فرح مادرشاهیان

Failure to follow the drug is common in patients with myocardial infarction. However, it has been reported in various studies that family support can improve adherence to drug in chronic diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigation the impact of education of family support behaviors on adherence to the drug in patients with Myocardial Infarction. This controlled clinical trial study was performed on 70 patients with myocardial infarction, which had criteria for entering the study. Patients were randomly divided into intervention and control groups and demographic information and adherence to the drug was completed questionnaire for two groups. Individuals who received inadequate the drug follow-up based on this questionnaire were completed their family support questionnaire. In order to intervene, in the form of at least three educational sessions, based on the needs assessment of the two previous questionnaires, training was provided to the key member of the intervention group family and three months after the intervention, the two drug and family support questionnaires were re-completed for the two groups. Finally, the data was entered into SPSS software (version 16). Descriptive statistics including frequency, mean, standard deviation for description and description of data and analytical statistics including: Chi-square, paired T-test and independent T-test were used for data analysis. The significance level was considered as (P <0.05.) The mean score of family supportive behaviors and adherence to the drug in the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group after the intervention (P <0.001). Also, the mean of changes in drug follow-up (P <0.001) and family support (P <0.001) after intervention in the intervention group were significantly higher than the control group. The teaching of family supportive behaviors can improve the adherence to the drug in patients with myocardial infarction.

One of the biggest challenges that the diabetic patients face with is learning how to live with diabetes and control daily blood glucose level. Therefore, patient education with the aim of patient empowerment in self-care, optimal blood glucose control, and ultimately promotion of quality of life is considered as one of the significant health indicators and important areas of diabetes care. Regarding this, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of using jigsaw technique on adherence to drug therapy among the patients with type II diabetes mellitus.
Material and This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 35 diabetic patients referring to diabetes clinic in Zabol, Iran, in 2015. The study population was selected through simple random sampling technique. The patients filled out the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) and demographic form. After performing the blood test for the measurement of hemoglobin A1c (Hba1c) level, the patients were divided into seven groups of five cases. Subsequently, three sessions of educational intervention was performed with one-week intervals using the jigsaw technique. After three months, MMAS was completed again and the Hba1c level was remeasured. The data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software.
According to the results, the mean age of the participants and the mean diabetes duration were 55.48±8.86 and 11.54±5.3 years, respectively. Furthermore, the mean adherence to medication showed a significant increase in the post-intervention stage, compared to that in the pre-intervention stage (P Regarding the obtained results, the jigsaw technique, which is an active cooperative method, can be used in patient education programs.

Psychological and psychiatric consequences are important factors affecting medication adherence and improved quality of life in diabetic patients. However, prevalence of these disorders is unclear. In this study, cognitive status, depression, and drug adherence of type 2 diabetes patients are discussed.
In this descriptive analytical study, 105 patients with type 2 diabetes referred to Birjand diabetes clinic were selected through randomized sampling. The data collection tools included a demographic form, Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS), Number Connection Test (NCT) that measures cognitive function, and Beck Depression Inventory. Data was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS, version 16.
In the present study, 88.2% of women and 91.9% of men showed low medication adherence. In the majority of the patients, depression was found, while 36.8% of women and 13.5% of men had severe depression. Regarding cognitive disorders, some degrees of cognitive disorders were observed in most of the patients.
In this study, diabetic patients had poor medication adherence and showed some degrees of cognitive disorders and depression. Therefore, serious attention should be paid to their blood glucose monitoring. Furthermore, effective training programs with new methods of education should be considered by healthcare providers, and these patients should be monitored regularly regarding cognitive disorders and depression problems, which might affect their learning and self-care behaviors.

Responding to holistic needs of patients can reduce anxiety. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of holistic cares with family participation on attitude and preoperative anxiety of patients. This quasi-experimental study was conducted on all patients undergoing prostate surgery during 2012 at Emam Reza Hospital, Birjand, Iran. Therefore, 68 patients were assigned randomly to two groups of 34. In the intervention group, prior to each preoperative care needs of patients, such as covering the body, were determined through 5 questions and cares were provided accordingly with family participation. The control group received routine cares. Intervention outcomes were the scores of attitude and anxiety of patients. The attitude toward preoperative cares was measured using a 10-item researcher-made questionnaire at admission and before hospital discharge. Anxiety and preoperative information were measured using the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale at the beginning of hospitalization and before surgery. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16 and chi-square, and independent and paired t-tests. Total score of mean attitude toward preoperative cares of the intervention group (42.44 ± 8.07) was higher than the control group (36.82 ± 9.32) (P = 0.01). Furthermore, the total mean preoperative anxiety score of the intervention group (14.08 ± 2.72) was lower than the control group (16.02 ± 1.56) (P < 0.001) and had reduced compared with pre-intervention (15.32 ± 2.60) (P < 0.001). Providing preoperative holistic cares with family participation was effective in creating positive attitude and reducing anxiety in anxious patients. Thus, its use is recommended in providing all medical and nursing cares.

Traditional teaching of research methodology is associated with low learning and satisfaction but effective teaching increase professional abilities and positive attitude toward science. In this study the effect of research methodology teaching based on evidence based care, applications and research designing, on knowledge, attitude and teaching satisfaction was studied. In this quasi experimental study fifth semester nursing students at Birjand University of medical sciences were selected through census method in 2012 and for research methodology teaching from text books, at random were divided into two groups of 39 experimental and control students. Intervention included promoting skills to providing “evidence based care”, education of research methodology applications in different courses and cares and group designing of 11 research plans. In the control group, teaching was conducted using group discussion. Two researcher-developed questionnaires at the beginning and end of the study were used. Intervention outcomes included; scores of research knowledge, attitude toward benefits, necessity and research methodology applications and teaching satisfaction that were measured by 20 multiple choice questions, 12 and 21 likert scale items (score1-5) respectively. Data were analyzed by Chi-square, independent and paired t-tests, using SPSS 16 software. After intervention, the total research knowledge score of the experimental group (6.05±8.59) was higher than control (2.74±5.51) group (P<0.041). The attitude score of experimental group toward research after intervention to compare control group (P<0.028) and to with before intervention was higher (P<0.015). The teaching satisfaction score of experimental group (78.61±8.67) was higher than the control (71.23±9.24) group (P<0.001). Research methodology teaching combined with ongoing support for students, based on evidence based care, applications and group designing of research, can establish a relationship between the principles, designing, implementation and applications of research, increase knowledge and facilitate attitude and satisfaction.

Although integrating the patients’ needs physically and psychologically within their socio-cultural beliefs during providing cares is the source of holistic nursing، but the effectiveness on the patient’s anxiety and fulfillment still unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of preoperative cares with holistic approach prior to surgical procedure on the patient’s anxiety and fulfillment. In this quasi experimental study 78 patient facing prostate surgeries were selected through convenience sampling method during 2010 at Birjand Emam Reza Hospital and allocated to two groups of 39 patients. The involvements consist of determine patients’ needs; physically، socially، psychologically، religious and cultural such as prevent hospital infection and providing holistic cares prior operation using 5 questions. The control group received routine cares. Data were gathered with the Amsterdam Anxiety Scale and one researcher-developed patients’ satisfaction questionnaire then were analyzed by descriptive statistics، Chi-square، independent and paired t-tests. Experimental and control groups in relation to age، education and place of residence were similar. After intervention the total mean anxiety score of experimental group (14. 30±2. 66) was lower than control (15. 38±1. 51) group (p<0. 031). The satisfaction of experimental group (91. 15±5. 35) was higher than control (80. 69±11. 89) group (p<0. 0001). Preoperative holistic cares for reduction of anxiety and improve satisfaction between patients prior to prostate surgery was efficient. Therefore this procedure could be recommended for anxious patients.

Community-oriented teaching may increase Medical students’ skills in the prevention and control of diseases, while traditional teaching can reduce occupational skills. This study aimed to investigate the effect of community-oriented education on satisfaction of teaching and understanding of environmental health in the students. In this quasi-experimental study fifth semester nursing students at Birjand University of Medical Sciences were selected using census method in 2012. Samples were divided into two groups of 36 persons including control and experimental group for teaching environmental health as community-oriented and group discussion. These people as community health teaching and group discussions were divided into two groups of 36 patients each test. The intervention consisted of teaching health problems, research and prevention of hepatitis, HIV/AIDS and brucellosis in the high risk occupations. Data was analyzed by SPSS 16, Chi-square, independent-T and paired-T tests. After intervention, the mean score of satisfaction of teaching (p<0.002), unserstanding of environmental health (p<0.045) and environmental causes of brucellosis/Hepatitis/AIDS (p<0.032) in experimental group was higher than control group. Community-oriented teaching of environmental health and designing and implementation of diseases prevention in poromotion of satisfaction and knowledge of students is effective.

Hepatitis B is one of the most common reasons for chronic hepatic dise-ases around the world, so that nowadays two billion people carry this virus and about 350 million people are suffering from chronic hepatitis B infection. As there are different and effective factors that are important in affection and progression of hepatitis B, the aim of this study is the evaluation of epidemiologic factors that are related to outcomes of treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B in Birjand. This descriptive-ana-lytic study was done on 301 patients with chronic hepatitis B referring to Vali Asr hospital´s infectious diseases clinic during 1375-1390 in Birjand. All patients had a document containing demographic inf-ormation, virus transmission way, risk fac-tors and the way for awareness about dis-ease. Then some tests were done included: Aspartat amino transferase (AST), alanin amino transferase (ALT), hepatitis B capsulate antigene (HBe Ag), hepatit B external antigene (HBs Ag), their conclusions and serial sonography were recorded in documents. Patients older than 13 years with complete information in their documents were entered the study after expressing the consent. The data were collected regarding to the present check list, then they were analyzed by statistical descriptive and inferential tests in p < 0.05 level. The mean age for 301 patients was 32.9±10.5. There was no statistically significant relation between treatment outcomes and sex, average of AST, PT, α-fetoprotein, job and risk factors. There was significant relation between treatment outcomes and age, average of ALT, HBV DNA, HBeAb, HBeAg, type of treatment and sonography. The highest treatment efficacy was with Interferon 28/6% that reached to 50% with a 5-year fallow up (P < 0.001). At first, combined therapy with lamivudine and interferon leaded to 12.5% complete recovery that at last reached to 14.3% (P=0.0001). Discussion & The progression of disease was accompanied by the age older than 50 years, negative HBeAb, positive HBeAg, positive HBVDNA, high ALT level, positive HBvDNA and ab-normal sonography. Treatment with int-erferon was more effective than other anti-viral drugs, but the combined therapy was more effective than mono therapy because of disease relapse in 5-year follow up.

To promote critical thinking and job abilities، medical students need skills of evidence-based approach. The appropriate teaching method in “evidence-based education” is uncertain. The purpose of the present research was to evaluate the effect of evidence-based teaching by problem solving approach on learning to search scientific resources، health principles knowledge and teaching satisfaction. In this quasi-experimental study، third semester nursing students at Birjand University of Medical Sciences were selected through census method in 2009. To teach health lesson، samples were divided، at random، into two equal groups of 38 experimental and control students. Two data collection instruments a t the beginning and the end of the study were used and the scores of scientific resources search، health principles knowledge and students’ satisfaction of teaching were measured. Data were analyzed by SPSS16 software using Chi-square، independent-T and paired-T tests. The mean of total score of students’ knowledge and scientific resources search in experimental group after intervention was higher than the control group significantly. The mean of total score of students’ teaching satisfaction in experimental group from evidence based teaching with problem solving approach was significantly higher than group discussion and lecture based teaching in the control group. According to the students’ group activities as well as monitoring and ongoing support of lecturer from students’ learning activities، the use of problem solving approach in e vidence-based teaching can promote students’ access to scientific resources، teaching satisfaction and their learning of health principles.

The most important setting for teaching، specifically for difficult scientific topics، is classroom. Due to the uncertain results of previous investigations which are limited in number too، this study was implemented to compare attitude toward attendance in sessions and grades of associated courses for students with or without absence. In this descriptive longitudinal study، 69 nursing freshmen of Birjand University of Medical Sciences at their first semester were selected through census sampling، and followed for six consecutive semesters (2009–2011). Students’ absence in 10 lessons taught by two researchers was confirmed and then students were divided into two groups; “with absence” (3-4 permissible absence in a course of study) and “without absence” (One or at maximum two absence for a course of study). Data was gathered using a valid and reliable researcher-made questionnaire to determine students attitude (20 questions، Likert score: 1-5) toward classroom attendance، as well as a data collection form for absence and course grades. Data was analyzed using Chi2 and independent t-test. Mean score of students’ attitude “with absence” toward educational barriers of classroom attendance was (16. 88±1. 42 out of total score of 20) and higher than that of students without absence (15. 47±2. 02، p=0. 003). Total attitude score of students “with absence” toward social barriers of classroom attendance (17. 08±1. 38) was higher than that of students without absence (15. 95±1. 91، p=0. 012); but total attitude score of students without absence toward the benefits of classroom attendance was higher than that of students with absence (P=0. 004). Total course score for the group “without absence” was higher than that of the group “with absence” (p=0. 002). Students absence was associated with lower grades. Balancing the number of courses and volume of training in semesters، reducing anxiety during teaching، promoting students’ interest in learning and field of study can be involved in reducing their absence.

Changing the focus of teaching from patient to community is an educational strategy. The effect of evidence based community visits for risk factors of Crimean-Congo fever on students’ learning was investigated in this study. In this quasi-experimental study in year 2010, 36 nursing students of Birjand University of Medical Sciences were selected through purposive sampling during a training course in a health center. They were randomly divided into two groups of experiment (evidence based visits, n=18) and control (traditional education, n=18) to teach Crimean fever risk factors. Data were gathered using two researcher-made questionnaires as pre-test and post-test. Knowledge on Crimean fever before and after visits on unhealthy animal slaughtering in experimental group, and in control group before and after traditional education was measured. Data was analyzed by Chi2, independent and paired t tests. The mean of total score of knowledge about Crimean fever in experimental group was 4.22±1.06 (out of 5) after intervention which was significantly increased compared to that of control group (3.05±1.47) (p=0.01). The mean of total score of knowledge about Crimean fever in experimental group was 4.22±1.06 after intervention which showed a statistically significant difference (p=0.001) compared to the pre-test scores (2.66±1.81). Evidence based visits of Crimean fever risk factors in the community promotes learning. Therefore evidence based visits of appropriate subjects such as places and professions are suggested as a teaching strategy.

In many countries، pregnant women’s breastfeeding of the older baby is common and may lead to oxytocin release، uterine contraction and increased maternal energy need. The probable consequences of lactation during pregnancy on the pregnancy outcome and newborn are still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the breastfeeding the older baby during the pregnancy on the pregnancy outcome and newborns’ birth sizes. In this case-control study، during 9 months in maternity units of Birjand، of 2308 multiparous pregnant mothers، 320 were selected through sequential sampling method. The case group consisted of 80 mothers who were breastfeeding the older child during their current pregnancy. Control group included 240 mothers homogenized with the case group، who stopped breastfeeding to the old baby at least 3 months before pregnancy. Two clinical trained nurses gathered newborns birth weight، height، head circumference and pregnancy outcome of two groups. Data were analyzed with SPSS 16 software، student T، Pearson correlation، chi square، Mann-Whitney، and Fisher’s exact tests. There was no significant difference between the pregnancy outcome in the case and control groups (p=0. 36)، and between the pregnancy outcome and mothers’ breastfeeding behaviors in case group (p=0. 69). The mean of newborns’ birth weight (p=0. 45)، height (p=0. 15)، and head circumference (p=0. 31) in two groups had no significant difference. Breastfeeding of healthy pregnant mothers to their older child has no remarkable effect on the pregnancy outcome، newborn’s birth weight، height and head circumference.

To adopt an evidence-based approach to education and decision-making, there is a need to determine its uses and barriers. In this study the impact of evidence-based care on nursing students practice was investigated. In this quasi-experimental study, forty nursing students in urology ward were selected by purposive sampling and were assigned randomly to evidence based education (n=20) and traditional teaching (n=20) groups. Data was gathered by student's opinions and patient satisfaction questionnaires, and psychomotor checklists and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Optimum patient care in evidence -based and traditional groups were 35% and 29% respectively. 65% of students in evidence- based and 40% in traditional group believed that their decisions for care were according to patient's needs. 73% and 38% of them considered patient problems and reduced their anxiety by 64% and 45% (p=0.045) respectively. 52% and 40% patients in the two groups were highly satisfied. There was no significant differences (p=0.63) between the patients care knowledge in evidence- based and traditional groups initially. Results showed that evidence-based nursing care was more effective than the traditional approach.

Evidence-based care is a process by which nurses can make proper clinical decisions through using the evidence coming from existing studies. Today, the evidence-based education is of great attention in nursing education with the aim of serious, clear and logical use of common evidence for decision-making. This study was carried out with the purpose of studying the impact of clinical education with evidence-based method on the quality of patient care. In this quasi-experimental study that was performed on nursing students in 2010, 40 nursing students who were passing the 7th academic semester were selected through purposive sampling method. Two groups underwent educational intervention based on common and traditional care methods and two groups underwent educational intervention through evidence-based care methods by a single trainer who was a faculty member and each group passed a weak of apprenticeship. Data were analyzed by Chi-square test, independent T-test and paired T-test using SPSS 16 software. The mean score of patient care was 80.0 ± 6.0 in the evidence-based group and 73.67 ± 4.5 in the traditional group. The mean of knowledge scores before and after the study was respectively 58.45 ± 15.47 and 71.8 ± 10.91 in the evidence-based group and 59.05 ± 15.8 and 67.8 ± 13.89 in the traditional group. Applying the evidence-based education in clinical nursing cares is as effective as traditional education methods and would also improve the knowledge and skills and result in high-quality nursing care.

In present more than one million people in world doing hemodialysis, This study do to determine adequacy of dialysis in hemodialysis patients Vali-Asr Hospital in Birjand. Descriptive cross- sectional and 50 dialysis patients six months after they started dialysis were selected. The questionnaire measured individual data and recorded the weight before and after dialysis and blood urea before and after dialysis within a minute of slow blood to 50 ml of blood from the patient's body and back venus. Then, measured URR and Kt/V, the distribution of patients in three part low, moderate and high adequacy of dialysis. Statistical analysis were used by descriptive statistics and SPSS software. The mean age were 47.70 ± 16.72 years, weight before dialysis 58.2 ± 12.36 and after hemodialysis 56.2 ± 12.22 kg, mean BMI 21.40, urea before dialysis was 140.42 ± 37.92, urea after dialysis was 52.32 ± 16.75 mg dl. 70 percent of patients was Kt/V 0.9-1.2 and 66 percent URR between 61 and 70 percent that had a relatively good level of adequacy of dialysis. mean total Kt/V of patients were 1.17 and URR 62.8 percent. Between BMI, the average pump blood, sex patients and the number of time of dialysis at week with dialysis adequacy were significant relationship (P < 0.05). Prevention of ESRD at the community level and attention to details such as the choise strategy to increase hours of dialysis, filter type and time of dialysis at week is important in dialysis wards.

Evaluation of quality improvement and teaching system revision is effective step in quality development. The aim of the present study was to investigate the teaching skills in nursing and midwifery faculties from the professor's and student's point of view. In this Analytic descriptive Study, all of the members and students in the nursing faculty selected through census. A questionnaire was used to investigate the lesson plan, in-teaching skills, and complementary activities. Data were analyzed by descriptive, chi-square test, t-test at α=0.05 was confirmed by searching the relevant professors opinion and reliability was approve by a pilot study. Mean score in different items was method of teaching 30.31±6.82 conditions affected learning 47.44±8.56, communication skills 18.22±8.56, teaching rules 14.46±4.51, complementary activities 23.72±3.55, reassessment 7.15±3.28, and use of advance organizer 19.16±2.48. Between teaching rules with sex and Masters Degree was significant relation (P=0.01), also between personal characteristics and sex was significant relation (P=0.035) between relation skills and sex and age was significant relation (P=0.027). Complementary activities given to the students were lectures in 62.8%, taking notes in 96%, 84% group discussions, 52% study in library, 40% summary writing, and 35% collecting articles. Medical education centers need to make faculty members familiar with innovations in education. Professors also should try to coordinate their method of teaching with students needs and attempt to correct the deficiencies in their ways of teaching. The result of the evaluations help the professors to achieve their aims.

Tobacco, alcohol and drug abuse is one of the greatest complications in the society which causes waste of power, energy as well as financial and human assets. In this case, there are a number of factors that are important and influential such as genetics, critical period of adolescence, family affairs, friends and social affairs, immigration, industrial development, etc. Since the involvement of the youth, the educated, and the future makers drastically increases anxieties in the society, the present study was conducted aiming to assess the prevalence of drug abuse, tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking and other narcotics abuse among the students.

In this descriptive study, 870 students from Birjand Universities (Medical Sciences, Birjand and Azad Universities) in different courses were randomly selected. Sampling was done by cluster method according to the number of students in each university. Data collecting tool was a questionnaire that was developed in two parts and its validity was confirmed by content validity method. The first part contained demographic information and the second part included questions about drug abuse, background of addiction in the family, kind of addiction, first material used, age of beginning, motive, abuse, etc. The collected data was reported using descriptive statistics and distribution frequency tables of SPSS software.

Results showed that 61.5% of the subjects had no background of drug abuse and cigarette smoking. The most frequent abuses were: smoking cigarette (31.5%), alcohol (5.7%), hashish (1%) and opium (0.3%). Age of beginning in 43.5% of cases was under 20, and in 60.9% of cases offers from friends were reported. In 44.5% beginning of abuse was reported in friendly parties. 58.2% of the abusers were male.

Regarding the valuable role of universities as the centers of training and educating the future- markers of the country, the existence of drugs abuse among students is dramatically alarming. Therefore, the need for high enterprise of the authorities in root findings and reducing the prevalence of this destructive catastrophe is obviously observed.

Brucellosis has widespread prevalence and is one of the endemic diseases in our country, Iran. It is estimated that every year almost 500000 cases of Brucellosis - mostly Brucella Melitensis-occur in the world. Any type of brucellosis demands a specific treatment. Thus, this study was conducted to compare reduction of Brucellosis anti-antibody level in the serum one year after treatment with two regimens, i.e. Streptomycin + Doxycyclin and Rifampin + Doxycyclin. This experimental study was performed on 100 patients with Brucellosis based on the clinical findings; wright ≥ 1/80 and 2ME ≥ 1/80. The cases were randomly divided into two groups; one received Streptomycin + Doxycyclin (50 cases), and the other group was treated by Rifampin + Doxycyclin (50 cases). Then 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment Wright and 2ME tests were performed and their results compared by means of statistics using Chi-Square test. The findings of the study showed that age of the cases ranged between 13 and 78 years and 46% of them were 39-48 years old. Results of the tests revealed no significant differences before treatment, but immediately after treatment significant differences were observed in the two groups (Wright: P=0.05, 2ME: P=0.005) as in the first group tests tended to be negative more rapidly than in the second group. Wright’s test after 3 months showed significant differences in the two groups (P= 0.05) but there were no significant differences at 6 and 12 months following treatment. Regarding the rapidity of negative titers of tests in the first group immediately and 3 months after treatment, it could be inferred that Streptomycin regimen leads to a more effective treatment with rapid recovery which is also accompanied by reduction in the disease anti–antibody level in the serum.

39 cases of retinal vein occlusion that sequentially attended to eye clinic in 3 years enrolled in this study. The hypertension, cigarette smoking, mean plasma homocystein and age-range in retinal vein occlusion category were compared with 49 controls. 19 cases had Branch retinal vein occlusion and 20 have Central retinal vein occlusion, 15 of them were female and the remainder (24) was male 17 cases had left eye involvement and one has bilateral involvement. Except 5 cases, most of the patients had at least one of 3 systemic diseases (Hypertension, Diabetes, and hyperlipidemia). The mean plasma homocystein level in cases was 15, 39 μmol/l and in controls it was 15.95 which was not statistically significant. (p=0.42). The mean plasma homocystein level was above the normal in 21 cases (13.0 μmol/l) and in 28 control subjects. This study showed that retinal vein occlusion is mostly associated with one of the systemic diseases. We could not find also statistically significant relation between homocysteine level and retinal vein occlusion in this study.

Increasing number of people with diabetes make it the greatest world-wide epidemy which indicates importance of education in physical and mental health of the patients. Since researches report different results about cognition status of diabetic patients, this study was conducted to determine and compare cognitive status in older people with and without type 2 diabetes. In this case- control study 80 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus compare with 80 persons without diabetes. Cases were selected from the patients refer to diabetes outpatient clinic and control group were patients referred to other clinics. Instruments were questionnaire for gathering demographic data, glucometer, DSM-IR-TR questionnaire, FBS for control group and TSH - T4- HbA1c for cases.. The mean scores of MMSE were 23.3 and 26.8 in case and control group respectively. Difference between two groups was significant in MMSE scores (P<0.01), furthermore between men and women of two groups (P<0.01 for both). No significant difference of MMSE scores between men and women in case group was seen (P=0.45). There was negative association between MMSE scores and age also duration of illness according to the results. Elderly diabetic patients encounter some cognitive impairment which is exacerbated with increasing age.

Uterine placental bloodstream pressure can be measured by Doppler ultrasonography, which is a non-invasive technique. Uterine arteries velocimetry progressively decreases during the first and second trimesters in normal gestation due to trophoblastic invasion of musculoelastic membrane of uterine spiral arteries. The relationship between trophoblastic invasion and placental resistance index can be helpful in predicting gestation outcome intrauterine growth retardation in particular. The aim of this study was to measure the significance of uterine artery resistance index in predicting maternal and fetal complications in pregnant women with chronic hypertension.

Uterine artery velocimetry was investigated between 28 and 32 weeks after gestation in 67 chronic hypertensive pregnant women by means of colour Doppler sonograph. Resistance index (RI) was recorded and its relationship to the development of superimposed pre-eclampsia (SPE), pregnancy aggravated hypertension (PAH), and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) was surveyed. The obtained data was analysed employing SPSS using Fisher accurate test and P0.05 was considered as the significant level.

There were more pregnancy complications in 21 patients with abnormal RI compared with 46 patients with normal RI (SPE 43% vs.6.5%, PAH 24% vs. 4.3%, and IUGR 71% vs. 4.3%).

Uterine artery Doppler velocimetry helps to identify a subgroup of chronic hypertensive patients with a high frequency of pregnancy complications.

Prevalence of myopia in various races, at different ages, and in different places has been reported variously. The present study was carried out to compare myopia risk factors in myopic and non- myopic medical science students. In this case-control study, after ophthalmologic examination of all Birjand medical students in 2001 myopic students were taken as the case group and non-myopic ones as the control group Members of the two groups were homogeneous with respect to age, sex, term and course of study. Personal data and myopia risk factors were gathered by means of a specialized questionnaire. The obtained data was analyzed by means of SPSS software and inferential and descriptive statistics independent t-test, paired t-test, and 2 test. P0/05 was considered as the significant level. Totally, 750 students were examined of whom 180 students were myopic and 168 cases were non-myopic. Prevalence of myopia was 24% among the students. Mean age of myopia onset was 14.6 in males and 13.6 in females. In most cases (63.6%) the onset age was between 11 and 17. Myopia prevalence in medical students was 50%, in associates 56.7%, and in undergraduates 46%. There was a statistically significant relationship between myopia of students and their parents’ myopia (P<0.0001). Most of the myopic students were 18-21 years old (54%). In order to correct myopia, 86.5% of all cases wore spectacles, 1.68% had undergone laser surgery and 0.5% used contact lenses. There was no significant relationship between severity of myopia in the two eyes at the beginning of myopia but at the time of this study there was a significant relationship (P<0.01). It was found that using spectacles or lenses full-time or part-time had a significant relationship with progress of myopia (P<0.000). Regarding TV watching distance there was no significant relationship but it was significant with respect to hours of study, book-eye distance and full/part time spectacle wearing in the two groups (P<0.01). Regarding the findings of this study, school health teachers are recommended to advise students on keeping proper distance of eye from reading materials. A comparative study of myopia and its causes in the youth and middle-aged individuals is recommended.