The Relationship between Environmental Performance Index, Economic Growth and Public Health Expenditures: Panel Cointegration Approach

Introduction: Economic growth has a direct impact on public health expenditures; also, itindirectly affects public health expenditures through the environment’s quality. Therefore,this study aimed to investigate the relationship between environmental performance index,economic growth, and public health expenditures in countries with high and very highhuman development index.Methods: The present descriptive-analytical and applied study was performed on 16 countrieswith high and very high human development index. The time-series data required for theyears 2006-2018 were extracted from the World Bank and United Nations database andenvironmental performance index extracted from the Yale University website. Im, Pesaranand Shin (IPS), Levin, Lin, and Chu (LLC), Augmented Dickey–Fuller (ADF)– Fisher, andPhillips-Perron (PP)–Fisher tests for stationary and Pedroni and Kao tests for cointegrationwere used. The study model was estimated by the DOLS cointegration method in Eviews 10software.Results: The mean environmental performance index for selected countries with very highand high human development index was 79.04 and 64.71, respectively; also, the elasticity ofpublic health expenditures to gross national production, environmental performance index,physician supply, and urbanization ratio were 0.96, -2.41, 0.441 and 0.448, respectively.Conclusion: Increasing economic growth, urbanization ratio, and physician supply hada positive effect, and improving environmental performance index had a negative effecton public health expenditures. Therefore, to reduce public health expenditures, policiesare recommended to maintain environmental sustainability and reduce environmentalpollutants, and to invest in advanced equipment to purify pollutant gases. Maintaining andincreasing economic growth is also essential for adopting policies to increase physicians andinvest in health infrastructure

Epidemiological Profile of Salivary Gland Tumors in Southern Iranian Population: A Retrospective Study of 405 Cases

Aims. Salivary gland tumors (SGTs) are a rare and diverse group of tumors that account for 3 to 10% of all head and neck malignancies. We aimed to conduct a comprehensive epidemiological analysis of SGTs in the south of Iran and compare the findings with previous reports from Iran and other parts of the world. Methods. Using a retrospective study, 405 patients diagnosed with SGTs were observed over an eight-year period between April 2013 and October 2021 in Shiraz, Iran. Patients’ demographic and clinicopathological features were obtained from patients’ records. Quantitative and descriptive data analysis was performed using SPSS software. Results. There were 302 benign (74.5%) and 103 (25.4%) malignant SGTs. Pleomorphic adenoma and Warthin’s tumors were the most common benign SGTs (70.5% and 21.5%, respectively). The most common malignant SGTs were mucoepidermoid carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma (26.2% and 22.3%, respectively). There was a statistically significant association between tumor origin and its malignancy status (p<0.001). In addition, the results indicated that benign tumors were most commonly detected in the parotid gland (p<0.05). The benign tumors were more frequently observed among the younger population (p=0.006). Conclusion. In summary, the findings of the current study were mainly consistent with the previous reports from Iran and the rest of the world. Benign tumors were the most prevalent type of SGTs, and the parotid gland was the most common site. While the majority of cases that developed from the major salivary glands were benign, all the minor SGTs were malignant. Older patients were more likely to develop malignant tumors compared to younger ones. This study provides insights into the prevalence, age-related incidence, gender distribution, and geographic variation of salivary gland tumors. This can be instrumental to develop a guideline for screening, diagnosis, and determining an optimal treatment

The relationship between mother's socioeconomic status and child health

Child health as one of the main indicators of economic development has been included directly in the millennium development goals. Due to the increased rate of mothers' employment and education along with children malnutrition, the effect of mothers’ socioeconomic status on children’s health was examined in this study. In case study, data on children at birth were gathered from health care records in 10 health centers of Tehran. The sample size of 400 was determined using the Cochran formula with an error margin of 5%. The cases were selected through random cluster sampling. The probit, probit with endogenous variable, and ordered probit models were employed. The mean mother's education was at the level of 3.76, representing higher than diploma and lower than associate degrees. The mean mothers' age, whose children were normal, stunting, and severe stunting, was 32.25, 32.92, and 34.20, respectively. The mothers' employment and education level increased the likelihood of stunting by 93 and 37 percent, respectively. Therefore, mother's employment had a negative effect on child health; i.e. mother's employment increases the possibility of stunting probably because of child malnutrition. In addition, rising education level among unemployed mothers increased the probability of children’s health. The parents’ education affected positively the health of children, and officeholder father, family size, and being twin had negative effects on children's health

Investigation of Mycobacterium bovis population by RFLP scheme, in two main provinces of Iran – Tehran and Alborz

Introduction: Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) caused by Mycobacterium bovis is considered as one of the most important diseases of cattle. Identifying and culling infected animals following positive tuberculin test detection is one of the fundamental control strategies of tuberculosis in cattle in the world. Passing five decades after implementation of such a control program from 1963, now, Iran experiences an admirable drastic decreased rate of 0.18% in comparison with a previous 5% at the beginning of the program. Materials and methods: A total of 31 lymph nodes of positive-tuberculin cattle referred to an Alborz Province abattoir and 70 farm samples obtained in the Tehran Province during the years 1390–1391 Hijri were sent to Razi Institute. Passing standard preparation procedures, the isolates were obtained after 8 weeks at 37 °C. Then their DNA was extracted using van Solingen's method. Employing PCR-RFLP schemes, 13 M. bovis isolates were confirmed. Qualitative and quantitative RFLP evaluation, exploiting PGRS and DR probes for hybridization were performed. Results: Digestion by PvuII enzyme followed by hybridization employing separate probes PGRS and DR resulted in three genetic detection types. Also, the combination of the two probes provided four different patterns. Discussion: The data obtained from this study compared with the national surveillance carried out in 1385, showed similarly a consistent pattern of M. bovis BCG as the predominant isolates found in most of the provinces, particularly in Tehran