hamed taghiloo

AIDS, as one of the most dangerous infectious diseases in the world, is a major health problem and the most important challenge of the health system. Moreover, prevention is known as the most important way to deal with it. Prevention of AIDS requires gaining awareness about the disease, how it is transmitted, and ways to prevent it. The purpose of this review study is to investigate the level of students’ awareness about AIDS.

Methods and Materials:

 This review article has been performed using awareness, students, AIDS, human immunodeficiency virus keywords and their English equivalents through PubMed, Scopus, Web of science, SID and Magiran databases, and Google Scholar search engine from the years of 2010 to 2023. 124 articles were extracted. Finally, 18 studies were included considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

The findings indicate that the level of students’ awareness of AIDS and HIV was different in different areas and different fields of study. In addition, students had misconceptions about the methods of transmission of this disease.

According to the findings of the research and the different levels of students’ awareness about AIDS, there are needs of interventions such as providing different training to this group, so that the students’ awareness improves to an optimal level and this issue prevents the spread of this disease.

 The available literature shows the positive effect of self-management programs on the quality of life of patients with chronic diseases; however, this effect has not been investigated in patients undergoing heart valve replacement surgery.

 The present study aimed to determine the effect of a web-based self-management training program on the quality of life of patients undergoing heart valve replacement.

 This research was an experimental study with a control group, which was conducted on 80 patients undergoing heart valve replacement surgery at Shahid Rajaei Cardiovascular Educational, Research and Therapeutic Institute in Tehran, Iran. Participants were divided into experimental and control groups by the block randomization method. The control group received the routine care. The experimental group received the web-based self-management training program in 5-7 people groups. The educational content of the sessions included medication management, emotional management, role management, decision-making and problem-solving skills, use of resources, communication with caregivers, and an activity program. The questionnaires included the demographic information form and the 12-Item Short Form Quality of Life Questionnaire (SF-12). Data were analyzed using the independent sample t-test, paired t-test, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS 18 software.

 The mean score of quality of life after the intervention showed a significant difference between the control and experimental groups (P=0.014). Comparison of the mean score of the quality of life of patients undergoing heart valve replacement in the experimental group before and after the intervention showed a statistically significant difference (P<0.001).

 According to the results of this study, it seems that self-management programs can improve the quality of life of patients undergoing heart valve replacement.

One of the most common preventive methods of Surgical Site Infection (SSI) is preoperative skin preparation. Selecting the skin antiseptic before surgery is an important step that can reduce SSI risk.

The present study was performed with aim to compare the effect of 7.5% povidone-iodine (PVP-I) and 70% alcohol versus 0.2% chlorhexidine (CHG) and 70% alcohol on the microbial count of the surgical site in the abdominal surgery.

This double-blind randomized clinical trial study was conducted between March 2017 and July 2018 at the educational-therapeutic centers of Iran University of Medical Sciences. The patients aged ≥18 years who underwent elective abdominal surgery were randomly assigned into two groups to have their skin cleaned before surgery with CHG-alcohol or PVP-I-alcohol. Also, before skin prep, after the primary prep and after the secondary prep, microbial cultures were taken. Data analysis was performed using SPSS (version 16) and Chi-square, Fisher's exact, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Wilcoxon and U-Mann-Whitney tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

The microbial counts mean differences before and after skin preparation with PVP-I-alcohol were significant (P<0.05). Also, the microbial counts mean differences before and after skin preparation with CHG-alcohol were significant (P<0.05). Overall, both antiseptic groups significantly reduced microbial counts. Although the skin preparation with CHG-alcohol was better than the PVP-I-alcohol solution, the difference between the two groups was not significant (P>0.05).

Implications for Practice: 

This study did not demonstrate an overall superiority of 2% CHG over 7.5% PVP-I skin preparation solution or vice versa. Both groups can be used to prepare patients' skin before abdominal surgery due to the affordability conditions and availability.

Preparing the skin for surgery with antiseptics is a standard measure to reduce surgical site infection. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of skin preparation at the surgical site with povidone-iodine 7.5% and povidone-iodine 10% antiseptics with chlorhexidine and povidone-iodine 10% on the microbial count.

This clinical trial study was performed on 80 patients with elective abdominal surgery. Patients were divided into two groups by simple random methods and proportional allocation of skin preparation with povidone-iodine 7.5% and 10% antiseptics or chlorhexidine and povidone-iodine 10% antiseptics. On the day of surgery, the culture sample was taken before the primary skin preparation, then the primary preparation was done with povidone-iodine 7.5% or chlorhexidine in alcohol, then the second culture was taken, the secondary skin preparation was done in both groups with povidone-iodine10% and then the third culture was taken. Specimens of cultures were taken on a blood agar plate and McConkey plate for the examination of microbial count and type, were immediately transferred to the laboratory.

The mean differences in microbial counts before and after skin preparation with povidone-iodine 7.5% and povidone-iodine 10% antiseptics were significant (P=0.001). Also, mean differences in microbial counts before preparation with after skin preparation with chlorhexidine in alcohol antiseptics and povidone-iodine 10% were significant (P<0.001) and in general, both antiseptic groups significantly reduced microbial counts. In comparing the effect of the two groups on the mean microbial count, although the skin preparation with chlorhexidine in alcohol and povidone-iodine 10% antiseptics was better than povidone-iodine 7.5% and povidone-iodine 10% antiseptics, the difference between the two groups was not significant (P=0.324).

Both antiseptic groups were able to significantly reduce the mean microbial counts. Therefore, it is recommended that both antiseptic groups be used to prepare skin for surgery.