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Introduction: Nickel (Ni) is one of the toxic heavy metals that exposure to it has been connected with chronic respiratory complications such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, lung cancer and heart disease. In this research, original studies that investigated occupational or environmental exposure to Nickel and measured nickel levels in human tissues were reviewed. Materials and Methods: In this study articles were reviewed systematically. National databases such as SID and Magiran as well as some international databases including PubMed, Web of Knowledge, Science Direct and Google Scholar were also searched; to extract studies conducted in Iran; until August 19, 2016. Results: Based on the results, industrial professions such as welding and plating who dealt directly with nickel were at a higher risk of contamination. In overall, residents in large polluted cities or taking dental treatments, had more nickel concentrations in their body than others. Conclusion: Considering the high nickel contamination in some industrial workers, it seems necessary to do regular surveillance in these occupational groups and avoid unnecessary exposure to nickel as much as possible. Also, safer dental material should be used in orthodontics.

Background & Objectives: Since late diagnosis of diabetes or missing it during pregnancy can leave severe maternal and fetal complications, and on the other hand information on the prevalence and risk factors of diabetes in pregnancy in Iran is limited, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of gestational diabetes in Shahdad/ Kerman/ Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study was performed on 160 post partum women who had prenatal care files in health care center of Shahdad city from 2014 to2015. Subjects were selected through census sampling and their information was extracted from their files. Data were analyzed through SPSS version 16 and using t-test, chi-square, Fisher's exact test and logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the studied women was 12.5 percent. Gestational diabetes showed significant relationships with history of stillbirth (P=0.04), family history of diabetes (P

Background and Aim: Health communicators with volunteer activities meet many people’s educational and informational needs in different aspects of health without additional costs. Despite the importance of communicators in health programs, the level of their cooperation or connection with our health centers has been reduced in recent years. So, this study was performed with the aim of affective factors on recruitment and retention of health communicators. Materials and Methods: This study was an applicable study with the use of phenomenological qualitative methods. Data gathering tool was focus group discussions that were done in year 2014. A total of 39 health communicators, coaches, and experts of health communicators plan were selected using purposive sampling in Kerman city health center. Data achieved by focus group interviews were analyzed using framework analysis. Results: Three main concepts were extracted as the results of the analysis of the qualitative data. Factors related to the health care system weaknesses of the communicatorchr('39')s plan, weakness of human factors (coaches and communicators), and factors related to society were the three main concepts of recruiting and retaining the health communicators. Conclusion: Setting up the supportive and supervisory regulation by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in conjunction with this program, allocating the appropriate budget to this program, documenting achievements and appreciating the better volunteers and their coaches in the country, and planning for education of volunteers according to the health needs of the society are the solutions proposed in this study.

Background and Objectives: Breast cancer is the most common form of malignant diseases in women. Early diagnosis is effective on its successful treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate breast self-examination and its effective factors based on the theory of planned behavior among women in Kerman, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study, 300 women referred to the health centers in Kerman, Iran, were selected by the cluster and convenience sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires included demographic variables and questions about knowledge and constructs of the theory of planned behavior. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation, Spearman, Chi-square, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney and logistic regression with the SPSS 21 software. Results: The mean age of the participants was 30.26 ± 8.18 years. Results showed that 12.7% of the women performed breast self-examination regularly every month. The most common reason for not doing breast self-examination was not knowing how to perform it. Knowledge was the most important predictor in breast self-examination (OR= 0.896, P

Background and objective: Education can play an important role in the management of chronic diseases such as diabetes. This study was conducted to determine the impact of pictograph-based education on knowledge, attitude, self-care, fasting blood glucose and HbA1c among patients with type 2 diabetes. Materials and methods: This study was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) on 100 patients with type 2 diabetes referred to diabetes clinics in Kerman city. The participants were randomly divided into intervention and control groups with 50 patients in each group. In the intervention group, pictograph-based training was presented in the form of slides and posters along with lectures, but in the control group lectures without pictographs was presented. The data were collected and analyzed using chi-square tests, independent t-test, paired t-test Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U through SPSS16. Results: The mean score of total self-care significantly increased in the intervention group (p < 0.0001). The self-care components of foot care and blood glucose monitoring significantly improved in the intervention group, too. Fasting glucose and HbA1c decreased in both groups and knowledge in both groups improved after the intervention, but attitude only increased in the intervention group. Conclusion: Considering the significant role of pictographs in learning health instructions, it seems that education using pictographs can promote self-care behaviors among diabetic patients who are mainly old and/or with low literacy. Paper Type: Research Article.

Malaria is a major health problem in many tropical and subtropical countries and in the south of Iran. In this study, due to the importance of the disease in Sistan and Baluchestan province, the influence of temperature, humidity, and rainfall on malaria has been evaluated in areas with a high incidence of malaria. Malaria incidence data were inquired from the Province Health Authority, and climatic variables were inquired from the Bureau of Meteorology from 2000 to 2012 and were analyzed on a monthly basis. Changes in incidence of malaria with climatic factors were analyzed by negative binomial regression by Stata 11, and the correlations were calculated with Minitab15 for determining the potential impact of meteorological variables with and without lags on malaria transmission. The incidence of malaria had a significant positive correlation with the average, minimum, and maximum monthly temperatures and a negative correlation with rainfall and low humidity (60% had a positive impact on incidence; as in the town of Chabahar after adjusting variables such as rainfall and temperature; every one percent increase in humidity caused a 4% increase in malaria incidence in the same month and a significant 6% increase in the next month. Temperature and humidity over 60% are effective climate parameters in the incidence of malaria. These factors should be considered in planning for controlling and preventing malaria.

Background: Colorectal cancers (CRCs) including colon, rectum and anal cancers are the third most prevalent cancers in the world. There are strong evidence showing the risk of the cigarette smoking, alcohol use, low physical activity and some types of diets in CRCs; however, few studies explored the relationship between opium use and CRCs. This study aimed to investigate the association between opioid use and the incidence of CRCs. Methods: In a population-based matched case-control study in Kerman, Iran, 175 patients with colorectal cancers and 350 healthy controls (matched for age, sex, and place of residence) were interviewed from Sep 2014 to Nov 2014. Opium and its derivatives, cigarette, alcohol, and diet use were collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Results: The use of opioids was associated with an increased risk of CRCs (adjusted odds ratio= 4. 5, 95% CI: 2. 4-8. 7). In addition, a dose-response relationship was observed between the cumulative use of opioids and the incidence of CRCs (with low use OR=3. 7; 95% CI: 1. 5-8. 6 and high use OR= 8. 0; 95% CI: 2. 9-21. 7). This dose-response relationship was also strong in patients with colon cancers, with OR= 3. 9 (95% CI: 1. 5-9. 9) and 9. 4 (95% CI: 3. 3-27. 0) for the low and high uses of opioids, respectively. Conclusion: Opioid use can lead to an increased risk of CRCs. Therefore, it is necessary to implement preventive policies to control the use of opioids.

Background and objectives: Malaria is among the most important parasitic diseases, and is one of the endemic diseases in Iran. This disease is often known as a disease related to climate changes. Due to the health and economic burden of malaria and the location of Kerman province in an area with high incidence of malaria, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of climatic factors on the incidence of this disease. Material and methods: Data on the incidence of malaria in Kerman province was inquired from Kerman and Jiroft Medical Universities and climatic variables were inquired from the meteorological organization of Kerman. The data was analyzed monthly from 2000 to 2012. Variations in incidence of malaria with climatic factors were assessed with negative binomial regression model in STATA11software. In order to determine the delayed effects of meteorological variables on malaria incidence, cross-correlation analysis was done with Minitab16. Results: The most effective meteorological factor on the incidence of malaria was temperature. As the mean, maximum, and minimum of monthly temperature increased, the incidence rate raised significantly. The multivariate negative binomial regression model indicates that a 1 °C increase in maximum temperature in a given month was related to a 15% and 19% increase on malaria incidence on the same and subsequent month, respectively (p-value = 0.001). Humidity and Rainfall were not significant in the adjusted model. Conclusion: Temperature is among the effective climatic parameters on the incidence of malaria which should be considered in planning for control and prevention of the disease.

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are the main causes of mortality and disability in the world. Many risk factors are involved in cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, high cholesterol, overweight and obesity, smoking, diabetes, inadequate physical activity, unhealthy diet. The aim of this study was to evaluate cardiovascular diseases risk factors and the relationship between knowledge level and preventive behaviors for cardiovascular diseases among women in Kerman. Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was performed on 400 women in Kerman. Participants were selected using multistage cluster sampling method. Data were collected using demographic questionnaire and a questionnaire about cardiovascular disease risk factors, knowledge, nutritional behavior, and physical activity. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation, Spearman, one-way ANOVA, Kruskal wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test by SPSS 21. Results: The average age of women was 42.11±1.40 years. Daily stress (71.75%) and inadequate physical activity (62.75%) were the most common risk factors among the participants. There was a significant positive relationship between knowledge and nutritional behavior (P

Introduction:The first step in any educational programs is determining the educational needs of the target group. Providing adequate information to couples helps them to start their marital life based on a correct basis. The aim of this study was to determine the pre-marriage educational needs of couples who are about to get marry. Methods:This descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study was performed on 250 couples attending in Pre-marriage counseling classes. Available sampling was used in this study. Data were collected by a questionnaire including demographic variables and 47 questions in 7 areas including family planning, congenital diseases, common cancers in men and women, sexual relationships, relationship with spouse and family, and Islamic and legal issues. Data were analyzed using analytical statistics Chi-square, t-test, ANOVA, and correlation coefficientthrough SPSS 21. Results:The results show a significant relationshipbetween the need for training and education in women and men (P

Introduction and Aims Failure to thrive (FTT) is defined as delay or stop in a child’s growth and in case it is not considered, will lead to serious somatic complications in the child. In this study, associated environmental factors with failure to thrive in Sarbishe 3-72 month old children was examined. Materials and Methods The present study with an analytical cross-sectional design was conducted on 3-72 month old children in Sarbisheh city. This study was done on 422 children under supervision of Sarbisheh health center. Case (children with FTT) and control groups (children without FTT) were matched for age and sex. For data analyzing, the Chi -square, t- test and logistic regression were used by SPSS v.22. Results From characteristics of the household; maternal education level, maternal occupation and mother’s pre-pregnancy BMI had a significant relation with FTT in children. From characteristics of the child; birth weight had a significant relation with FTT in children. From economic characteristics of households; housing and addiction of the mother had a significant relation with FTT in children. Conclusion According to the factors associated with FTT in children, parents education about child nutrition, attention to mother's weight before pregnancy, supporting unprivileged children or children with irresponsible parents is important in children's health promotion. * Corresponding Author: Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Public Health. Email: F_doostan@kmu.ac.ir

Evaluating EQ in Opium Addicts Visiting the Rehabilitation Centers of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences Ranjbar Totoei Aliasghar1, Khanjani Narges2*, Mirzabeigi MohammadReza3 Received: 19. 10. 2015 Revised: 16. 01. 2016 Accepted: 19. 02. 2016 1. MPH Student, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. 2. Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. 3. Assistant Professor of Psychology, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran. *Correspondence: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. Tel: 034-31325102 Email: n_khanjani@kmu.ac.ir Abstract: Introduction: EQ is one of the determinants of human reaction to life events. In this study, the EQ of addicts visiting the rehabilitation centers of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences in 2013 was evaluated. Method: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was carried out on 122 addicts and 119 healthy people as controls. Addict subjects were chosen from the addicts visiting six rehabilitation centers of Rafsanjan Medical University. Participants were evaluated by BAR-ON questionnaire including 90 questions in four sub-categories of problem solving, emotional self- awareness, inter personal relationship and responsibility. Independent t-test and ANOVA wereused for analysis through SPSS19. Results: The two groups of addicts and controls showed significant differencein regard to EQ and the sub-categories of emotional self-awareness, interpersonal relationships and responsibility (P

Background & Objective: Determination of priorities and suitable educational methods enable the optimal use of the limited resources available Due to the effective role of family physicians in health promotion and the necessity of educational planning according to needs assessment this study aimed to assess the educational requirements of rural family physicians working in Kerman University of Medical Sciences Iran Methods: This crosssectional analyticaldescriptive study was conducted on 102 rural family physicians in 2014 Census method was applied for sampling Data were collected using a twopart researchermade questionnaire The validity of the questionnaire was approved by professors To determine the reliability of the research tool testretest method and Cronbachs alpha (096) were applied Statistical tests were used to analyze the data using SPSS software Results: The most required educational needs were circumcision biopsy of the skin and mucosa pulling nails speckle removal and surgical excision of skin verruca Continuing Medical Education was reported as the leading effective educational method There was significant relationship between educational requirements and total years of work experience and years of work experience as family physician However there was no significant relationship between educational requirements and physicians gender age place of education and educational interval gap Conclusion: To enhance knowledge and skills of family physicians in addition to revision of physicians educational curriculum educational planning based on needs assessment is required Thus it is suggested that the Health Care and Continuing Medical Education Office in Kerman University of Medical Sciences take the results of this study into consideration in order to promote the efficacy of the educational programs

Increased human activity and consumption of natural energy resources have led to decline in fossil fuel. These current methods of energy production are not compatible with the environment. In this study catalyst-less and mediator-less membrane microbial fuel cell (CAML-MMFC) represents a new method for simultaneous dairy industry wastewater treatment and bioelectricity generation. The CAML-MMFC used was designed as two chambered that included an anaerobic anode and aerobic cathode compartment and was separated from each other by a proton exchange membrane. The anode and cathode electrodes were made from graphite plate. Current intensity, power density and voltage produced from wastewater as fuel were measured and the effluent from the anode compartment was examined to evaluate pollutant decrease. The maximum current intensity and power density produced were respectively 3.74 mA and 621.13 mW/m2 on the anode surface, at OLR equal to 53.22 kgCOD/m3 d and at the external resistance of 1 k Ω. The maximum voltage produced was 0.856 V at OLR equal to 53.22 kgCOD/m3 d and at temperature 35oC. The maximum coulombic efficiency of 37.16% was achieved at OLR equal to 17.74 kgCOD/m3 d. The HRT was examined as a factor influencing the power generation and when it was 5 day, maximum voltage and power density were obtained. The maximum removal efficiency of COD, BOD5, NH3, NH4+, dissolved phosphorus, phosphorus in suspended solids, SO42−, TSS, and VSS was respectively achieved at 90.46%, 81.72%, 73.22%, 69.43%, 31.18%, 72.45%, 39.43%, 70.17% and 64.6%. The results showed that generating bioelectricity and dairy industry wastewater treatment by CAML-MMFC are a good alternative for producing energy and treating wastewater at the same time.

Introduction: Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is a typical cause of surgery in children. Evaluation and identification of patients as potential candidates tonsillectomy is a primary concern for otolaryngologists. This study focuses on the results of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) after tonsillectomy in children. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study examined 50 patients suffering from tonsillar hypertrophy in 2013. Full details and results of otolaryngology examinations were recorded. Moreover, patients were examined with respect to forced inspiratory flow at 50% of vital capacity (FIF50%), forced expiratory flow at 50% of vital capacity (FEF50%), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), and FEV1/forced expired volume in 0.5 seconds (FEV0.5) before and after surgery using spirometry. All data were analyzed using SPSS Software (version 19), and central descriptive measures, and data were compared by performing T-test and Chi-square tests. Results: According to tonsil size, patients were distributed as follows: 18 patients (36%) with +1 tonsil size, 18 patients (36%) with +2 tonsil size, and seven patients (14%) with +3 tonsil size, and seven patients (14%) with +4 tonsil size. Thirty-three (66%) and 17 patients (34%) were female and male, respectively, with a mean of age of 9.7 2.97 years (range, 7–18 years). Seventy-eight percent of patients were aged 10 years or less. Moreover, 25 patients (50%), 17 patients (34%), and eight patients (16%), respectively, reported obstructive symptoms, recurrent tonsillitis, and both symptoms. In patients with +3 and +4 tonsil size, spirometric parameters indicated relief of symptoms of obstruction. Only in patients with +4 tonsil size were the changes statistically significant. Conclusion: Tonsillectomy can relieve obstructive symptoms in patients with tonsils larger than +3 to a great extent. Additionally, spirometry can identify patients with +3 and +4 tonsils who do not have clinical signs of an obstructive upper airway.

Introduction: One of the ways for addiction control and damage reductionis methadone treatment. However, the factors related to treatment failure have not been fully studied. In this study the characteristics related to treatment failure in Rafsanjan city has been studied. Method: This descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was done based on records of patients visiting two rehabilitation centers in Rafsanjan in 2011-2013. The records were evaluated in two groups of patients. The first group (291 patients) were people with treatment failure, and the second group (309 people) were those successfully treated. Data analysis was done usingt-test, chi-square, and logistic regression through SPSS 22 software. Results: The mean age of participants was 37±10.5 years. The two groups were significantly different in regard to kind of substance use (P =­0.001), existence of mental illness (P = 0.011), treatment center (P­

Introduction: Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease which is nowadays known as a public health problem. Physical activity to maintain healthy bones is an important factor in preventing osteoporosis. The aim of this study was to determine a model for predicting factors influencing physical activity among women for the prevention of osteoporosis according to the Precede Model in Kerman, Iran. Method: This cross-sectional analytical descriptive study was performed on 120 women referred to health centers of Kerman city during 2014. They were selected randomly through multi- stages sampling method. Data were collected using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and a self-administrated questionnaire according to constructs of the PRECEDE Model (Predisposing Reinforcing, and Enabling Factors) andanalyzed by descriptive statistics (measures of central tendency, dispersion, frequency and percent) and analysis statistics (logistic regression, Pearson correlation) using SPSS software version 18. Results: The results showed thatthe mean age of the participants were 32.44 ± 6.97 years. 29.2% of women had intense, 5.35% moderate, and 7.66% mild physical activity. The results also indicated that enabling factors was the most predictive factors of physical activity both in raw (P=0.023, OR=1/122) and adjusted models (P=0.041, OR=1/137). Conclusion: As enabling factors were the most important predictive factor for physical activity, it is recommended that health promotion interventions be planned according to these factors to improve physical activity and prevent osteoporosis mong women. Key­words: Predicting, Physical Activity, Osteoporosis, Women, Precede Model Citation: Tabasinejad N, Ahmadi Tabatabaei S­V, Khanjani N, Mohseni M. Predicting Factors Influencing Physical Activity in Women for thePrevention of Osteoporosis According to the Precede Model. Journal of Health Based Research 2015 1(2): 155-166.

Background: Water resource management is a strategic issue in Qom city. Water scarcity is one of the most critical concerns of industrial estates. This study aimed to evaluate wastewater management in the Shokuhieh industrial park of Qom province in 2013. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study done by visiting the industrial units in person, completing questionnaires and analyzing the results. The questionnaire had 25 questions, including general information, the status of water supply, treatment and consumption, wastewater production, reuse or discharge of produced wastewater and the status of wastewater treatment and discharge of effluent. The industrial units evaluated were active with over 50 personnel and numbered 44 in total. Results: The water suppliers in the industries included network (70.5%), network and reverse osmosis (RO) (22.5%), network and tanker (2.4%) and tanker (4.6%). 63.63% of the industries had water treatment systems. 19.5% reused wastewater and 31.8% performed pretreatment before discharge of wastewater. The discharge sites of water treatment units’ effluent included the absorption well (17%), greenbelt (18%) and sewer (65%). Discharge sites of sanitary wastewater in 50% of the industries was sewer and in 50%, it was absorption well. The discharge sites of processed wastewater was reuse (2%), sewer (52%) and absorption well (46%). Discharge sites of exiting effluent from pretreatment units in the industrial park, included sewer (85.5%), transport by tanker (7.1%) and absorption well (7.1%). The type of pretreatment process in 35.7% of the industries was chemical and in 64.3%, it was septic tank. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that pre-treatment is not done in most industries and wastewater reuse is performed in few industries. The main method of wastewater disposal in industries was by discharge into the sewer and absorbent well.

Background: Despite all the efforts made to control and eliminate malaria in Iran, this disease is still considered as a priority health problem in the South East of Iran. We aimed to determine the cultural obstacles which have prevented the elimina­tion of malaria in this region. Method: This study was carried out through qualitative content analysis. Purposeful sampling was done from people who had malaria or were involved with malaria patients in 2015, in Sarbaz City, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Eastern Iran. Data were collected through interviews using open questions and continued until data saturation. Results: The most important barriers in malaria prevention was delay in visiting health centers, delay in diagnosis and treatment due to superstitious beliefs, lack of information about the disease, misdiagnosis and fake doctors. Other obstacles were lack of trust and cooperation with interventions offered by the health system, lack of proper use of the available facilities to prevent malaria and commuting in the high-risk neighbor countries. Conclusion: Raising awareness in people, officials and health workers about malaria and preventive health interven­tions as well as health risks associated with fake doctors, following up and re-examination of peripheral blood smear in suspected cases, establishing malaria control stations in border areas and specific measures to refer immigrants and people crossing the border toward malaria diagnosis stations is suggested.

Background: The present study aimed to investigate breast cancer trend, incidence, and mortality among Iranian women and was one of the first provincial and population-based studies to investigate breast cancer changes during 14 years in the largest province of Iran, Kerman. Methods: This was a population-based longitudinal study. Information about women diagnosed with breast cancer from 2001 to 2014 was obtained from the Cancer Registry of Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Independent-samples t test, one-way analysis of variance, linear regression, time series graphs, and fitted line plots were performed using SPSS 22 and Minitab 17. Results: A total of 2771 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in Kerman province from 2001 to 2014. The mean age of female patients was 49.52±12.88 years. The total incidence rate was 13.5 per 100,000 women and there was an increasing trend for incidence and age at diagnosis. Also, 254 women died from breast cancer during these 14 years and the mean mortality age was 54.16±14.33 years. There was also an increasing trend for mortality and age of death. Conclusion: There is an increasing trend for incidence and mortality from breast cancer in Kerman province and this requires interventions such as appropriate screening programs. Also, enabling physicians and increasing patient awareness to identify breast cancer symptoms is necessary.

Background and Purpose: Leukemia is the most prevalent type of cancer in children and its prognostic factors vary in different geographic locations. The aim of this study was to estimate the 5 years survival rate of children suffering from leukemia in Kerman, Iran and to investigate the factors which might influence it. Materials and Methods: This was a cohort study conducted on patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Cases were all younger than 15 years old admitted to Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman, Iran between 1998 and 2009, and included 219 patients. Survival rates were estimated by applying the Kaplan–Meier method. Log-rank test was used to estimate the statistical difference in survival probability and the effect of independent variables on survival was examined using Cox regression. All analyses were performed using STATA-12. Results: The cumulative 5 years rate of survival in this study was 58% and 43% for ALL and AML, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.0030). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that white blood cell (WBC) &ge 50,000 &mul (P = 0.0100) and relapse (P = 0.0060) of ALL patients has a significant effect on survival. In AML due to the small number of patients significant results were not achieved. The cumulative survival rate at the end of 1 year for low, medium and high-risk patients were estimated 97%, 94%, and 78%. Conclusion: Leukemia patients with and WBC &ge 50,000 &mul and a history of relapse had less survival.

Metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent in type 2 diabetics and is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in such patients. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome according to the three criteria of ATPIII, IDF and the new criteria for metabolic syndrome diagnosis in Kerman, Iran. This cross-sectional study was performed on 950 diabetic type 2 patients. Data was analyzed by independent t-test, chi-square and logistic regression using the SPSS (revision 20) software. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Kerman was 73.4, 64.9, and 70.4%, according to the above criteria. Fasting blood sugar, gender, triglyceride, HDL, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure were related to the prevalence of metabolic syndrome according to the above-mentioned criteria. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is high in type 2 diabetic patients and the above-mentioned factors exacerbate the situation.

Introduction: Using bio-sorbents is regarded as one of the effective methods to remove heavy metals. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate Pb adsorption from contaminated water by Chaetoceros sp. and Chlorella sp. algae. Methods: This experimental study was conducted in a batch reactor. The amount of Pb adsorption by Chaetoceros sp. and Chlorella sp. algae was studied under such conditions as different adsorbent dosages (0.2, 0.5, 1.5 and 2 g/L), different pH (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8), different temperatures (20, 25, 30, 35, 40 °C), different contact times (30, 60, 90, 180, 360 minutes), different particle sizes (20, 40, 60, 100, 140 mesh) and different Pb concentrations(20, 40, 60 mg/L). Then adsorption isotherms and kinetic models of metal ions were determined based on Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms as well as first and second order kinetic models. Results: The efficiency of Pb removal by Chlorella sp. and Chaetoceros sp. algae was reported 78% and 60% respectively. The maximum adsorption was observed at optimal conditions including 25 °C, pH of 6, 180 minutes of contact time, particle size of 20 mesh, 1.5 gr/L of adsorbent and 20 mg/L concentration of Pb. Chlorella algae was observed to remove Pb more than Chaetoceros algae. Based on the study results, Pb absorption by Chlorella algae complies with Langmuir adsorption isotherm model, whereas Chaetoceros algae follows Freundlich model. The kinetic models of algae adsorption followed a second order equation. Conclusion: The study findings revealed that Chlorella algae can be effectively used in order to adsorb Pd from contaminated water due to its high efficiency of Pd adsorption.

Background: Infections are readily transmitted as a result of bacterial contamination of swimming pools. Therefore, hygiene and preventing the contamination of swimming pools is of particular importance. The objective of this study was to determine the amount of bacterial contamination in indoor pools of Yazd in 2013. Methods: In this descriptive and analytical study, all indoor swimming pools of Yazd (12 pools) were evaluated during the spring and summer of 2013, in terms of bacterial contamination. In order to determine contamination, a sterile cotton swab was used for sampling. On average, 45 samples were taken from different surfaces in each pool (shower, dressing room, sitting places in sauna, platforms and around the pool). In total, about 540 samples from all pools were tested for bacterial contamination. Results: The results show that from 540 samples, bacterial contamination was observed in about 93 samples (17.22%); and was seen more in showers, edges of the pool and jacuzzis, and the slippers used in swimming pools. The most important isolated bacteria types were E. coli, Actinobacteria, Pseudomonas alcaligenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumonia. Conclusion: The results indicate the presence of bacterial contamination on the surface of these places. It is recommended that health authorities should pay more attention to cleaning and disinfecting surfaces around the pool, showers, dressing rooms etc, to prevent infectious disease transfer as a result of contact with contaminated swimming pool surfaces.

Introduction: Submucoperichondrial injection of botulinum neurotoxin A (BTA) in the nasal septum is a promising therapeutic option in the treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis (AR) and non-allergic rhinitis, and is safer and more effective than intraturbinate injection in reducing clinical symptoms. Materials and Methods: Forty patients diagnosed with persistent AR or non-allergic rhinitis referred to Shafa Medical Center affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences were included in this study and were randomly allocated to the intervention or control groups. Patients received an injection of 80 units BTA (Dysport, Ipsen Ltd Company, UK) at a concentration of 200 mU/ml in normal saline on four spots in each side of the nose and were followed for 12 weeks. Data were analyzed using a chi-square or Fisher’s test, and Mann Whitney U test. Results: The mean age of patients was 46.1±15.3 years, and the two groups did not differ significantly in demographic variables. The severity of rhinitis symptoms was reduced after 4 weeks of injections in the intervention group and then gradually decreased further until the 12th week. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups (P

Objectives Elderly people are at risk of low health literacy outcomes and exposed to many health problems due to lack of personal independence. We aimed to investigate the relationship between health literacy and health status of older adults in Kerman, Iran. Methods & Materials This was a cross-sectional study in which 200 elderly people were questioned in Kerman. Health literacy was measured using the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA) And health status was measured using the Activity Daily Living tool and 10 questions of the short form of SF-36. To analyze the data we used descriptive statistics and to study the relationship among variables, statistical tests such as Chi-square, T, and one-way ANOVA were used. Results Most of the elderly people had inadequate health literacy (52.5%). There was a statistically significant association between health literacy and education (P=0.021) as well as occupation (P=0.041) in the elderly. We also found a statistically significant association between ADL and health literacy (P=0.038), but there was no statistically significant association between age, sex, marital status, economical status, and physical functional with health literacy. Conclusion Enhancing health literacy may be an effective strategy to improve elderly people’s health status. According to the results of this study, education and health-promoting behavior as well as improving health literacy are recommended in planning health promotion programs

Background and Objective: The AIDS epidemic is considerably widespread across the world, turning out to be an exigent problem. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of educational intervention based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) on the prevention of AIDS among health volunteers in Sirjan County. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study in which 120 health volunteers attending health centers in Sirjan city, were selected to participate in this study 60 in the intervention group and 60 in the control group. The intervention was conducted over three sessions for 60 minutes. Data were collected by a valid and reliable 40-item questionnaire before intervention and three months after the intervention. Data was analyzed by chi-square, Fisher's exact, paired t-test and independent t-test. Results: The average scores of both groups according to awareness level, attitude toward behavior, functioning, behavioral intention, mental norms and perceived behavioral control had no meaningful differences before the intervention. But after educational intervention, the average scores of all variables increased meaningfully in the intervention group (p

One of the recommended strategies for preventing tuberculosis is to screen high-risk populations with respect to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate latent infection and active tuberculosis in people with close household contact. It was a cross-sectional descriptive, analytical study with the sample size of 668 people from homes with one infected resident. In order to diagnose tuberculosis latent infection, the PPD test was done. To determine patients with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis, three sputum samples were taken from every patient and were examined using direct microscopy and culture. Data was analyzed by SPSS20 software. The prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection and smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis were 42.8% and 0.9% respectively. The prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection and smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis in people with close household contact were less than that of other studies. However, smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis in people with close household contact was 199.5 times more than that of the general population.

Introduction and AimsCarpal tunnel syndrome is known as strangulation of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel. There are different methods for diagnosis of this syndrome. The Boston Questionnaire is a method for determining the intensity and quality of the disorder. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of the Persian Boston Questionnaire in order to evaluate the severity and functional ability of carpal tunnel patients in Iranian diabetics.Materials and MethodsThe study was done on 105 diabetic patients. The Persian Boston Questionnaire and its English retranslation were provided by Backward-Forward method. Its content and construct validity were evaluated and in order to determine the reliability of the Questionnaire Cronbach’s alpha was calculated. Data was analyzed by SPSS v.20.ResultsIn this study content and construct validities of the Questionnaire were 92.75% and 77.7% respectively. The results of Spearman correlation in construct validity assay between the electro diagnosis test and two parameters: symptoms intensity and functional status were 0.33 and 0.34, respectively. Cronbach’s alpha of the questionnaire was 0.86.ConclusionThe Boston Questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool in evaluation of intensity of symptoms and functional status in Iranian diabetics with carpal tunnel syndrome, but it has low validity in evaluating the physiological intensity of illness.* Corresponding Author: Kerman University of Medial Science, Neurology Research Center.Email: N_Khanjani@kmu.ac.ir

Background and Aim: Studying the recurrence of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a convenient way to evaluate the effectiveness of TB control programs and identify vulnerable patients. In the present study, the rate of recurrence of TB and its predictors were determined in Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort. Eligible people were patients with smear-positive TB who were diagnosed from 2002 to 2011. The end of the follow-up time was December 2013. The number of people who entered the cohort was 1,271 subjects. In order to determine the predictors of recurrence, multivariate logistic regression was used. Analysis was done using SPSS 20. Results: The recurrence incidence was 8.3% and in 85.9% of these patients, it occurred in the time interval of 1-5 years after successful treatment. The recurrence rate was not significantly related to gender, age group, and diabetes. But it was significantly higher in patients whose sputum smear grading before treatment was 2 + or more, patients with positive sputum smear at the end of the second month of the treatment, patients who had completed treatment, and patients who were smokers (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Our study showed that a considerable percentage of smear-positive pulmonary TB patients experience recurrence and that some patients are at a higher risk of recurrence.

Background & Aims: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the nervous system, the cause of which remains unknown. Its prevalence rate has been estimated at 2.5 million individuals across the globe, and 31.5 individuals per 100,000 in Kerman province, Iran. Although different studies have reported disparate results, there are many authentic reports claiming that seasonal changes affect MS prevalence in certain months. The presentstudy investigated the rate of MS seizuresin terms of differentseasons. Methods: Patients referring to the Neurology Ward of Shafa medical center, affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran, were examined in a 5 year period from 2007 to 2011. A specially developed form, containing demographic and background information, and results of examinations, was filled out for each and every patient. A neurology faculty member approved MS seizures or otherwise rejected irrelevant observations. Findings were analyzed through SPSS20 software. Results: In the present study, 802 attacks of MS were detected; 187 cases in men (23.32%) and 615 cases in women (76.68%). The mean age of the participants was 32.69 years. The highest rate of hospitalization occurred in winter and spring. This finding is mostly related to MS attacks in women, but in men the rate of attacks are equal in differentseasons. Conclusion: During the past 5 years, 802 acute cases of multiple were registered (187 cases (23.3%) in men and 615 cases(76.68%) in women). Most cases occurred in winter and spring, which may be due to seasonal infections or other factorstriggered by certain climatic conditionsspecific to these periods.

Introduction: Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic diseases that is especially important for its side effects on human in terms of health and economy. It appears that an important reason for the incidence of brucellosis and its consequent disabilities is lack of knowledge about its transmission routes and prevention. Hence, the present study aimed to determine the effect of training on the knowledge of Shahr-e Babak Azad University students about the prevention of brucellosis.Methods: This experimental study was conducted with 108 students assigned to the experimental and control groups by random stratified sampling from Shahr-e Babak Azad University in 2013. First, students’ knowledge of brucellosis and its prevention was assessed using a valid and reliable researcher-made questionnaire. Then a training program including two sessions of group training, questions and answers, and discussion was implemented and an educational pamphlet was distributed among the experimental group. One month later, the post-test was given. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS software.Results: Knowledge score of students before the intervention was not significantly different in the experimental and control groups, while the difference of mean score was significant after the intervention. None of the demographic variables had a significant impact on the mean score of knowledge after training. The significance level was set at PConclusion: The results showed that training can improve participants’ knowledge about brucellosis prevention. Training is an appropriate and necessary method to increase health information.

Background and objective: Skin cancer is the most frequent malignancy in Iran. Exposure to excessive ultraviolet radiation is an important risk factor in creating skin tumors. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the Health Belief Model (HBM) on the health education of Farmers in Sirjan. Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental study. Two hundred Farmers attending health centers in Sirjan city, were selected to participate in this study (100 in intervention group and 100 in the control group). The intervention was conducted over two sessions in 60 minutes. Data were collected by a validated and reliable questionnaire (49 questions) before intervention and three months after the intervention. Data was analyzed by chi-square, Fisher’s exact, paired t-tests and independent t-test. Results: After intervention, knowledge scores increased significantly in both intervention and control group, which was probably due to the routine education program in that center. Perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy increased significantly in the intervention group (p

Maximal Aerobic Capacity (VO2-max) is an indicator of the preparedness of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems and a tool to estimate the physiological fitness of individuals for their work. This study aimed to measure the VO2-max and Physical Work Capacity (PWC) of workers at a metal industry and the factors affecting it using a single-stage step test. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 workers in a metal industry in Tehran, in 2017. Data collection tools were a questionnaire including separate sections asking about demographic and anthropometric (height, weight, and BMI) characteristics. Quantitative variables were recorded after being measured. The Tuxworth and Shahnawaz method and step test were used in order to estimate VO2-max and PWC. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22. The relative humidity of the place was 40% and local air pressure was 879 atmospheres. The average VO2-maxand average maximum PWC of the study population were 3.13±0.283L/min and 15.65±1.41 kcal/min, respectively. There was a significant relationship between VO2-maxusingsingle-stage step test and BMI (P=0.01), number of hours of exercise per week (P=0.009) and age (P=0.01). The step test is a rapid, easy and low-cost method to estimate physiological adaptation and PWC of individuals. Variables such asage, hours of exercise per week and BMI are effective on aerobic capacity.

The incidence of occupational stress in midwives may lead to increase in the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and decreased work efficiency and quality of care. This study was conducted to determine the rate of MSDs in different body parts and its relation with stress in midwives. This was a cross-sectional (descriptive and analytical) study. The population under study was midwives working in governmental and private hospitals in Nayshabur, Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran, in 2015. All eligible midwives (78 women) entered the study. The standard Nordic Questionnaire and the Altmaier occupational stress questionnaire were used. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, correlation, t-test and chi-square. In this population, 67.6% had at least one musculoskeletal disorder. The highest prevalence in the last year was in the shoulder region with 44% and the lowest prevalence was in the elbow (8%). Furthermore, 54% of the midwives had average and 46% had severe occupational stress. There was a significant association between MSDs in some body parts and midwives occupational stress (P

Shift work is an important factor influencing the sleep quality and sleepiness of nurses. The aim of the present research was to compare sleep quality in three groups: 1) nurses with shift work SN), 2) nurses without shift work (DN) as a control group for evaluating the effects of shift work, 3) regular non-shift employees (DE) who were not nurses, as a control group for the nursing job; to evaluate the effect of shift work and the nursing job in regard to sleep quality. The present cross-sectional study was carried out in 2013. The research participants were 326 nurses without shift work and with shift work and employees from one of Kerman University of Medical Sciences’ hospitals, Kerman, Iran. Data were gathered via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionnaire and the Epworth Sleepiness Questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS 18. Overall, 91.2% of nurses (SN & DN) and 79.6% of employees (DE) had poor sleep quality. The sleep quality (P=0.013) and sleepiness (P=0.005) of all hospital nurses were significantly different from that of the university employees. However, there was not a significant difference between the nurses without and with shift work in terms of sleep quality (P=0.87) and sleepiness (P=0.41). Almost all nurses and most university employees suffer from poor sleep quality. Daily average sleep hours and shift work are among the influencing factors causing sleepiness and poor sleep quality.

Academics of universities have a critical and important role in the development and progress of countries as the main pillars of the higher education system. Job dissatisfaction can lead to their reduced research efficiency and work quality. This study was conducted to evaluate job satisfaction and dissatisfaction among academics of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. It was a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study conducted in 2012 on 206 academics working at that university. Sampling was done systematically and data gathered using a researcher made questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS16 software as well as parametric and nonparametric methods. Job satisfaction of academics was average, with a mean of 58.5 ± 15.7 from 100 (Range: 42.8-74.2). The highest satisfaction was related to the dimensions of job nature and the lowest was in salaries and wages. Male academics were more satisfied than females (P=0.04). In addition, the mean of faculty member's job satisfaction in different faculties was significantly different (P=0.03). Generally, academics had a relatively good satisfaction level. Improving salaries, correcting the process of promotion and optimizing the management system are among factors that need more attention from authorities, in order to increase the academic members' satisfaction level.

Occupational stress and employee's health status can affect their productiveness and quality of services. This study was conducted in order to evaluate the relation between psychological health and occupational stress among midwives employed at the governmental and private hospitals of Neyshabur, Iran. In this cross-sectional (descriptive and analytical) study conducted in 2015, all of the employed midwives in the governmental and private hospitals of Neyshabur (78 people) were enrolled. Data were gathered through the Goldberg General Health and the Altmaier's Occupational Stress Questionnaire. Data analysis was done with SPSS 20. Only 14% of the midwives were psychologically healthy, and 86% had some degrees of psychological disorders. In addition, 54% of them were averagely stressed and 46% suffered from severe stress. The results of this research showed an opposite and significant association between psychological health and occupational stress in midwives (P=0.049). Most midwives working in these hospitals suffered from psychological disorders. Probably occupational stress was involved in deteriorating their psychological health.

Extended exposure to noise can cause permanent hearing damage. This study aimed to determine the incidence time of hearing loss and its effective factors in workers exposed to noise. This retrospective cohort study, was conducted on a total of 273 workers in various sectors of Kerman Copper by-industries Co. Their hearing status and the incidence of hearing loss (hearing threshold higher than 25 dB) were measured at regular intervals through audiographs. Survival analysis was done using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox Regression analysis through STATA 12. The time range (from the onset of the risk to the incidence of hearing loss) was between 8 to 14 years. Systolic blood pressure alone and in interaction with years of employment was significantly related to the incidence of hearing loss at all frequencies. Initial hearing threshold and age at employment also had a significant impact on the onset time of hearing loss. The interaction between age at employment×initial hearing threshold; and years of employment×age at employment; in both low and high frequencies had a significant impact on the incidence time of hearing loss. Despite the availability of protective equipment in this industry, hearing loss occurred in at least half of the workers after about 10 years. High systolic blood pressure, age at employment, and initial hearing thresholds probably play a role in the incidence time of hearing loss.

Background and Aims: Noise is the third most dangerous pollutant in Metropolises and is one of the most important risk factors in the transportation industry. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating truck drivers hearing loss and its effective factors.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2011 in Kerman City on 150 professional truck drivers who had a dossier at the center of screening occupational diseases, and were chosen by stratified random sampling. Information was collected by a checklist including age, marital status, military services status, smoking status and audiometry done in the current year and were analyzed by using SPSS 18 using correlation, ANOVA, Paired t-test , McNemar's test and Adjusted Linear Regression.Results: The mean age of participants was 43.0±10.56 and in all frequencies a significant difference was found between the hearing threshold of drivers with different work experiences, and hearing loss increased with increase in work experience. Hearing loss increased significantly in all frequencies with age increase as well. Hearing loss in frequencies more than 2000 H was significantly more in the left ear than the right.Conclusion: Although age increase is an important factor in hearing loss, but alone, it does not justify the asymmetric hearing loss at the quantities measured in the drivers in this study. It appears that driving due to constant exposure to noise can lead to hearing loss in drivers.*Corresponding Author: Narges Khanjani, Department of Epidemiology and Statistic, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.Email: n_khanjani@kmu.ac.ir.

Background There are few quantitative documents about the seasonal incidence of tuberculosis (TB) among immigrant populations. Concerning the significant role of recognizing seasonal changes of TB in improving the TB control program, this study determines the trend and seasonal temporal changes of TB among immigrants entering Iran. Methods In this longitudinal study, data from the Iranian TB register Program (from 2005 to 2011) was used. The aggregated number of monthly and seasonal TB cases was obtained by adding the daily counts. Data was analyzed by Chi-square, Independent T-test, ANOVA, and Poisson regression using Stata 11 and SPSS 20 software. Results Among 74,155 registered patients with TB, 14.3% (10,587) were non-Iranian who had immigrated to Iran from 29 different countries. The highest aggregated number of seasonal and monthly incidence of TB in immigrants was observed in spring (2824, P= 0.007) and in May (1037, P< 0.001). The number of non-Iranian patients with TB increased significantly over the years (β= 0.016, P= 0.001). Conclusion This study shows that immigrants constitute a significant portion of TB patients recorded in Iran and this trend is increasing. Also, the peak incidence of this disease is the second month of the spring.

Introduction: Malignant melanoma is a fatal cutaneous neoplasm and one of the fastest growing cancers worldwide. The objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of melanoma in different cultural settings and the probable role of clothing for prevention.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data about diagnosed melanoma patients in Kerman Province, Iran including age, pathology, sex, location, and site of skin involvement, were obtained from the Kerman and Rafsanjan Cancer Registries from 2005 to 2009. Similar data related to melanoma incidence in Victoria, Australia were obtained from the Victorian Cancer Council, Melbourne. Incidence by age, sex and site of skin was calculated in both Kerman Province and Victoria State. Then the incidence differences for exposed and unexposed limbs were calculated and compared. Results: Melanoma incidence in Kerman was 5.7 in million annually. Incidence in men was higher than women. The highest incidence was seen in 70-79 years of age. Most cases of melanoma (30%) were localized in the face. Incidence in Victoria State was 431.9 in million annually. The incidence in men was more than women. The highest incidence was seen above 80 years of age. Most of the cases (30.1%) of melanoma were seen in the trunk and then arm with 22.1%. The incidence difference between the two nations was significant except for the hands and male’s feet. Conclusion:The present study suggests that clothing is possibly preventing about 25.7, 37.4 and 72.6 cases of melanoma respectively in the trunk, arm and leg in 1,000,000 people annually in Iran.

Background & Objective: Teaching professional English is one of the fields of teaching English started from the 60s and simultaneous with the worldwide acceptance of English as a scientific language among scientists and researchers In teaching Medical English understanding the expectations of students is very important however up to now no study has been conducted about this topic In this study we evaluated the expectations of medical students from learning professional English Methods: This was a crosssectional study A reliable and valid questionnaire was distributed among all of the students in the faculty of health and medical students who had the professional English course in the second semester of 2011 Descriptive statistics was performed by Mini Tab Results: 199 students volunteered to participate and complete the questionnaire out of whom 364% were males The mean age of the study samples was 223 ± 03 years 955% of the students were interested in learning Medical English The most frequent expectation was to understand medical texts and being capable of translating the texts to Persian language The most favorable class activity expected from the teacher was to write the meaning of the words on the board and explain its components Furthermore most students wanted the final exam to be in English and include workbook practices Conclusion: Medical English teachers can obtain higher satisfaction rate of students by considering the student expectations mentioned in this paper

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) can affect patients′ life even after successful treatment. In this study, we aimed to determine the survival rate of patients with smear positive TB after successful treatment and identify the predictors of mortality. Methods: This was a prospective study. The source of data was the TB registry system in Iran and 964 patients were eligible for the study. The life table was used to determine the annual survival rate. Survival curves were estimated using Kaplan-Meier and were compared using the log-rank test. In order to determine the predictors of survival, four models of Cox regression, exponential, Weibull and log-logistic fitted and finally exponential model with minimum akaike information criteria and Bayesian information criterion values were selected. Then, variables with significant levels

BACKGROUND: Smoking hookahs is one of the most preventable risk factors for non communicable diseases. It is also considered as the gateway to youth addiction. Planning and training to prevent this health problem is considered an important priority. The aim of this study was to determine the predictive factors for preventing hookah smoking (PHS) in the youth of Sirjan city, based on the protection motivation theory (PMT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This research was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2018, and participants were chosen by simple random sampling. Data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire which was valid and reliable and was designed based on the PMT constructs. This questionnaire was completed by 280 young people in Sirjan, Iran. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and linear regression. RESULTS: Pearson correlation coefficients showed that there was a significant correlation between protection motivation and the structures of the PMT, except for the response cost structure. The strongest correlation was between protection motivation and self-efficacy (r = 0.502) and fear (r = 0.470). The structures of the PMT predicted 36.5% of PHS, and fear (β =0.27) was the strongest predictor of PHS. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that the constructs of the PMT can partially predict PHS. This theory can be used as a tool for designing and implementing educational interventions to prevent hookah smoking among the youth.

Abstract Housing indexes are tools for assessing housing conditions and its evolution and can also be used in assessment of the success rates in achieving the future planning goals. The current study was done in order to evaluate and compare the health and safety indices in the houses of the Rural Housing Project, constructed after the 2003 earthquake in Bam, with the traditional houses in this region. This descriptive cross sectional study was done by systematic sampling and the health and safety indices of 519 new and 283 traditional houses in ten villages of Bam were evaluated and compared by standard questionnaires. In these checklists the safety of the houses, the living conditions according to the principles of environmental health engineering and the physical space of the buildings was evaluated. Descriptive results were reported and the chi-square test was used to compare the data by Excel and Minitab. The results of this study show that the number of families living in each house, in the new and traditional houses was respectively 1.15 and 1.24 family per house. The mean surface of each house was 60 and 50 square meters and the mean ratio of people to rooms was 2.63 and 2.29 respectively. The health status of the walls, surface and ceiling of the rooms in the new houses was acceptable in more than 97% but in traditional houses was 67-76 percent. The health status of the kitchen and rooms in the new houses was significantly better than the traditional houses, but the condition of the toilets and baths in both houses was unacceptable in most circumstances and was for toilets 7 and 16, and for baths 55 and 74 percent in new and traditional houses respectively. The safety indices of the rooms and kitchen were significantly better in the new houses (46 and 39 percent respectively in new houses), but the safety of the bath and staircase was significantly better in the traditional houses (54 and 53 percent respectively in traditional houses). The current study shows relative progress in the housing indexes of the rural housing project in comparison to the traditional houses, although they are still far from ideal. There are concerns about the ratio of person to space, accessibility of healthy water inside the house, and environmental sanitation in regard to wastewater and waste disposal. Also in addition to construction of living spaces, we suggest that building private baths and toilets should be considered by the Housing Organization.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a debilitating disease which is caused by social and environmental factors in additionto genetic factors. University students are among the young and vulnerable population to depression and theirpopulation is increasing with increase in universities and higher education institutions. Therefore, any disturbance instudent's mental and physical health is a serious threat for the next generation. In this study, we aimed to estimate theprevalence of depression and its related factors in students of School of Health and Nutrition at Tabriz University ofMedical Sciences, Iran. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey on 175 students selected by stratified random sampling, educating indifferent fields at School of Health and Nutrition in 2009. The data collection tool was the short form of the standardBeck Depression Inventory (BDI) which is used for screening depression. The collected data were analyzed by softwareStata Statistical Software, Release 10.0 (Stata Corporation, College Station, TX, USA). RESULTS: The results showed that 62.7% of the students had depression and from these 10.9% suffered from severedepression. Significantly higher depression rates were seen in students with worrisome about the future. Marriedstudents, those interested in their field of study, those performing prayers and regularly reading the Quran hadsignificantly lower rates of depression. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the high prevalence of depression, screening strategies should be implemented to identifydepressed students. Counseling services should be available and accessible to students at risk.

Background: Ischemic stroke is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Various studies on the etiology of this disease are in progress. Some studies have suggested that opium abuse may is associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke. The present study aimed to analyze the frequency of opium addiction and to compare cerebrovascular ultrasound patients’ changes to non-addicts. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 97 patients with ischemic stroke. The diagnosis was confirmed by imaging and paraclinical studies. All the patients underwent cerebrovascular ultrasound in the first 4 days of symptoms onset. A questionnaire containing demographic data, opium use information [based on the 4th Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria], and vascular ultrasound findings were completed for each patient and the results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test. Findings: In this study, 38 patients (39.18%) were addicted to opium and the remaining were non-addicts. Among the addicted patients, 31 patients were male and 7 patients were female, while 26 and 33 patients of non-addicts were male and female, respectively (P < 0.01). Among the risk factors for stroke, smoking was higher in the addicts than in non-addicts (P = 0.04). Frequency of vascular stenosis and stenosis location did not show a statistical significant difference between the addicted and non-addicted patients. Conclusion: More than one-third of the patients with stroke were addicted to opium which was higher than general population; although the pattern of stenosis in these patients was similar to the non-addicts. Keywords: Opium, Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound, Stroke

Introduction: Exposure to flour dust is an important risk factor in occurrence of allergic airway disorders among mill workers. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and its relation with exposure to respirable dust. Materials and Methods: In this study, all of 35 workers who worked in the flour producing section of three factories were chosen as case group and 20 unexposed people were selected as the control group. Exposure to total and respirable dust were measured with standard methods. Spirometry was used for determining lung function disorders and the America Lung Society Questionnaire was used for assessment of prevalence of respiratory symptoms. The results were analyzed by t-test, correlation and linear regression. Results: The average total and respirable dust exposure in the exposed group was 8.06 and 5.09 mg/m3 and was higher than the threshold limit value recommended by American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists(ACGIH). 52% of workers had sputum in the morning and during waking up, 44% felt tightness of breath or pressure in the chest, 55% felt short of breath while walking fast and work; and in 52% cough during work was experienced. There was a significant and negative correlation between total and respirable dust with Forced Vital Capacity(FVC), Forced Vital Capacity Percent(%FVC) and Forced Expiratory Volume in one second(FEV1). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that exposure to respirable dust was more than 10 times higher than the threshold limit and caused a high prevalence of respiratory symptoms and lung function disorders among mills workers.

Introduction: Immunization is one of the most important health programs in first level prevention and is also one of the most cost-effective prevention programs in the entire world. This study evaluates the situation of immunization in fewer than one year old Afghan refugee children in Kerman, Iran. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Data was extracted from the records of the health centers supported by the higher commission of refuges in Kerman. The BCG, polio 0, DTP 3, polio 3, Hepatitis B 3 and MMR 1 was calculated and compared with the vaccine coverage in Iran and Afghanistan. Stata 11 and Excel 2007 and the chi-square statistics were used for the analysis. Results: The coverage of all BCG, Polio 0, DTP 3, Polio 3, Hepatitis B 3 and MMR 1 vaccines in the Afghan immigrants residing in Kerman between 2010 and 2012 was more than 95%. This coverage was not significantly different from the vaccine coverage of Iranian children, but was significantly higher than the vaccine coverage of children residing in Afghanistan. Conclusion: The vaccine coverage of Afghan children residing in Kerman is similar to Iranian children and is high and satisfactory. These results show part of The Islamic Republic of Iran’s commitment for providing health requirements for Afghan refugees residing in Iran.