A dish-based semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire for assessment of dietary intakes in epidemiologic studies in Iran: design and development

BACKGROUND: Earlier forms of food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) used in Iran have extensive lists of foods, traditional categories and food-based design, mostly with the interviewer-administered approach. The aim of the current paper is to describe the development of a dish-based, machine-readable, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (DFQ). METHODS: Within the framework of the Study on the Epidemiology of Psychological, Alimentary Health and Nutrition project, we created a novel FFQ using Harvard FFQ as a model. RESULTS: THE FOLLOWING STEPS WERE TAKEN TO DEVELOP THE QUESTIONNAIRE: Construction of a list of commonly consumed Iranian foods, definition of portion sizes, design of response options for consumption frequency of each food item and finally a pilot test of the preliminary DFQ. From a comprehensive list of foods and mixed dishes, we included those that were nutrient-rich, consumed reasonably often or contributed to between-person variations. We focused on mixed dishes, rather than their ingredients, along with foods. To shorten the list, the related food items or mixed dishes were categorized together in one food group. These exclusions resulted in a list of 106 foods or dishes in the questionnaire. The portion sizes used in the FFQ were obtained from our earlier studies that used dietary recalls and food records. The frequency response options for the food list varied from 6-9 choices from "never or less than once a month" to "12 or more times per day". CONCLUSIONS: The DFQ could be a reasonable dietary assessment tool for future epidemiological studies in the country. Validation studies are required to assess the validity and reliability of this newly developed questionnaire.AH Keshteli, Ahmad Esmaillzadeh, Somayeh Rajaie, Gholamreza Askari, Christine Feinle-Bisset and Peyman Adib

Does Development Assistance for Health Really Displace Government Health Spending? Reassessing the Evidence

Rajaie Batniji and Eran Bendavid dispute recent suggestions that health aid to developing countries leads to a displacement of government spending and instead argue that current evidence about aid displacement cannot be used to guide policy

The Analysis of Status of innovation Acceptancein Curriculum University

The aim of this study was to analyses the status of curriculum innovation acceptance based on faculty members point of views at university of Isfahan. The questions of this study were developed with respect to innovational styles of curriculum (goals, content, teaching-learning strategies, and evaluation methods) and then examined. Statistical population included all 503 faculty members at university of Isfahan which 126 faculty members, were chosen as statistical sample. In order to collecting data, library method and researcher made questionnaire were used. Validity of the questionnaire calculated through Cronbachâs Alpha and its coefficient was 95%. Also content and formal reliability of questionnaire was confirmed by 10 experts and professors in curriculum field. Results study indicated that the rate of innovation acceptance in goals, content, teaching-learning strategies, and evaluation methods are more than average level of curriculum. Also, there was no significant difference among faculty members point of views with regard to the gender, but there showed a significant difference with regard to the status of innovation acceptance in curriculum, based on ranking of faculty members

Urinary retention due to mesenteric cyst: An extremely unusual presentation of a rare complication

Mesenteric cysts are rare intra-abdominal masses, presenting with various clinical signs and symptoms. Mesenteric cysts presenting with a sudden onset of urinary retention is extremely rare. There are no cases reported in the English literature. Here, we report a very rare case of urinary retention, due to mesenteric cyst in a 19-year-old man. The patient presented with abdominal distention with a sudden onset of urinary retention. Ultrasonography and computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed a huge cystic mass above the bladder that was completely separated from the kidney and bladder. The cyst was removed surgically. The patient experienced no urological difficulty after the surgery. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a mesenteric cyst

Predictors of survival in oesophageal cancer patients in a high-risk area in Northern Iran: the role of health services utilisation

We aimed to determine predictors of survival in oesophageal cancer (EC) patients in a high-risk area. This study was conducted on EC patients diagnosed in 2007–2008 in Golestan province, Iran. Diagnostic (DU) and Therapeutic (TU) services utilisation indices were determined. DU and TU indices of 1 were considered as good utilisation. EC-specific survival rates were calculated. Multivariate Cox-regression model was used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (AHRs). Two hundred and twenty-three EC subjects were enrolled. The median survival time was 10.47 months and the 5-year survival rate was 11. Cox-regression analysis suggested that stage of tumour (AHRregional = 3.75, 95 confidence interval CI: 2.34–6.00; AHRmetastasis = 12.21, 95% CI: 7.42–20.08) and TU (AHR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.25–2.52) were the strongest variables related to EC survival. The median survival time in patients with good and poor TU were 14.37 and 8.53 months respectively (p <.01). There was no significant relationship between DU and EC survival. We found relatively low survival rates in our EC patients when compared with developed countries. Our results also suggested an increasing trend for EC survival rate during recent years. Good TU could predict higher survival rates. Patients' access to therapeutic services may be considered as an important indicator in decision-making for controlling EC. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Lt