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Prediction of the death among COVID-19 patients can help healthcare providers manage the patients better. We aimed to develop machine learning models to predict in-hospital death among these patients. We developed different models using different feature sets and datasets developed using the data balancing method. We used demographic and clinical data from a multicenter COVID-19 registry. We extracted 10,657 records for confirmed patients with PCR or CT scans, who were hospitalized at least for 24 hours at the end of March 2021. The death rate was 16.06%. Generally, models with 60 and 40 features performed better. Among the 240 models, the C5 models with 60 and 40 features performed well. The C5 model with 60 features outperformed the rest based on all evaluation metrics; however, in external validation, C5 with 32 features performed better. This model had high accuracy (91.18%), F-score (0.916), Area under the Curve (0.96), sensitivity (94.2%), and specificity (88%). The model suggested in this study uses simple and available data and can be applied to predict death among COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, we concluded that machine learning models may perform differently in different subpopulations in terms of gender and age groups.

Objective: People with a significant childhood history of abuse may exhibit emotional dysregulations and psychiatric disorders and, in some cases, present suicidal ideation. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study data were collected from suicidal patients referred to two grand hospitals in 2019. One hundred ninety-five participants were evaluated concerning child abuse and neglect history. Data were reported as mean, SD, frequency, and percent. T-test and chi-square tests were used for statistical analyses accordingly. Results: Child abuse regarding suicidal people were to the following order, neglect (n=103), child emotional abuse (n=102), child physical abuse (n=101), malnutrition (n=96), and child sexual abuse (n=87). Suicide was different between the two genders, but it was not different based on parents’ education and marital status. Conclusion: The harassed child is not equipped with proper behavioral skills and is subjected to low self-esteem due to incorrect training. Therefore, he/she may commit suicide in adolescence by facing some problems and failures. In this regard, community plays an important role, parents must be informed and use the right culture to reward the child.

Background. In the event of accidents and disasters, the presence of volunteers, if not organized, can sometimes worsen the situation instead of improving it. Objectives. This research was aimed at the ways of organizing volunteers in the healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic in the southwest of Iran. Material and method. This questionnaire-based descriptive study was conducted on 140 volunteer health workers either active in providing services to COVID-19 patients or on the waiting list. The participants were selected using convenience sampling. They completed the information form, which was analyzed after collection using SPSS version 22. Results. The 140 volunteers' mean age was 32.5 with a standard deviation of 7.5. Of these volunteers, 62.1% had volunteered to serve since the first days of the outbreak. According to the participants of this study, the management of volunteers was spontaneous under the supervision of the official and state system, and the vast majority of them considered the official healthcare system's reception of volunteers as positive but saw the bureaucracy as a major obstacle to recruiting volunteers, especially nursing and midwifery graduates. Finally, the participants' motive for volunteering was found to be a sense of personal responsibility and human duty. Conclusions. Proper planning, organization and management of volunteers in an epidemic situation should be taken into account by healthcare officials in order to receive the highest efficiency in times of crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nowadays one of the main agents morbidity and mortality, in worldwide, is exposure to air pollution. Based on reported health organization, air pollution is the second most important factor in nonc...

Cancer survival is a key indicator for the national cancer control programs. However, survival data in the East Mediterranean region (EMR) are limited. We designed a national cancer survival study based on population-based cancer registries (PBCRs) from nine provinces in Iran. The current study reports 5-year net survival of 15 cancers in Iranian adults (15-99 years) during 2014 to 2015 in nine provinces of Iran. We used data linkages between the cancer registries and the causes of death registry and vital statistics and active follow-up approaches to ascertain the vital status of the patients. Five-year net survival was estimated through the relative survival analysis. We applied the international cancer survival standard weights for age standardization. Five-year survival was highest for prostate cancer (74.9%, 95% CI 73.0, 76.8), followed by breast (74.4%, 95% CI 72.50, 76.3), bladder (70.4%, 95% CI 69.0, 71.8) and cervix (65.2%, 95% CI 60.5, 69.6). Survival was below 25% for cancers of the pancreas, lung, liver, stomach and esophagus. Iranian cancer patients experience a relatively poor prognosis as compared to those in high-income countries. Implementation of early detection programs and improving the quality of care are required to improve the cancer survival among Iranian patients. Further studies are needed to monitor the outcomes of cancer patients in Iran and other EMR countries.

Introduction We aimed to evaluate use of social media during the coronavirus pandemic as a source of information about COVID-19 by students. Material and methods This was a web-based study, in which the frequency and type of virtual social media used by students as a source of information about COVID-19 were evaluated by the available sampling method. The statistical population of the study consisted of 500 students of medical universities in Iran. In the first step, administrators of student groups across the country were identified and contacted and asked to assist the research team by placing a link to complete the questionnaire, after which students voluntarily completed the online questionnaire in a self-reporting manner. Results The mean age of participants was 31.29 ±10.8 years. The selection percentages based on the number of selections were: WhatsApp (35.2), Instagram (32.7), Telegram (21.2), Facebook (8.3) and other networks (2.6). Regarding the relationship between the educational level (p < 0.001) and the field of study (p < 0.01), a statistically significant difference was found for the question of which media information is more acceptable in relation to obtaining information related to COVID-19. Conclusions It was found that social media will enable these media to act as a powerful tool to change the behavior of people and promote the well-being of individuals and public health. Social media is very important in combating this contagious disease, not only to obtain information and update on it, but also to understand how it spreads, how people function and how to respond to it.

There is some evidence about the short-term effects of air pollutants on adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the association between air pollutants and spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and macrosomia in Ahvaz, which is one of the most polluted cities in the Middle East. Data on adverse pregnancy outcomes and air pollutants including ozone (O3), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), particles with a diameter of less than 10 µm (PM10) and particles with a diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) were inquired from the Health Department of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences and the Environmental Protection Agency of Khuzestan Province for the years 2008–2018. A time series analysis using the generalized additive model (GAM) with up to 6-day lags was used. The results showed that the SO2 pollutant on 0, 1, 3, 4, and 6-day lags and PM10 on lag 0 had direct and significant associations with spontaneous abortion. NO, NO2 and CO on 0–6-day lags, and O3 on 6-day lags showed direct and significant associations with preeclampsia. NO and NO2 pollutants showed significant and direct associations with gestational diabetes, during 0- and 6-day lags. NO on 0-, 3- and 4-day lags, CO in all 0–6-day lags and PM2.5 on 1-, 3-, 5-, and 6-day lags showed direct and significant associations with macrosomia. None of the pollutants showed significant associations with stillbirth or gestational hypertension. The results of this study suggest that some air pollutants are associated with spontaneous abortion, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and macrosomia. This study further emphasizes the need to control ambient air pollution.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a wide range of negative consequences for higher education students. We explored the generalizability of the control-value theory of achievement emotions for e-learning, focusing on their antecedents. We involved 17019 higher education students from 13 countries, who completed an online survey during the first wave of the pandemic. A structural equation model revealed that proximal antecedents (e- learning self-efficacy, computer self-efficacy) mediated the relation between environmental antecedents (cognitive and motivational quality of the task) and positive and negative achievement emotions, with some exceptions. The model was invariant across country, area of study, and gender. The rates of achievement emotions varied according to these same factors. Beyond their theoretical relevance, these findings could be the basis for policy recommendations to support stakeholders in coping with the challenges of e-learning and the current and future sequelae of the pandemic. Ostali avtorji: Roxana Balbontín-Alvarado, Denilson da Silva Bezerra, Roberto Burro, Maria Cheraghi, Beata Dobrowolska, Adeniyi Francis Fagbamigbe, MoezAlIslam Ezzat Faris, Thais França, Belinka González-Fernández, Rob Hall, Fany Inasius, Sujita Kumar Kar, Damijana Keržič, Kornélia Lazányi, Florin Lazăr, Juan D. Machin-Mastromatteo, João Marôco, Bertil P. Marques, Oliva Mejía-Rodríguez, Silvia Mariela Méndez Prado, Alpana Mishra, Cristina Mollica, Silvana G. Navarro Jiménez, Alka Obadić, Md Mamun-ur-Rashid, Dejan Ravšelj, Sanja Tatalović Vorkapić, Nina Tomaževič, Chinaza Uleanya, Lan Umek, Giada Vicentini, Özlem Yorulmaz, Ana- Maria Zamfir, Aleksander Aristovnik. Št. članka: 101629. Bibliografija: str. 8-10. Abstract. Javna agencija za raziskovalno dejavnost Republike Slovenije (ARRS), P5-0093 Odlični v znanosti 2022 (ARRS)

Backgrounds: Quality of life related to oral health impact profile-14 (OHIP-14) is one of the important dimensions of quality of life. Since using narcotics or stimulants increases the incidence of periodontal diseases, we aimed to determine impact of Oral health-related quality of life in narcotic or stimulant addicts who referred to maintenance methadone therapy (MMT) centers in Ahvaz City, Iran.Methods: It was descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study which has conducted on 187 narcotic and stimulant addicts who referred to MMT centers in Ahvaz city; 2020. The data collection tools included the demographic variables and the standard OHIP-14 questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and LMS test were run at the significance level of less than 0.05. Results: The mean and standard deviation of the participants' age was 36.03 ± 8.98 years. The quality-of-life scores related to oral health were 34.89 ± 6.50 totally as well as 37.37 and 33.96 in narcotic and stimulant addicts, respectively. The total quality of life related to OHIP-14 did not have a significant relationship with variables of age, life companions, level of education, number of children, economic status, employment status, insurance status, underlying disease, toothbrush use status, last dentist visit, and number of missing teeth (P> 0.05). However, a significant difference was found between the quality of life related to oral health based on the type of substance used (narcotic or stimulant), so that the mean quality of life related to oral health was higher in narcotic addicts than stimulant users (P Conclusion: The quality of life related to OHIP-14 was more unfavorable in stimulant users than narcotic users. So, policy makers and authorities are required to focus their interventions and research programs to improve health-related quality of life in addicts, especially stimulant users.

Background From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the development of infrastructures to record, collect and report COVID-19‏ ‏data has become a fundamental necessity in the world. The disease registry system can help build an infrastructure to collect data systematically. The study aimed to design a minimum data set for the COVID-19 registry system. Methods A qualitative study to design an MDS for the COVID-19 registry system was performed in five phases at Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences in Khuzestan Province in southwestern Iran, 2020–2021. In the first phase, assessing the information requirements was performed for the COVID-19 registry system. Data elements were identified in the second phase. In the third phase, the MDS was selected, and in the four phases, the COVID-19 registry system was implemented as a pilot study to test the MDS. Finally, based on the experiences gained from the COVID-19 registry system implementation, the MDS were evaluated, and corrections were made. Results MDS of the COVID-19 registry system contains eight top groups including administrative (34 data elements), disease exposure (61 data elements), medical history and physical examination (138 data elements), findings of clinical diagnostic tests (101 data elements), disease progress and outcome of treatment (55 data elements), medical diagnosis and cause of death (12 data elements), follow-up (14 data elements), and COVID-19 vaccination (19 data elements) data, respectively. Conclusion Creating a standard and comprehensive MDS can help to design any national data dictionary for COVID-19 and improve the quality of COVID-19 data.

Learning vocabulary is probably the most challenging and time-consuming part of learning a foreign language. Researchers argue that social media could affect learners’ vocabulary acquisition. It is hypothesized that teaching science concepts could accompany vocabulary acquisition. We investigated the possible role of social networks (i.e. Telegram) in the improvement of vocabulary knowledge among undergraduate students from the Iranian University of Medical Sciences during September and October 2017. We conducted a quasi-experimental controlled before-after study and allocated female students to intervention and comparison groups at their academic major level (32 public health students as intervention, vs. 29 subject from nutritional sciences as a comparison). The intervention and comparison groups attended 6 lectures. The learners in the intervention group received additional video and text material through Telegram on a weekly basis and we had an open discussion regarding the important word and concepts. Students in both conditions were given a pretest at the beginning and a posttest at the end to measure growth in vocabulary acquisition. We used a linear regression model, adjusted for concept score, pre-test vocabulary score, lecture attended, education and marital status with pretest scores serving as a covariate. We have investigated 61 subjects, where, 32 participated in the Telegram group discussion related to the science concept. Six standard educational videos delivered through a filmed lecture distributed among the intervention group, each of which was approximately 500 words (ranging from 450 to 707) long. We have observed significant improvement in the vocabulary score of participant in intervention (before = 34.37 vs after = 46.03) and comparison groups (before = 32.79 vs after = 36.31). However, the intervention group significantly outperformed the comparison group, P

Background We aimed to report, for the first time, the results of the Iranian National Population-based Cancer Registry (INPCR) for the year 2014. Methods Total population of Iran in 2014 was 76,639,000. The INPCR covered 30 out of 31 provinces (98% of total population). It registered only cases diagnosed with malignant new primary tumors. The main sources for data collection included pathology center, hospitals as well as death registries. Quality assessment and analysis of data were performed by CanReg-5 software. Age standardized incidence rates (ASR) (per 100,000) were reported at national and subnational levels. Results Overall, 112,131 new cancer cases were registered in INPCR in 2014, of which 60,469 (53.9%) were male. The diagnosis of cancer was made by microscopic confirmation in 76,568 cases (68.28%). The ASRs of all cancers were 177.44 and 141.18 in male and female, respectively. Cancers of the stomach (ASR = 21.24), prostate (18.41) and colorectum (16.57) were the most common cancers in men and the top three cancers in women were malignancies of breast (34.53), colorectum (11.86) and stomach (9.44). The ASR of cervix uteri cancer in women was 1.78. Our findings suggested high incidence of cancers of the esophagus, stomach and lung in North/ North West of Iran. Conclusion Our results showed that Iran is a medium-risk area for incidence of cancers. We found differences in the most common cancers in Iran comparing to those reported for the World. Our results also suggested geographical diversities in incidence rates of cancers in different subdivisions of Iran.

Background: During the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, there was a increase in human activities in relation to hygiene, especially hand hygiene. The purpose of this study was to investigation the, hand hygiene among volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ahvaz, southwest Iran during 2020. Methods: Data validation was performed using WHO criteria. A web-based prospective cross-sectional descriptive study which conducted during 2020 in Ahvaz city, southwest Iran. The data collection was based on completion of the volunteer questionnaire. In our study, WhatsApp software was used. Results: The number of participants in our study were 1000 persons. Based on result this study, the mean ages (mean ± SD) participants were 32.84±10.74 years for women and 33.06±11.08 years for men. According finding this study, there was no relationship between age of participants and hand-skin’s health scores (p>0.05).Conclusions: It was concluded that during the COVID-19 pandemic all the assessed hand hygiene behaviors of Iranian were improved, compared with those before, but hand hygiene education is still necessary.Therefore, the results of this study may be useful for health policymaker in order to cope with the emerging disease.

Background and Objective: Assessment of sleep quality is necessary in the older adults’ management program so that good sleep quality will lead to a successful older adult’s life. The present study...

Policymakers require estimates of the future number of cancer patients in order to allocate finite resources to cancer prevention, treatment and palliative care. We examine recent cancer incidence trends in Iran and present predicted incidence rates and new cases for the entire country for the year 2025. We developed a method for approximating population-based incidence from the pathology-based data series available nationally for the years 2008 to 2013, and augmented this with data from the Iranian National Population-based Cancer Registry (INPCR) for the years 2014 to 2016. We fitted time-linear age-period models to the recent incidence trends to quantify the future cancer incidence burden to the year 2025, delineating the contribution of changes due to risk and those due to demographic change. The number of new cancer cases is predicted to increase in Iran from 112 000 recorded cases in 2016 to an estimated 160 000 in 2025, a 42.6 increase, of which 13.9 and 28.7 were attributed to changes in risk and population structure, respectively. In terms of specific cancers, the greatest increases in cases are predicted for thyroid (113.8), prostate (66.7), female breast (63.0) and colorectal cancer (54.1). Breast, colorectal and stomach cancers were the most common cancers in Iran in 2016 and are predicted to remain the leading cancers nationally in 2025. The increasing trends in incidence of most common cancers in Iran reinforce the need for the tailored design and implementation of effective national cancer control programs across the country. © 2021 Union for International Cancer Control.

Air pollution exposure is one of the main risk factors for respiratory system diseases, including airway diseases, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and lung cancer. Few studies have been done concerning Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) and its relationship with air pollution. Particulate Matter (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), and Heavy Metals (HM) are the most important air pollutants found to exert harmful effects on the human and environment. This review aimed to study the health effects of air pollution on respiratory systems, especially COPD. A narrative review of the literature was done from 1978 to 2020 in various databases, including Google Scholar, Science Direct, Web of Science, Springer, PubMed, NCBI, and BMJ. The results indicated that air pollution exposure could increase respiratory diseases, especially COPD. According to the results, COPD is caused by poor airflow and long-term breathing problems due to disrupted lung tissue. Based on the results, hazardous air pollutants induce destructive effects on the lung and result in COPD. Thus, COPD is a critical public health issue in Iran and the world. To decrease the rate of COPD attributed to air pollutants, we should use policies to decrease pollutant emissions.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically shaped higher education and seen the distinct rise of e-learning as a compulsory element of the modern educational landscape. Accordingly, this study highlights the factors which have influenced how students perceive their academic performance during this emergency changeover to e-learning. The empirical analysis is performed on a sample of 10,092 higher education students from 10 countries across 4 continents during the pandemic’s first wave through an online survey. A structural equation model revealed the quality of e-learning was mainly derived from service quality, the teacher’s active role in the process of online education, and the overall system quality, while the students’ digital competencies and online interactions with their colleagues and teachers were considered to be slightly less important factors. The impact of e-learning quality on the students’ performance was strongly mediated by their satisfaction with e-learning. In general, the model gave quite consistent results across countries, gender, study fields, and levels of study. The findings provide a basis for policy recommendations to support decision-makers incorporate e-learning issues in the current and any new similar circumstances. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Disease registry systems provide a strong information infrastructure for decision-making and research. The purpose of this study is to describe the implementation method and protocol of the COVID-19 registry in Khuzestan province, Iran. We established a steering committee and formulated the purposes of the registry. Then, based on reviewing the literature, and expert panels, the minimum data set, the data collection forms and the web-based software were developed. Data collection is done retrospectively through Hospital Information Systems, Medical Care Monitoring Center system (MCMC), Management of Communicable Disease Prevention and Control system (MCDPC) as well as, patients' records. For prospective data collection, the data collection forms are compiled with patients' medical records by the medical staff and are then entered into the registry system. We collect patients' administrative and demographic data, history and physical examinations, test and imaging results, disease progression, treatment, outcomes, and follow-ups of the confirmed and suspected inpatients and outpatients. From April 20 to December 5, 2020, the data of 4,812 confirmed cases and 7,113 suspected cases were collected from two COVID-19 referral hospitals. Based on our experience, recording information along with providing care for patients and putting patients' data registration in the medical staff's routine, structuring data, having a flexible technical team and rapid software development for multiple and continuous updates, automating data collection by connecting the registry to existing information systems and having different incentives, the registration process can be strengthened.

Background: Maternal body mass index and maternal gestational weight gain can have positive effects on birth and maternal outcomes. We aimed to identify the effect of pre-pregnancy weight and gestational weight gain on birth outcomes.Methods: Data of this retrospective cohort study were extracted using the 1457 out of 1800 pair health records belonged to the pregnant mother and infant at Ahvaz health care centers, from 2010 to 2018.Result: The 3.18-fold increased risk for large for gestational age in overweight mothers, and a 2.9 fold increased risk for small for gestational age in those mothers with gestational weight gain below the guidelines. An increased risk of large for gestational age, low birth weight, and macrosomia were observed in overweight mothers with gestational weight gain out of the guidelines. The increased association was found between the maternal pre-body mass index and fasting blood sugar (p = 0.0001). Hence, hyperglycemia is related to a 3.58-fold incidence of macrosomia. Conclusion: Therefore, conducting more educational programs of lifestyle intervention with respect to reproductive health care is required for all women in childbearing age (before and during pregnancy), with the purpose of reducing the adverse pregnancy outcome.

Background Vitamin D plays an important role in etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). We aimed to evaluate the serum 25 - hydroxyl vitamin D level among children with ASDs in Ahvaz city, Iran. Methods It was a cross-sectional study which had conducted on 62 subjects in two groups: a case group (n = 31) consisted of ASD children who study in especial schools; and a control group (n = 31) of healthy children who were selected by simple random sampling from regular schools in Ahvaz city, Iran during 2016. Maching between two groups has done regarding Socioeconomic status, type and amount of food intake, place of living and age. The levels of serum 25 - hydroxyl vitamin D were assessed in early morning means fasted state and also measured using ELISA method. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. The significant level was considered < 0.05. Results In ASD children, the average serum 25-hydroxyvitamine D level was 9.03 ± 4.14 ng/mg. In ASD group, 96.8% (30 subjects) had vitamin D deficiency. In healthy children group, average serum 25-hydroxyvitamine D level was 15.25 ± 7.89 ng/mg. Average serum 25-hydroxyvitamine D level in intervention group was significantly lower than the control group (P > 0.001). Although the parents of patients in control group reported longer exposure to sun (27.42 m per day against 33.06 m per day), no significant difference was observed between these groups in terms of exposure to sun (P < 0.05). Conclusions A significant difference was observed between serum 25-hydroxyvitamine D levels between the healthy and ASD children. It is recommended to use vitamin D supplement in children with ASDs under medical care.

Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the training program based on the Precede model and its main components on improving the quality of life in patients with asthma. Material and methods: It was a randomized quasi-experimental study done on 120 patients with asthma who were referred to the Imam Khomeini hospital in Ahvaz who were selected using the convenience sampling method and were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The data collection tool consisted of two questionnaires. The first questionnaire evaluated the quality of life in patients with asthma and the other one was developed by the researcher based on the structures of the Precede model. Training intervention was conducted during four sessions twice a week and each session was carried out for an hour based on the structures of the Precede model. In order to achieve the results, SPSS software, even t-test, and 2 were used. Results: The results showed that after the training intervention in the experimental group, the mean scores of predisposing factors (p < 0.001), enabling factors, reinforcing factors and behavioral factors were significantly increased (p < 0.001) as compared to the control group. A significant difference was observed in the mean scores of quality of life in two groups after the intervention (p < 0.001), and the quality of life of patients in the experimental group was improved after the training intervention. Conclusions : The design and implementation of the training program based on the Precede model can have a positive effect on the improvement of quality of life in patients with asthma.

Unsafe abortion, which is defined as the termination of an unwanted pregnancy by a person lacking the necessary skills or in an environment lacking minimal medical standards, could cause a high percentage of pregnancy-related deaths. Since day by days numbers of unsafe abortions in developing countries are increasing, this study planned to know the awareness among 240 medical students about illegal abortion by conducting a descriptive study. Volunteer students were randomly selected, then a questionnaire containing demographic information (age, sex, educational level, marital status) and 12 questions related to awareness on illegal abortion were distributed among them to provide personal responses of the questions. Finaly, the score of 11 and above was given to the appropriate knowledge. Total 82.7% of the students were scored over 11 revealed a good knowledge regarding the illegal abortion in the country. Also, 55% of students recommended for considering the abortion as illegal to prevent complications caused by illegal abortions. Our results indicated that there were a good awareness and adequate knowledge among students of medicine about illegal abortion and its complications.