Search

Abbas Abbasi-Ghahramanloo,1 Leila Janani,2,* Seyed Kazem Malakouti,3 Mahshid Rabetian,3 Shahnaz Rimaz4,*1Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2Preventive Medicine and Public Health Research Center, Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 3Mental Health Research Center, Department of community psychiatry, Faculty of Behavioral Sciences and Mental health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 4Radiation Biology Research Center, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranCorrespondence: Shahnaz RimazDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, P.O Box: 14665-354 Shahid Hemmat Highway, Tehran, IranTel +(98-21) 86709Fax +(98-21) 88052248Email rimaz.sh@iums.ac.irLeila JananiDepartment of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Hemmat Highway, Tehran, IranTel +(98-21) 86709Fax +(98-21) 88052248Email janani.l@iums.ac.ir*These authors contributed equally to this workBackground: Risk taking behaviors are a serious risk to the health and safety of workers. The aims of this study were to identify the subgroups of workers on the basis of risk taking behaviors and assess the independent role of ADHD on the membership of participants in each latent class.Methods: This cross sectional study was performed on 2434 workers. The sample was selected through random cluster sampling from Kaveh Industrial City. All workers completed five sets of checklists and questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using chi-square, Fisher’s exact test, and latent class analysis.Results: Four latent classes were identified; namely, 1) very low risk (65.6%), 2) low risk (27.8%), moderate risk (4.1%) and, high risk (2.5%). After adjusting for other studied covariates, having ADHD significantly increased the odds of membership in moderate risk class (OR=3.42, 95% CI: 2.21 −5.29) and high risk class (OR=3.10, 95% CI: 1.80 −5.34) compared to very low risk class. Also, having anxiety increased the odds of membership in latent class 2 (OR=1.28, 95% CI: 1.02–1.62), 3(OR=2.15, 95% CI: 1.51–3.10) and 4 (OR=2.06, 95% CI: 1.32–3.22) in comparison to class 1. Among all participants, 187 (7.7%) had ADHD and among studied variables, ADHD has the strongest role in the membership of subjects in different classes.Conclusion: Results from the present study indicate that 6.6% of the workers fell under moderate or high risk class. Focusing on the treatment of ADHD with considering other comorbid factors such as anxiety may be helpful in designing and executing effective programs to reduce risk taking behaviors among workers.Keywords: latent class analysis, risk taking behaviors, ADHD, workersA Letter to the Editor has been received and published for this article.

Objective: Providing treatment and educational services for consumers and their caregivers is more effective if those services are implemented based on their characteristics and differences. To partly address this objective, the present study aimed to describe and compare characteristics and differences of chronic hospitalized and household maintained consumers and their caregivers who were regular users of educational and rehabilitation programs of the Iranian Society Supporting Individuals with Schizophrenia (ISSIS) in Tehran, Iran. Methods: Two hundred and thirty one consumers were evaluated based on demographics, and clinical and symptom-related characteristics. Their caregivers (n = 231) were independently evaluated based on their knowledge on schizophrenia, family function, burden, and availability of social services and support for them. Data were analyzed by performing independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U. Results: The study findings revealed hospitalized consumers were older, had longer length of illness, greater severity of positive and negative symptoms and lower efficacy in basic life skills in comparison with household maintained consumers. The caregivers of the hospitalized consumers had greater objective and subjective burdens and lower knowledge on schizophrenia in comparison with caregivers of household maintained consumers. While household maintained consumers had more access to medical insurance, their caregivers had more access to the supportive organizations, more availability of substitute caregiver and assistant caregiver compared with caregivers of hospitalized consumers. Conclusion: Our findings suggest the need to promote specific interventions and treatment programs for Iranian consumers and their caregivers based on their characteristics and differences due to schizophrenia. Declaration of interest: None.

Objective: Psychiatric hospitalization of patients imposes heavy burdens on caregivers, but little is known about this issue in Iran. The present cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the risk factors associated with psychiatric hospitalization of patients with schizophrenia who were the regular clients for the educational programs of The Iranian Society for Supporting Individuals with Schizophrenia (ISSIS) in Tehran, Iran. Methods: 231 male and female study subjects and 231 of their caregivers participated in the study. The study subjects were independently assessed in demographics, clinical and symptom-related characteristics and basic life skills domains. Their caregivers were assessed in domains of knowledge on schizophrenia, burden, social support, family function, and the patterns of relationships with their patients and the role of health and supportive services. Data were analyzed by performing logistic regression model. Results: Old age, low level of education, unemployment, greater severity of positive and negative symptoms, poor basic life skills among subjects, and objective family burden, inadequate knowledge on schizophrenia, low perceived social support and lack of medical insurance among caregivers were the most important factors associated with psychiatric hospitalization among the clients. Conclusions: Some factors originated in Iranian patients and their caregivers could cause patients’ pathways to psychiatric hospitalization. Although the study results did not establish causation, based on the findings, psychoeducational interventions may reduce schizophrenia referral and lower the rate of need to inpatient services in Iran. Declaration of interest: None.