Search

Background: Older adults encounter serious psychological challenges in addition to physical problems. Reducing stress and anxiety, along with promoting happiness, is critical to maintaining the mental health of the elderly. Jacobson's Progressive Muscle Relaxation (JPMR) will lead to peace of mind by relieving physical stress. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of JPMR on the anxiety and happiness of older adults. Materials and Methods: A single-group pretest-posttest design as a type of quasi-experimental study was conducted on 34 older adults living in a nursing home in Rasht, the north of Iran, in 2021. The intervention was performed one session per week, for 8 weeks. The research instruments included the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) and the Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI). Descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon test were used for data analysis. Results: After the intervention, the Mean (Standard Deviation [SD](of anxiety was 4.91 (1.96), and the Mean (SD) (of happiness was 37.18 (7.92). The mean score of anxiety among older adults after the intervention was significantly lower compared to the before intervention (Z = −4.73, p < 0.001). In addition, the mean score of happiness of the samples after the intervention was significantly higher compared to the before intervention (Z = −5.09, p < 0.001). Conclusions: JPMR has a positive effect on reducing anxiety and promoting happiness in the elderly. Developing training programs and allocating time to non-pharmacological treatments such as JPMR for the elderly living in nursing homes will help make them happier and healthier.

Abstract Background Ageing causes changes in the function of musculoskeletal systems and disability, and injury among older adults. This study aimed to determine the effect of corrective exercises on musculoskeletal disorders among older adults residing in a nursing home in Iran. Method This controlled clinical trial study was conducted on 58 older adults (29 samples in each group). The intervention group performed corrective exercises for 8 weeks and three sessions per week and each session lasted for one hour. The pre-test was performed one week before intervention and the post-test one week after the 8-week intervention. The research instruments included Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), and the pain visual analog scale (VAS). Descriptive and inferential (Chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon, and McNemar test) statistics were used to analyze the data using SPSS software version 19. Results the majority of the participants were males (67.2%) and in the age range of 60–74 years (82.8%). The mean age of samples in intervention and control groups was 68.45 (SD = 5.38) and 69.17 (SD = 5.86), respectively. The results showed that the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) was decreased in the intervention group after the intervention (%Δ = -34.68, p

BACKGROUND: The spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a variety of psychological complications. One way to control the spread of this pandemic is compliance with health protocols and standards. Considering the limited research into the psychological effects of COVID-19 and the preventive behaviors among older adults, this study aimed to determine these variables and their relationship with associated factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 153 older adults who were referred to the clinic of Pirouz Hospital in the east of Guilan, in the north of Iran, in 2022. The research instruments included the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the preventive behavior questionnaires. Descriptive (mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage) and inferential (Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests) statistics were used to analyze the data using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20 with a significant level of 0.05. RESULTS: The findings showed that the overall mean score for preventive behaviors was 107 ± 10.38. The highest mean score of preventive behaviors was related to personal behavior (43.00 ± 5.58) and instructions to enter the house (30.15 ± 4.84), respectively. The highest mean scores of psychological effects were related to the intrusion dimension (11 ± 5.33) and avoidance dimension (7 ± 4.74), respectively. There was a significant relationship between drug use (F = 27.136, P = 0.028) and the psychological effects of COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, the general condition of the preventive behaviors of older adults was average, and the majority of them were at a normal level of psychological effects. However, administrators and health policymakers should consider planning to develop interventions to encourage and improve preventive behaviors against COVID-19, especially among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Reperfusion can be done through primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) and thrombolytic administration. Patients with myocardial infarction should receive antiplatelet drugs from the P2Y12 receptor inhibitor category (such as ticagrelor, prasugrel, and clopidogrel). Based on recent researches, effectiveness of ticagrelor versus clopidogrel is still debatable. Methods: A total of 128 patients who underwent PPCI, divided into two groups (Zyllt® group (600 mg received as a loading dose, maintenance with dose of 75 mg daily)) and Ticora® group (180 mg as a loading dose, maintenance with dose of 90 mg twice). Both the groups received aspirin 80 mg daily, too. They were followed up after 3 months. Results: In this study, 86.9% were men, and there was no significant difference in terms of gender and age in 2 groups. Risk factors, type of myocardial infraction (MI), number of involved and infarct-related arteries, and presence of complications and their type were not statistically different in groups (P > 0.05). Among all complications, only one person had dyspnea in the Ticora group, one patient in the Ticora group, and 3 patients in the Zyllt group had chest pain. The difference in “TIMI Score” during Time was significant (P = 0.037). Conclusion: Our study shows no difference between ticagrelor and clopidogrel after PPCI in patients with MI in terms of risk factors, type of MI, number of involved and infarct-related arteries, and presence of complications and their type, in two studied groups.

BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QOL) is a vital component in assessing the standard of living for seniors. Hand grip strength (HGS) is a widely used measure to diagnose muscle strength decline that often occurs due to age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and function. This study focuses on the HGS in predicting the QOL of older adults who are referred to retirement centers in Guilan Province. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 2021, a cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 115 older adults who were residing in retirement centers located in Guilan Province, Northern Iran. The participants were selected using a two-stage sampling method, where three retirement centers were randomly chosen followed by convenience sampling from each center. The selected retirement centers were situated in Langrod, Sowme’eh Sara, and Rasht cities in the east, west, and center of the province, respectively. The data were collected through a demographic information questionnaire, QOL scale (CASP-19), and HGS measurement using a dynamometer. RESULTS: Of the participants, 57.4% were male, 51.3% had middle income, and 96.5% were categorized as young elderly. The mean overall QOL score was found to be 37.026 ± 6.123, while the mean HGS level was 31.74 ± 7.45 and 18.48 ± 5.13 among males and females, respectively. There was a significant association between the level of education and QOL (P = 0.002). Moreover, there was a positive and significant correlation between HGS and QOL (r = 0.54, P = 0.001). The results of the multiple linear regression identified HGS as a predictor of QOL (Adj R2 = 0.44, βHGS = 0.79). CONCLUSION: Given that HGS has been identified as a predictor of QOL in older adults, improving this factor through exercise can lead to enhancement in their QOL. Therefore, regular sports exercises can be recommended as a means of improving HGS and subsequently enhancing the QOL of older adults.

Objective: We aimed to determine the prevalence of different skin diseases and their seasonal variations at the Razi dermatology hospital from 2019 to 2020.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we obtained data from the medical records of 3120 patients visiting the dermatology clinic of Razi hospital. The prevalence of skin diseases was evaluated using meteorologically defined seasons. We looked for significant equally distributed results during each season.Results: During all seasons, women were referred to our clinic more frequently than men. Some diseases demonstrated significant seasonality with a peak during the winter, including acne, eczema, wart, seborrheic dermatitis, nevus, vitiligo, lentigo, and dermatophytosis. Atopic dermatitis was more frequent during the spring and winter compared with other seasons (p < .05). Actinic keratosis and lichen planus showed a significant seasonal trend with a peak during the summer (p < .05). Infections, including viral, bacterial, and fungal skin diseases, were more frequent during the winter than the summer (p = .001).Conclusion: This study provides an overview of the seasonal distribution of dermatology visits at our referral hospital, which will aid in developing better policies to prevent and manage skin disorders in outpatient visits.

Background: Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) is one of the reasons for mental retardation and defective growth in neonates. It can be treated if it is diagnosed early. The congenital hypothyroidism can be diagnosed using newborn screening in the first days after birth. Disease mapping helps to identify high-risk areas of the disease. This study aimed to evaluate the pattern of CH using the Poisson Spatio-temporal model in disease mapping under the Bayesian paradigm.Methods: The recorded data of all infants diagnosed with CH between 2011 and 2018 in Guilan, Iran were used in this study. The Poisson Spatio-temporal model under the Bayesian paradigm was run using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method in Open BUGS software. Moreover, the maps of the towns in Guilan were prepared via Arc GIS software.Results: Out of 219800 live births in Guilan, Iran, the incidence of CH was 2:1000 in this time period. The pattern of disease mapping for the posterior mean of relative risk for CH was identical in this 7-year period. Furthermore, the pattern of disease mapping with spatial model excluding time dependence was similar to the maps of the Spatio-temporal model.Conclusion: The incidence rate of CH was approximately constant during this time, and disease mapping revealed no rising trends in this period. This probably can be due to resolving iodine deficiency as one of the main causes of CH incidence by consuming kinds of seafood and iodized salt in Guilan province.

BACKGROUND: Aging has the fastest growth rate in age groups. With age, the prevalence of a variety of chronic diseases also increases. Among chronic diseases, hypertension is one of the most important diseases among older adults and self-care is one of the effective approaches to control it.The aim of the present study was to apply the health belief model (HBM) in promoting self-care in hypertensive older adults to help improve self-care behaviors in this age group. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was a quasi-experimental study. This study was conducted at comprehensive health centers in the east of Guilan province, Iran. METHODS AND MATERIAL: This intervention study was conducted on 106 elderly people with hypertension who were selected with a multi-stage random sampling method from those referred to east health centers of Gilan, Iran, in 2019. The data gathering tool was a questionnaire including demographic characteristics, HBM structure, hypertension knowledge, and hypertension self-care questionnaires. The intervention group received an educational program based on the HBM model.The questionnaire was completed by the elderly before and 2 months after the intervention. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney, Chi-square, Wilcoxon, Fisher, and ANCOVA tests usingSPSS ver.16. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in knowledge and all HBM constructs before and after the intervention in the intervention group (P < 0.001). In the control group, knowledge (P-value = 0.023), self-efficacy (P-value = 0.001), perceived severity (P-value = 0.005), and cues to action (P-value = 0.008) were significantly different (P < 0.05) after the intervention. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that HBM-based education can be considered an effective educational framework for improving self-care of the hypertensive older adults.

Background: Episiotomy is the most commonly performed surgical procedure during delivery, and its associated pain is a major problem in obstetrics. This study aimed to determine the effect of Olea ointment on the severity of post-episiotomy pain in primiparous women. Materials and Methods: This paralleled randomized controlled clinical trial was performed on 73 primiparous women in Al-Zahra hospital in Rasht, Iran in 2017-2018. Women were randomly allocated into intervention (n = 39) and control (n = 34) groups. The first intervention was performed 4 h after the episiotomy. This continued every 8 h for 10 days. The pain intensity of episiotomy was assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) before intervention, 2 and 24 h after the beginning of intervention, and 5 and 10 days after childbirth. Descriptive and inferential statistics (Mann-Whitney, Fisher exact test, Independent t-test, Friedman test, and Chi-square) were performed for statistical analysis. Results: There were no significant differences among two groups in terms of demographic and obstetrics characteristics. The severity of pain in intervention and control group before the intervention was not statistically significant, but the variable depicted a meaningful difference between the groups 2 h after the intervention (U = 483.50, p = 0.021), 24 h after the intervention (U = 489.50,p = 0.019), as well as the 5th day (U = 112.50,p < 0.001) and 10th day postpartum (U = 136.50,p < 0.001). Conclusions: Based on the findings, Olea ointment could be used effectively for reducing of episiotomy pain. Similar studies are recommended.

Background & Aim: Maternal request for caesarean section due to fear of normal vaginal delivery (NVD) is one of the main reasons for the high rate of caesarean section. This study aimed to compare the fear of NVD and type of delivery between two groups of pregnant women attended childbirth preparation classes (CPC) and women received routine prenatal care (RPC). Methods & Materials: In this prospective cohort study, 202 Primigravid women attended healthcare centers for prenatal care services in the East of Guilan were selected using convenient sampling in 2013-2014. Fear of NVD was assessed using a childbirth attitude questionnaire at two stages (before attending CPC or receiving RPC, then at the third trimester of pregnancy). Both groups were followed up to the delivery time. Data were analyzed using inferential and descriptive statistics (Chi square, paired t-test, ANOVA, t-test) through SPSS v.16. P

Background: Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is one of the most prevalent preventable causes of mental retardation. Studies show that the incidence rate of CH is very high in Iran. Disease mapping is a tool for visually expressing the frequency, incidence, or relative risk of illness. The present study aimed to model CH counts considering the effects of the neighborhood in towns and perform mapping based on the relative risk. Methods: In this historical cohort study, data of all neonates diagnosed with CH with TSH level ≥5 mIU/L between March 21, 2017, and March 20, 2018, in health centers in Guilan, Iran were used. The number of neonates with CH was zero in most towns of Guilan Province. The Bayesian spatial zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression model was employed to investigate the effect of the town's neighborhood on the relative risk of CH incidence. Then, the map of the posterior mean of the relative risk for CH incidence was provided. The analysis was performed using OpenBUGS and Arc GIS software programs. Results: The relative risk of CH incidence was high in the West of Guilan. Moreover, the goodness-of-fit criterion indicated that it is more appropriate to fit the Bayesian spatial ZIP model to these data than the common model. Conclusions: Considering the high relative risk of CH in the Western towns of Guilan Province, it is better to check important risk factors in this region.

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Contradictory findings are available regarding the effects of changes in electrolytes in patients with an AMI. Objectives: We aimed to investigate the effect of electrolyte changes on the 3-month outcome. Methods: A total of 168 patients with AMI managed at Dr. Heshmat Hospital in Rasht, Iran, were investigated in this prospective cohort study by a census method. AMI was confirmed by biochemical, electrocardiographic, or angiographic evidence. Electrolyte serum levels, demographic characteristics, myocardial infarction type, ejection fraction (EF), and underlying diseases were collected in a checklist in the early hours after each patient entered the hospital. Information about patients' outcomes and echocardiographic data were collected after three months. All data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22. Results: Out of 162 patients with AMI, most (44%) were aged between 50 to 59 years, and 76.8% were men. In all models, the odds of non-recovery remained constant with increasing electrolytes. On uni-variable and multi-variable models, sodium showed a significant positive association with initial EF (unstandardized coefficient = 0.8 in both uni-variable and multi-variable models, approximately), and phosphorus displayed a significant negative association with initial EF (unstandardized coefficient = -4.5 in both uni-variable and multi-variable models, approximately). There was no significant association of electrolytes with follow-up EF in all models. Conclusions: In this study, the phosphorus and sodium serum levels were significantly related to the initial EF. However, none of the studied electrolytes impacted the 3-month outcome in AMI patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is one of the most prevalent preventable causes of mental retardation. Studies show that the incidence rate of CH is very high in Iran. Disease mapping is a tool for visually expressing the frequency, incidence, or relative risk of illness. The present study aimed to model CH counts considering the effects of the neighborhood in towns and perform mapping based on the relative risk. Methods: In this historical cohort study, data of all neonates diagnosed with CH with TSH level =5 mIU/L between March 21, 2017, and March 20, 2018, in health centers in Guilan, Iran were used. The number of neonates with CH was zero in most towns of Guilan Province. The Bayesian spatial zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression model was employed to investigate the effect of the town's neighborhood on the relative risk of CH incidence. Then, the map of the posterior mean of the relative risk for CH incidence was provided. The analysis was performed using OpenBUGS and Arc GIS software programs. Results: The relative risk of CH incidence was high in the West of Guilan. Moreover, the goodness-of-fit criterion indicated that it is more appropriate to fit the Bayesian spatial ZIP model to these data than the common model. Conclusions: Considering the high relative risk of CH in the Western towns of Guilan Province, it is better to check important risk factors in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) is one of the reasons for mental retardation and defective growth in neonates. It can be treated if it is diagnosed early. The congenital hypothyroidism can be diagnosed using newborn screening in the first days after birth. Disease mapping helps to identify high-risk areas of the disease. This study aimed to evaluate the pattern of CH using the Poisson Spatio-temporal model in disease mapping under the Bayesian paradigm. Methods: The recorded data of all infants diagnosed with CH between 2011 and 2018 in Guilan, Iran were used in this study. The Poisson Spatio-temporal model under the Bayesian paradigm was run using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method in Open BUGS software. Moreover, the maps of the towns in Guilan were prepared via Arc GIS software. Results: Out of 219800 live births in Guilan, Iran, the incidence of CH was 2:1000 in this time period. The pattern of disease mapping for the posterior mean of relative risk for CH was identical in this 7-year period. Furthermore, the pattern of disease mapping with spatial model excluding time dependence was similar to the maps of the Spatiotemporal model. Conclusion: The incidence rate of CH was approximately constant during this time, and disease mapping revealed no rising trends in this period. This probably can be due to resolving iodine deficiency as one of the main causes of CH incidence by consuming kinds of seafood and iodized salt in Guilan province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]