elaheh sahimi

Smoking within students community of the medical sciences can negatively impact the attitudes of the society in future. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence and trends of smoking among students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. This study was conducted in four consecutive years from 2006 to 2009. The study sample was taken from the first- to fourth-year، undergraduate and graduate (doctorate) students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Census was applied for sampling. Structured questionnaires were distributed to students of each class. The study was anonymous and self-administered. From 2006 to 2009، a total of 1568 to 1761 students participated in the study each year. Over the study period، i. e. 2006-2009، the prevalence of cigarette smoking was decreased (the overall prevalence was 12. 5% in 2006، 12. 9% in 2007، 10. 8% in 2008، and 10. 5% in 2009). The corresponding values for the one month prevalence were 8. 2%، 7. 8%، 6. 1%، and 5. 8%، while those for the prevalence of daily smoking were 3. 4%، 4. 0%، 2. 9%، and 1. 8%، respectively. The decreasing trend was particularly more significant for female students. The findings suggest that the prevalence of smoking among students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences was in the lower end of the spectrum، in comparison to other universities in Iran and other countries. Additionally، similar to the pattern observed in the developed world، this trend was decreasing، particularly among girls. Implementing preventive measures for accelerating the decreasing trend، as well as continuous monitoring is recommended.

The prevalence of smoking in the adolescence is a valuable indicator for prediction of national burden of smoking in the future. The aim of this systematic review is to determine the prevalence of lifetime smoking among high school students in Iran. Various search methods have been used including searching Pubmed, ISI, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase, IranMedex, IranPsych and database on drug abuse, as well as hand-searching. All original researches, which had described lifetime use of cigarette, hookah, and pipe among high school students were included in the study with no restriction on date of publication, and were qualitatively assessed. Subsequent to data extraction, heterogeneity test was carried out on indicators for which more than two studies were found and meta-analyses were performed. In total, 18 studies were included in this review. The combined prevalence of lifetime cigarette smoking for boys, girls and total high school students were calculated as 30.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 25-36.8), 14% (95% CI: 7-20.9) and 21% (95% CI: 15.1-26.9), respectively. The combined prevalence of lifetime cigarette smoking for boys was significantly different (P<0.001) in the year 2001 and before (38.6%), with the years after 2002 (21.5%). In Iran, the prevalence of smoking in this age range is lower than many other countries and in recent years, a decreasing trend was found in boys. These findings can be attributed to the national control and prevention strategies. However, some studies have several qualitative limitations, which points to the necessity of high quality repeated surveys in the future.

The mean age of cigarette smoking has decreased along with an increase in its prevalence, in developing countries. The aim of this systematic review is to determine the prevalence of lifetime, current and daily smoking among middle school students in Iran. Various search methods have been used in this study including searching different international databanks such as Pubmed, ISI web of Science, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Embase, as well as domestic databanks including IranPsych and IranMedex. All original studies and researches in Persian or English, which had described any kind of use including lifetime, current and daily use of cigarette, hookah, and pipe among middle school students, were included in the study with no restriction on date of publication, and were qualitatively assessed. Subsequent to data extraction, heterogeneity test was carried out on indicators for which more than two studies were found, and meta-analysis was done using random effects model. The combined prevalence of lifetime, current and daily cigarette smoking were calculated as 14.2% (95% CI: 6.6-21.7), 2.7% (95% CI: 0.5- 5.9) and 1.1% (95% CI: 0.6-2.8), respectively. The combined prevalence of "current tobacco use of all kinds" was 15% (95% CI: 10.4-19.5), as well. The prevalence of smoking in this age range is lower in Iran compared to other countries. However, a conclusion cannot be made about the changes in the prevalence of smoking in recent years. Moreover, studies carried out to the present have several qualitative limitations, which points to the necessity of high quality repeated surveys

Mental disorders are present in a large percentage of the older adults and psychotherapeutic medications are most commonly used to manage behavioral problems. Elderly leads to multiple chronic diseases, disability, declining function and frailty that affecting it. Chronologic age is only one determinant of the changes pertinent to drug therapy that occur in older people. Drug usage patterns also change as a result of the increasing incidence of disease with age and tendency to prescribe heavily for patients in hospitals and old folks’ homes. General changes in the lives of older people have significant effect on the way of the medications is used too. This article discusses about drug metabolism (with specific consideration on the psychotropic drugs), psychotropic drugs consumption and prescription in elderly with psychiatric disorders wl.ich use to various articles.