نرگس روستایی

Health literacy expresses the capacity of a person to obtain, interpret and understand the necessary information for needed services and appropriate decisions in the field of health. In Iran, there is conflicting information about the health literacy status of people, especially medical and dental students, as well as the opinion that these students will enter the medical community later and it is necessary to check their literacy level; Therefore, in the present research, the level of health literacy of dental and medical students of Yasuj University of Medical Sciences was evaluated.

The present descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted on 171 students of dentistry and medicine at Yasuj University of Medical Sciences in 2022. The sample size was selected by systematic random method and using Cochran's formula. The Health Literacy Questionnaire of Montazeri and colleagues (HELIA) was used to collect information. The data was analyzed using SPSS ver. 25 software and a significance level of 0.05.

Out of 171 students participating in the present study, 83 were male and 88 were female. Thirty-three of the participants were studying dentistry and 138 were studying medicine. 75.4% of students had sufficient health literacy and 6.4% had excellent health literacy. Based on the results, there was no statistically significant difference between the health literacy of dental and medical students of Yasuj University of Medical Sciences in terms of gender, being married or single, economic status and place of residence. According to the, entry year and age, there was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05).

Considering the active role of students, especially those in the fields of medicine and dentistry, in their own health and that of society, there is a need for a high level of health literacy among this segment of the population. The results of this study suggest that addressing this issue can be effective for officials and policymakers in creating conditions for necessary interventions to increase the health literacy level of students.

High blood pressure is one of the most important causes of premature death worldwide. One of the ways to control high blood pressure is lifestyle modification, especially paying attention to nutritional behaviors, such as reducing the consumption of salt-containing foods, therefore the purpose of the present study was to investigate the application of social cognitive theory in adherence to a low-salt diet in patients with high blood pressure.

The present descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 on 100 patients with high blood pressure covered by comprehensive health centers in the city of Charam, located in the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province. Data collection tools included a questionnaire on adherence to a low-sodium diet, based on a modified version of the self-care activities level adjustment questionnaire in hypertension, and a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of components from the Bandura Social Cognitive Theory, including self-efficacy, social support, and self-regulation. Patients meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly selected, and with the assistance of a disease specialist, questionnaires were completed. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and linear regression statistical tests.

The participants' age ranged from 40 to 69 years, with a mean of 57.26 ± 29.7. 61% were female and 39% were male. 34 participants (34%) were illiterate, while 20 participants (20%) had university education. 27% had a family history of hypertension. The mean systolic blood pressure was 136.95 ± 10.22, and the mean diastolic blood pressure was 85.56 ± 5.44. The adherence rate to a low-salt diet among the studied patients was 32% (34% for females and 33% for males). Linear regression analysis revealed that the social cognitive theory predicts for 20% of the variance in adherence to a low-salt diet

The findings indicated a low level of adherence to a low- salt diet among the studied patients. This can serve as a warning sign for both these patients and the healthcare system. Implementing interventional treatment programs and utilizing educational strategies, particularly in the areas of family social support and self-regulation, can play a significant role in increasing adherence to a low-sodium diet and controlling hypertension for these individuals.

Hospital wastes contain a wide range of microorganisms and require special management due to their dangerous properties, and their improper disposal is considered a serious threat to the environment and public health. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine and influence the educational intervention based on the theory of planned behavior on the behaviors of employees in the waste management of Hafez Hospital of Shiraz, Iran.

The present interval study was conducted in 2018 on all healthcare personnel (170 people) and service workers (32 people) of Hafez hospital of Shiraz, Iran. The statistical population of the present study was completed by enumeration. The measurement tool in the present study was a questionnaire based on the theory of planned behavior and knowledge assessment which its validity and reliability were estimated and used by experts. Other tools included a waste management evaluation checklist which included management infrastructure, separation, collection, transportation, temporary storage, disposal, and weighing form of hospital wastes. The present study was conducted in two stages before and after the educational intervention. In the first stage, before the educational intervention, information was collected through questionnaires, a waste management evaluation checklist, and waste weighing continuously for a week. Then the educational content was designed. Two months after the educational intervention, in the second stage, the health care and service workers completed the questionnaires once more. Moreover, the checklist was completed and the waste was weighed over again. Obtained data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22 and parametric (paired t-test) and non-parametric (Wilcoxon) tests.

The findings indicated a significant difference in the mean score of knowledge, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention among both group health care workers and service workers after the intervention (P<0.001). After educational interventions, a significant difference in normal waste per capita was found (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed in infectious waste, sharp waste, and pharmaceutical chemical waste per capita(P≥0.005). There was a significant difference in waste management in terms of separation, collection, transportation, and disposal (P<0.001). The infrastructure management and temporary maintenance were the same before and after the educational intervention.

The findings of the present study indicated that educational interventions based on the theory of planned behavior are effective in raising the awareness of health care and service workers and improving hospital waste management. Furthermore, the use of educational strategies and appropriate educational content can increase the quality of educational interventions.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is one of the common cardiovascular diseases caused by the formation of clots in deep veins. The aim of this study was to determine the relative frequency of the risk factors of lower limb deep vein thrombosis in patients referred to teaching hospitals of Yasuj, Iran, from 2013 to 2014.

The present retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 2020. The participants of  study included 277 cases of DVT patients hospitalized in teaching hospitals of Yasuj, Iran. Furthermore, patients' characteristics such as age, sex, heart disease, kidney disease, smoking, congenital coagulation problems, history of DVT, use of oral contraceptives (OCP), history of cancer, limb fracture without surgery, diabetes, liver disease, blood pressure, use of catheter and length of stay in ICU were collected using a checklist. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software and chi-square test.

The results of the present study indicated that 50.9% of DVT patients were women and 49.1% were men, and no statistically significant difference were observed between the two groups. The distribution of the frequency of people with DVT according to age group revealed that among the age groups of referring patients, the age range of above 50 years and the age range between 40 to 50 had the highest frequency, respectively. The frequency distribution of patients with DVT according to heart disease indicated that 13% of patients with DVT showed heart disease and 87% did not indicate heart disease. Out of a total of 277 patients studied, 7.9% had kidney problems and 92.1% had no sign of kidney problems. Furthermore, 40.8% of patients indicated high blood pressure and 59.2% did not show high blood pressure.

The results of the present study revealed that among the risk factors for the occurrence of DVT of the lower limbs, a history of heart disease, old age, kidney problems and blood pressure in the studied patients were indicators. On the other hand, other risk factors examined in the present study were trivial and and were not observed in the participants of the present study.

Evaluation is an integral part of educational programs and undoubtedly, for conducting appropriate evaluation Students should be evaluated in simulated conditions of the future workplace. The purpose of the present study was to design, implement and evaluate an objective structured practical test to assess the practical capabilities of environmental health engineering students at Yasuj Health Faculty in 2020-2021.

In the present descriptive study, 18 senior students of Environmental Health Engineering of Yasuj School of Health and Nutrition Sciences in 2021 were studied. The study instruments were checklists from eleven different stations, which were prepared based on the training program of the relevant course and Its content validity was examined by a panel of experts. Students' skills were evaluated in each station by the evaluator using a checklist. At the end, students completed the Survey form. After collecting the data, it was entered into SPSS20 software and t-test, Mann-Whitney and correlation tests were used to analyze the data.

The results indicated that the average score of stations was more than 50% (63.54). Students in nine stations had a score above 50%, which indicated that the selected stations could be a suitable criterion for evaluating practical skills and OSFE exam was a suitable alternative to written and oral tests at the end of the semester. The score of two stations was less than 50%. This was due to the virtual nature of universities during the COVID-19 epidemic and it was not possible for the students to perform the necessary skills sufficiently during the study period. Stations with an average score of more than 70% indicate the mastery of students in the skills they have learned in laboratories and health-treatment centers. The level of students' satisfaction with the test was also 77.94%.

According to the level of student satisfaction (77.94), it can be said that this exam is a suitable and student-friendly method for assessment and its use is suitable for different courses. Given the average scores that are above average, it seems necessary to review the evaluation methods in the practical sections.

The use of medicinal plants has been common among people since ancient times, and in recent years special attention has been paid to their therapeutic consumption. As oxidative stress is one of the possible causes of benign prostatic hyperplasia, the aim of the present study was to determine and compare the antioxidative effect of hydroalcoholic extracts of fruit and pit of Elaeagnud angosifolia against oxidative stress markers in benign prostatic hyperplasia.

In the present semi-experimental study conducted in 2021 at Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, 96 patients over 45 years of age with benign prostatic hyperplasia with International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS) below 20 were randomly assigned to two groups receiving placebo (600 mg of white wheat flour for one month) and drug (600 mg of hydroalcoholic extract of elderberry for one month). Blood samples were taken from each patient before and after the study to check the level of oxidative stress factors, including total thiol (TSH), total plasma antioxidant capacity (FRAP), malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, and at the end of the study, was evaluated. The collected data were analyzed using t-test, Will-Coxon and Mann-Whitney tests.

The results of the present study indicated that the hydroalcoholic extract of elderberry kernel and fruit increased the MDA level in the group receiving the extract (480.7±65 vs. 457.8±51) compared to the placebo group (454.8±50 vs. 36±36). 447/3) decreased, however, this decrease was not significant. Also, the amount of NO metabolites in the group receiving the hydroalcoholic extract of elderberry kernel and fruit (6.7±7.8 to 15.7±9) compared to the placebo group (5.5±3 versus 16.6±9) indicated a lower increase. This increase was correspondingly not significant. In addition, there was no statistically significant difference in the amount of FRAP and TSH between the drug and placebo groups (p<0.05).

It appeared that the consumption of hydroalcoholic extract of elderberry fruit and kernel could be able to reduce the amount of oxidative stress in benign prostatic hyperplasia patients by reducing lipid peroxidation and also inhibiting NO production.

Poor medication adherence in people with hypertension can lead to the development of cardiovascular complications, quality of life and reduce health care costs will increase. This study was conducted to investigate the factors related to medication adherence using social cognitive theory in hypertensive patients in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces (Iran). This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1836 patients (male and female) with hypertension under the urban and rural health centers in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces who met the inclusion criteria. Data collection tools were an adherence to medication questionnaire based on a modified questionnaire on the measured using the H-hypertension self-care activity level effects and the Bandura social cognitive theoretical constructs questionnaire (including self-efficacy structures, social support, outcome expectation, Outcome Expectancy and self-regulation). Data was analyzed using SPSS-21 at 95% significant level. The rate of medication treatment among participants was 74.8% (75.5% women and 73.7% men). 31.2% of participants had control over their blood pressure. Adherence to medication was weak in patients. So that 35.7% of men and 36.1% of women have medication adherence. Linear regression analysis revealed that outcome expectation, family social support, self-regulation, and outcome Expectancy accounted for a total of 59% of the variance in medication adherence. Findings indicated that the status of medication adherence in the studied patients was poor, which indicates the lack of necessary training on the importance of adherence to drug use to patients. Considering the correlation between the constructs of social cognitive theory and medication adherence, the constructs of this theory can be used in adherence to medication training in hypertensive patients.

Increasing the level of health awareness of food preparation and distribution staff can have a direct impact on improving the level of public health in the community. Education can change people's knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Health education courses that provide integrated education as well as to other education systems, include educational inputs, processes, and outputs. The objective of this research is to evaluate these elements of the educational system of health education courses in Shiraz.

The current study evaluated the educational input, process, and output of 7 current health education institutions in Shiraz. Factors that influence the input of educational courses were evaluated using an inspection checklist of health education courses, the educational process was measured employing a satisfaction survey, and the educational output was assessed through a checklist of inspection of Article 13 of the Regulations. The health performance of 160 guild health certified units and 160 uncertified education units was analyzed as a criterion for effectiveness. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS21 software. Data related to the assessment of the input and educational process were analyzed using the Spearman correlation coefficient. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric statistical tests were also used for cross-group comparisons of output evaluation data.

The findings of the educational input evaluation showed a strong correlation and a significant relationship between the overall evaluation score of the educational courses and the "observation" (0.96) "educational course principal" (0.94). Also, in the process evaluation, the "educational environment" and "general educational programs" with correlation coefficients of 0.99 and 0.84 had the most correlation with the overall process evaluation score. In all the health fields studied, there was a significant difference (p = 0.001) between the average score obtained for educational courses with and without certificates. There was a significant difference (p <0.0001) between the mean score obtained by public health with and without health certification. The average score obtained by the certified public and non-public places was 91.81 and 70.71, respectively.

Health education can have a major impact on people's health performance. Some of the elements that make up the educational output have a greater impact on achieving the desired educational output. For example, the revision and updating of the educational content and the development of the educational program according to all groups of learners can improve the performance of the learning process and the satisfaction of learners.

Regarding to the important role of Staphylococcus aureus in burn wound infection, the aim of the present study were to investigation of the effect of Polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold with Myrtus communis extract on the healing of burn wound infections induced by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in rats.

In this experimental study, 42 male Wistar rats were divided into 7 equal groups. Second-degree burns developed on the backs of all animals after anesthesia by injection of a mixture of ketamine and xylazine, and then MRSA was inoculated uniformly on the wounds of all mice. Burn wounds were treated daily with Polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold, PCL- myrtus 1%, PCL- myrtus 0.5%, PCL-silver sulfadiazine and PCL-Myrtus-silver sulfadiazine ointments. We investigated the antimicrobial properties, wound healing percentage, wound area, malondialdehyde and nitric oxide concentrations of rats. Data analysis was performed using GRAPH PAD software and One-way Anova and Tukey tests

Histopathological observations showed that PCL- myrtus group had wound healing properties in comparison with control group (p<0.05). PCL- myrtus group had reduced bacterial growth compared to PCL group and positive control group. Also biochemical tests showed a decrease in malondialdehyde and nitric oxide in rats treated with the PCL-Myrtus ointment compared to the other groups.

According to the results PCL containing myrtus ointment have an important role on accelerate the healing process, reducing time for wound healing and prevention of infection caused by MRSA.

Although plastics are considered one of the country's environmental problems, little attention has been paid to reducing their use. This study aimed to design, implement and evaluate an intervention based on social marketing model to reduce the use of these products in shopping centers.

The present study consisted of descriptive-analytical and interventional phases. In the descriptive-analytical phase, the knowledge, attitude and practice of 335 people who referred to shopping centers were studied. Based on the analysis of data related to this section, the structure and content of the intervention was designed and implemented in shopping centers for one month. To evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention, the average use of plastic bags in shopping centers was compared before and after the intervention.

Ease of use by 13.3% was the most important reason for customers to use plastic bags. Education, culture building (38.4 %), and make suitable alternatives available (35.7 %) were presented as the best solution to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags. There was no statistically significant difference in behavior scores between men and women at different levels of education and employment. The average monthly use of plastic bags was equal to 226,500, which decreased by 13.3% to 196350 after the intervention (P-value<0.001).

Based on the study findings, it can be concluded the ease of use of plastic bags is the most important reason for its use and social marketing is an effective approach to reducing the use of plastic shopping bags.

Smoking, especially Hookah, is one of the major behavioral problems in the field of health which has become more widespread among young people and adolescents in recent years. Despite the implementation of various programs to reduce this behavior in Iran, it seems that little attention has been paid to the use of behavioral patterns to design effective interventions in this area. The aim of this study was to determine the effective components of adolescents and young people's tendency to use hookah: an application of the theory of planned behavior in Yasuj.

This study was a cross-sectional study that was implemented in the first months of 2019 to assess the factors affecting the intention to quit Hookah in young people living in Yasuj. 157 people aged 15 to 30 years old hung out at coffee houses and amusement gardens in the tourist area of Yasuj waterfall were selected by available sampling method and a questionnaire measuring the structures of the theory of planned behavior was completed for them. In the present study, descriptive statistics in the form of frequency percentage, mean and standard deviation as well as analytical statistics in the form of multiple linear regression were used. SPSS software version 25 was used for data analysis.

Results

The highest frequency of study participants were men with a mean age of 20± 2 years, higher education, and living in urban areas. In more than 70% of the participants, the history of Hookah use was mentioned among family members (brother and father, respectively, with the highest frequency). More than 96% of the participants had friends who smoked Hookah and their average first age of hookah use was 16.88±2.77 years. More than 63% of the participants mentioned coffee and coffee shops as the usual places for Hookah use. Among the constructs of the theory of planned behavior, the predictive power of the perceived behavioral control construct for the intention to quit Hookah use was higher than other constructs. Based on this finding, an intervention was designed including the production and installation of posters and labels containing the message of reinforcing perceived behavioral control (p< 0.001).

  Due to the small role of patterns and theories of behavioral change in reducing Hookah use in Iran, it seems that interventions based on structures with more predictive power such as perceived behavioral control structures in the present study, can have different effects, comparing to routine schedules.

Analysis of functions enables organizations to identify their special capabilities and weak points accurately and thus they can enhance capabilities and reduce impacts of threats and obstacles through such analysis. The main goal of this work is investigation of status of Weisbord Model''s variables (6 variables) as functional dimensions of management in hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

This was a descriptive - analytical study. The study population consisted of 384 staffs from hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Standardized questionnaire for organization recognition was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics (frequency distribution، frequency percentage) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient and significance level) were used for statistical analysis and data analysis was run using SPSS software.

The results showed that there is a significant difference (p=0. 0001) in hospitals in terms of the internal situation. Internal situation of all hospitals in the study was evaluated as favorable condition by obtaining 94. 5 score out of 125. Among the hospitals، Hashemi-Nejad Hospital with highest score (113) showed the better condition and Rasoul Hospital had the lowest score (87) and lower condition as compared to other hospitals.

Necessity of systematic perspective in designing and development of fair compensation mechanism with presence of representatives of employees is an action which can considerably influence improvement of current situation in the hospitals and facilitates achieving predetermined goals of the organization