative methods. They are presented in four sub –chapters , three sub-chapters for non numeric results and one for numeric results. Results: The results show that there are dramatic differences on data collection and data processing between the Civil Registry and the Medical Sciences University. Also it is found that there are some sorts of shortcomings in different stages of data collection system in each organisation. This includes incomplete data coverage, shortcoming in academic staff, insufficient technology infrastructures, lack of training for staff, inadequate data quality checking. Moreover, there are many limitations affecting data collection after the earthquake. These limitations are rooted in basic problems within the existing data collection system and a lack of co-ordination between the groups collecting the data, including national and international aid groups that provided help after the earthquake. Regarding maternal mortality data collection it is found that there was no consistent definition of maternal deaths among interviewees. All data sources are not aware of urgently reporting of maternal deaths as it should be. The results of the estimation of maternal mortality ratios from different sources present inconsistent pictures. This inconsistency is found in both of the denominators and nominators. Also, the results of case matching show that the data collected from two different sources authorised commonly by the Medical Sciences University are not consistent. Additional exploring on the mortality data in disaster and non disaster cities reveal that the inconsistency is not limited to the maternal mortality data. Indeed, there is considerable difference on the total mortality data reported by these two organisations in target cities. Discussion: There are some requirements before setting the systems including introducing appropriate rules and regulation to oblige different data sources to send the data. Also allocating enough resources including human resources and providing appropriate training before commencing the job are of important factor to improve the system. Having good and strong enough communication infrastructures can increase the speed and accuracy of data. In addition, some supervisory activities should be in placed to ensure that the data collection procedures is on the right track and data checking is undertaken by related stuff. Using consistent software in different organisations provides not only more complete data by data transferring they can also improve the quality of data through data cross checking. Finally the data usage culture should be encouraged by the government in all levels including national, provincial and districts levels. This can be achieved through introducing a system of incentives for use the data in decision making and allocating budget via the data. Regarding disaster and data collection it is very important to have the collaboration of international organisation to send the data to the host country. Low collaboration might be due to this fact that there is little awareness about the importance of having the flow of data collection after a disaster for planning for disaster stricken country. Therefore appropriate strategies might be needed to increase this awareness in the national and global level. This can be achieved through international organisations such as World Health Organisations or Red Cross Organisations. Conclusion: The main aim of data collection is to use the data in planning and evaluation. Incomplete and inaccurate data must be misleading and useless. in order to strengthen the data collection system it should be established based on certain standards to ensure that the data is complete and accurate. This would be of importance in non disaster and disaster situation

Pathways to Addiction: A Gender-Based Study on Drug Use in a Triangular Clinic and Drop-in Center, Kerman, Iran

Background: Addiction is characterized differently among women and men, and they begin using drugs for different reasons and motives. Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore the gendered experiences and patterns of illicit drug use initiation in an Iranian context. Patients and Methods: A total of 29 participants (15 men and 14 women) took part in in-depth interviews conducted at a HIV triangulation clinic (for men and women) and drop-in-center for women in Kerman in 2011. Results: The results of the study suggest that patterns of drug use are different among among Iranian men and women. Men often transit to drug use from cigarette smoking, whereas women’s drug use practices often begins with opium. Unlike women, men who used drugs were often single at their drug use debut. Conclusions: Different patterns of first exposure to drug use among men and women highlight the role of gendered expectations and socio-cultural norms in shaping drug use experiences of people who use drugs and call for gender-specific harm reduction interventions

Delineation and analysis of co-authorship network among the academics of School of Dentistry in Kerman University of Medical Sciences in 2013 using network analysis method

BACKGROUND AND AIM: This study aims to explore the co-authorship in School of Dentistry at Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran, in three levels; individuals, other schools of KUU, and beyond the university. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study which is a part of a larger study conducted from September 2014 to December 2014. A comprehensive search in Scopus was conducted to find related articles published in 2013 by following these steps; first of all, a complete list of all faculties, based on the school and the department they worked in, was obtained. Second, all articles indexed with the affiliation of KMU were retrieved, using both keywords of “Kerman Medical University” and KUM Sciences.” The data were analyzed using Social Network Analysis and Visone software. RESULTS: The results showed an inadequate collaboration within departments; only two of them had collaboration. Co-authorship among departments illustrated a more satisfactory picture: although, it still has more rooms for improvement. Regarding collaboration between the Dentistry School and other schools of the university, the School of Dentistry is in a middle position, though it could have had more potential relationships. The School of Dentistry formed a few relationships with the organizations outside of the university. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that there are more rooms for improvement in the field of collaboration and coauthoring papers, which could consequently not only lead to a higher rate of publication and visibility but also affect the citation rates for authors. KEYWORDS: Authorship Collaboration; Dentistry; Network Analysis; Social Networks; Co-Authorshi

The reliability and validity study of the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis

Motor imagery (MI) has been recently considered as an adjunct to physical rehabilitation in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). It is necessary to assess MI abilities and benefts in patients with MS by using a reliable tool. The Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire (KVIQ) was recently developed to assess MI ability in patients with stroke and other disabilities. Considering the different underlying pathologies, the present study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the KVIQ in MS patients. Method: Fifteen MS patients were assessed using the KVIQ in 2 sessions (5-14days apart) by the same examiner. In the second session, the participants also completed a revised MI questionnaire (MIQ-R) as the gold standard. Intra-class correlation coeffcients (ICCs) were measured to determine test-retest reliability. Spearman’s correlation analysis was performed to assess concurrent validity with the MIQ-R. Furthermore, the internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and factorial structure of the KVIQ were studied. Results: The test-retest reliability for the KVIQ was good (ICCs: total KVIQ=0.89, visual KVIQ=0.85, and kinesthetic KVIQ=0.93), and the concurrent validity between the KVIQ and MIQ-R was good (r=0.79). The KVIQ had good internal consistency, with high Cronbach’s alpha (alpha=0.84). Factorial analysis showed the bi-factorial structure of the KVIQ, which was explained by visual=57.6% and kinesthetic=32.4%. Conclusions: The results of the present study revealed that the KVIQ is a valid and reliable tool for assessing MI in MS patients

The Effect of Technology in Information Searching Skills via Wiki to the Medical Students

Background & Objective: Recently, a new technology, i.e. Web 2.0, has emerged and it is increasingly used in education. Wiki is one of the web 2.0 application which is used in E-learning. Wiki is a simple, easy editable, interactive application that enhances learning, so this study was conducted to investigate the effect of using wiki on learning information searching skills on medical students in Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Methods: The study population included the medical students who have chosen the information technology (IT) course in the second semester in 2013. The course was held in four groups, two groups were selected randomly. One group was considered as test group, teaching through wiki (wikispaces). The second one was the control group, traditional teaching (lecture). We asked about students’ attitudes toward learning through a researcher-made questionnaire. Result: The most of the students (71.9%) have used at least one of the web 2.0 technologies and 21.9% used Wikis. The mean scores of two groups increased and the difference between the mean scores was significant. The mean and standard deviation of the students’ scores before and after training through Wiki enhanced from 2.80 ± 1.85 to 12.85 ± 4.26, whereas it was 3.83 ± 4.30 to 13.75 ± 3.25 in the traditional group (P < 0.001). There was no significant association between two teaching methods (wiki and traditional) (P = 0.560) and the improvement of both groups was almost equivalent but most of students (55%) preferred training by wiki. Conclusion: Teaching through Wiki had a positive effect on learning. Regarding Wiki capabilities, it can be used as a supplement method for teaching. Keywords Web 2.0 Wiki Education Information searching skills Learning Kerman University of Medical Sciences Iran Medical student