hamid sharifnia

Gastrointestinal tube feeding is one of the most important and beneficial methods of nutrition in patients admitted to the intensive care unit. There is still no consensus on the best nutritional method that will lead to fewer complications. This study aimed to investigate the disadvantages of different methods of tube feeding in patients admitted to the adult intensive care unit.

The present study is a review study conducted in 2022. Articles published in the English language databases including Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and PubMed, between 2000 and 2022 were used.

In the initial search phase, 2893 articles were obtained. In the next step, after the review of titles and abstracts, 760 articles remained. Finally, based on inclusion criteria and full text review, 14 related articles were selected. Disadvantages of tube feeding methods were classified into four categories: "respiratory complications", "gastrointestinal complications", "metabolic complications" and "bed occupancy".

Based on the results of this study, in terms of complications, intermittent and continuous methods are safer and more preferable than the bolus method. However, low-speed bolus feeding has fewer side effects.

Effective management of endotracheal tube cuff pressure is crucial in preventing complications such as pneumonia and airway trauma. Despite recommendations for using a manometer to, cuff pressure monitoring, adherence remains suboptimal. Since intention is the most significant predictor of actual behavior, understanding the factors influencing it through a valid tool can help identify barriers and facilitators more accurately. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and psychometrically evaluate of a Scale for Assessing Factors Influencing Nurses' Intention to Use a Manometer for Endotracheal Tube Cuff Pressure Monitoring.

This methodological study was conducted in 2024 on 186 nurses working in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) of public hospitals in Amol, Iran. The tool was developed based on the Theory of Planned Behavior using the framework and examples provided by Ajzen, and the psychometric process followed Eccles' guidelines. First, the target behavior was defined. Then, an initial set of items was generated through a literature review and clinical experience of the researchers. The content and face validity of the tool were evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The construct validity of the tool was assessed through exploratory factor analysis, and its internal consistency was examined using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega coefficients. The test-retest method was used to assess stability.

During the item generation phase, 41 items were developed based on a review of relevant literature. After qualitative and quantitative assessments of face and content validity, the number of items was reduced to 25. Exploratory factor analysis indicated an acceptable fit for the data, with a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) sampling adequacy index of 0.853 and a significant Bartlett's test. Four factors with eigenvalues greater than one were identified, accounting for 22.50%, 10.95%, 9.30%, and 10.60% of the total variance, respectively (53.35% cumulatively). In the final stage, six items with factor loadings less than 0.3 were removed, resulting in 19 items categorized under four factors: "Positive Behavioral and Control Beliefs," "Normative Beliefs," "Perceived Control Beliefs Strength," and "Motivation to Comply. Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega coefficients ranged from 0.827 to 0.900, with ICC = 0.95.

The tool demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability for assessing factors influencing the intention of ICU nurses to use manometers. Therefore, its application in future research could help identify additional barriers and facilitators in nurses' behavior, leading to the development of more effective training programs. It is also recommended that this tool be tested among different groups of nurses and in various hospital settings to further refine and improve it.

Most of the brain-injured patients hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) are not able to report their pain. In order to assess their pain, the CPOT-Neuro has been developed. Actually they may indicate different pain behaviors according to clinical conditions. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of comparing pain behaviors in brain-injured patients based on their clinical characteristics.

This cross-sectional study was carried out on 132 brain-injured patients in Amol city, Iran who were enrolled in the study from December 2023 to March 2024. Data were collected using a demographic checklist and a Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool Neuro (CPOT-Neuro). Patients' behaviors were evaluated before, during and after change position (nociceptive procedure).

According to the frequency of pain behaviors observed during nociceptive procedure, a total of 105 patients indicated changes in facial expression, 13 patients in autonomic response, 88 patients in body movements, 46 patients in vocalization/ventilator tolerance and 31 patients indicated changes in muscle rigidity. By comparing the frequency of these behaviors during nociceptive procedure based on clinical characteristics, the chance of observing body movements during nociceptive procedure in non-traumatic patients was 60% lower than in traumatic patients (P<0.05). The probability of observing the autonomic response, vocalization/ ventilator tolerance and muscle rigidity during the nociceptive procedure decreased with the improvement of the level of consciousness (P<0.05). In addition, the chance of observing the autonomic response, body movements, vocalization/ ventilator tolerance and muscle rigidity during nociceptive procedure increased with the change in patients' sedation (P<0.05). The possibility of observing a change in muscle rigidity during nociceptive procedure in patients under mechanical ventilation was 74% lower than in patients without mechanical ventilation (P<0.05).

This study showed that pain behaviors in brain-injured patients were different based on the type of brain-injury, the level of consciousness, the level of sedation and the way of breathing. These findings highlight consideration of clinical characteristics when evaluating and managing pain in these patients.

Intellectual disability is associated with many comorbidities, such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy (CP), and anxiety disorders, and can affect the health status of the individual. The physical fitness (PF) of people with intellectual disability is lower than typical developing peers, making them particularly vulnerable to health problems in adulthood. People with intellectual disabilities show lower aerobic capacity in childhood (8–10 years), adolescence (11–14 years), and youth (15–18 years) than healthy counterparts, and this difference gradually increases with age increases. With this in mind, PF assessment is a simple, safe, and low–cost tool that allows several health indicators to be evaluated. Based on the PF level of children, educational and public health strategies and policies can be developed. Accurate evaluation of cardiorespiratory fitness seems necessary to prepare and present training interventions to prevent subsequent diseases. Therefore, this study aims to examine and summarize a set of tests and specific field tests related to cardiorespiratory fitness in people with intellectual disabilities.

The present study was a systematic review. The relevant data were selected, collected, and analyzed from studies on physical fitness and the health of people with mental disabilities. Databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Google Scholar, and Scopus, as well as Persian databases, Jahad Daneshgahi Scientific Information Center database, MedLib (Comprehensive Database of Medical Articles), IranMedex, Iran Research Institute of Information Science and Technology (IRANDOC) and the country's publications database (MAGIRAN), were searched until 2021. The articles searched should include a set of PF tests. The search was performed in each database based on predefined keywords. The data extraction process and literature results were evaluated according to PRISMA (preferential reporting items for systematic and meta–analysis) guidelines. After collecting studies from databases, duplicate items were removed. Two authors screened the remaining articles, considering their 'Titles' and 'Abstracts' to identify studies that met the inclusion criteria. During the study selection process, one researcher blindly analyzed the 'Titles' and 'Abstracts.' As the 'Titles' and 'Abstracts' did not contain enough information to make an informed decision, a researcher reviewed the full text. Related articles were retrieved for the whole study. Then, two authors reviewed the full text of the potential studies, and consensus made decisions to include or exclude the studies. Disputes were resolved by consensus; if necessary, the third arbitrator, as a judge, assisted in the review and selection.

A total of 1086 articles were identified, and with the removal of duplicates, the number reached 448 articles. The analysis of the articles 'Titles' and 'Abstracts' showed that 332 articles did not meet the required criteria, and led to their deletion. The full text of the remaining 116 articles was studied, and 98 articles were deleted. Finally, 18 articles met the inclusion criteria for the final study. Of these 18 articles, ten studies were related to a set of health–related fitness tests in people with intellectual disability that examined cardiorespiratory fitness with functional tests, and 8 studies were articles that examined cardiorespiratory fitness in people with intellectual disability with functional tests. In addition, the tests of these articles did not exist in the set of physical fitness tests of people with intellectual disability and were not repetitive. About 53 sets of physical fitness tests were found, of which 10 were related to people with disabilities (intellectual disability) according to the study criteria. According to the PF factors evaluated in this set of tests and the large volume of material, the important factor of PF in people with intellectual disability and the cardiorespiratory fitness factor were studied to examine the content more accurately. Through this set of tests and articles, 18 functional tests of cardiorespiratory fitness related to people with intellectual disabilities were identified.

Given the relationship between physical fitness and health and the opportunity provided by the school environment to assess physical fitness in people with intellectual disabilities, we need to standardize and reach a consensus on specific physical fitness assessments for people with intellectual disabilities in this environment

Given the importance of quality of life, especially in women with breast cancer, it is essential to have a valid scale to measure their quality of life.

Therefore, we conducted a study to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the quality of life questionnaire for women with breast cancer within the cultural context of Iranian society.

This methodological study was conducted on 404 women with breast cancer, aged 20 to 60 years, from September 2021 to April 2022 in three cities in Iran. After translating the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30 (version 3) into Farsi and obtaining experts' opinions, the content, construct, convergent, and discriminant validity, as well as the reliability of the scale, were assessed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The construct validity of the scale was investigated through exploratory factor analysis.

Through exploratory factor analysis of this scale, a version with 24 questions was confirmed, identifying five dimensions: Psychological symptoms, daily activities, physical problems, physical activity, and social support. Four items were removed due to factor loadings less than 0.3 and the presence of commonalities. In this study, Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's omega, CR, MaxR, and convergent validity coefficients for each factor were greater than 0.7.

This study demonstrated that the Persian version of the quality of life questionnaire is a valid and reliable scale within the cultural context of Iranian society, with potential applications in clinical environments.

Despite the impact of hemodialysis on patients’ lives, religious strategies are effective in reducing dependence and maintaining self-esteem. Additionally, a positive body image can enhance the quality of life (QoL). This study investigates the association between religious coping and body image in hemodialysis patients to predict their QoL.

This descriptive-correlational study was conducted from March to June 2023 on 280 hemodialysis patients. The participants were selected through purposive sampling. The data collection instruments included a demographic form, Littleton’s body image concern inventory (BICI) and the religious coping questionnaire (RCOPE). The associations between variables were analyzed using linear regression in SPSS software version 26.

The participants had an Mean±SD age of 56.92±13.42 years. The results indicate that increasing age (B=0.128) and female gender (B=3.356) are associated with reduced body image concerns. In contrast, marital status (B=-4.246) and religious coping (B=-0.578) effectively decrease body image concerns.

Religious coping serves as a predictor of positive body image among hemodialysis patients, highlighting the significance of religious beliefs and values in how patients perceive their bodies. Enhanced levels of religious coping assist patients in adapting to physical challenges and fostering a more positive body image. This discovery can be valuable in crafting psychological interventions to enhance body image and boost the mental well-being of patients. Acknowledging spiritual dimensions proves effective in managing chronic illnesses.

 The quality of life of patients with chronic kidney failure undergoing hemodialysis is influenced by physical, psychological, and social factors. Accurate assessment of these dimensions using standardized tools is of great importance. This study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the 12-item Quality of Life Questionnaire in patients undergoing hemodialysis in the Iranian population.

In this cross-sectional study conducted in 2023, 411 hemodialysis patients in Mazandaran were selected through convenience sampling. After translating the Short Form-12 Quality of Life Questionnaire, its psychometric properties were assessed through exploratory factor analysis, network analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis, along with construct validity (convergent and divergent validity). Internal consistency was calculated using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega coefficients.

The results of the exploratory factor analysis indicated that two factors—physical health status and mental health status—accounted for 44.55% of the variance in the quality of life among hemodialysis patients. Furthermore, confirmatory factor analysis showed that the hypothesized model had a good fit (CFI= 0.930, IFI= 0.931, RFI= 0.936, TLI= 0.954). The extracted mental health factor in men demonstrated convergent validity (AVE above 0.5), and both factors exhibited appropriate divergent validity. Ultimately, the internal consistency of the Quality of Life Questionnaire was found to be within an acceptable range (greater than 0.7).

The psychometric analysis of the Quality of Life Questionnaire indicates that patients with chronic kidney failure undergoing hemodialysis perceive their quality of life through two primary dimensions: physical and mental health status. This study confirmed the psychometric properties (validity and reliability) and the appropriate factor structure of the Persian version of the Quality of Life Questionnaire for patients undergoing hemodialysis. Healthcare providers can use this tool in various studies to assess and improve the quality of life of hemodialysis patients The use of this questionnaire allows researchers and healthcare professionals to more accurately and comprehensively evaluate the different aspects of quality of life in hemodialysis patients. Employing this tool can enhance treatment processes and improve patient satisfaction, serving as a valuable instrument for future research. This study emphasizes the importance of using valid and reliable tools to assess quality of life and recommends that nurses and other healthcare professionals integrate the Persian version of the 12-item Quality of Life Questionnaire into their treatment and research programs to help improve the quality of life of hemodialysis patients and achieve better treatment outcomes.Future studies are recommended to investigate the impact of factors such as nutrition, social support, and rehabilitation programs on the quality of life of hemodialysis patients. Additionally, utilizing this questionnaire in different populations and therapeutic contexts can contribute to the generalizability of the findings and offer a more effective tool for quality of life assessments. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that the 12-item Quality of Life Questionnaire is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the quality of life in hemodialysis patients, making it valuable for both research and clinical programs. Using this tool can help improve patients' quality of life and treatment outcomes while providing essential data for clinical decision-making.

Thirst distress is a common complication in the final stage of kidney disease. The aim of this study was to analyze the network and psychometric properties of the thirst distress scale in the Iranian hemodialysis patients.

In this cross-sectional study in 2023, 411 hemodialysis patients in Mazandaran were selected using the convenience sampling method. After translating the scale, its psychometric properties were evaluated through exploratory factor analysis, network analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis, and the structural validity (convergent and divergent validity) was assessed. Internal consistency was calculated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, McDonald's omega, and composite reliability.

The results of exploratory factor analysis showed two factors of distress due to thirst and dry mouth were extracted, explaining 80.46% of the variance in thirst distress among hemodialysis patients. Additionally, confirmatory factor analysis showed that the assumed model had a good fit (CFI = 0.971, IFI = 0.971, RFI = 0.923, NFI = 0.969). The extracted factors demonstrated good convergent validity (AVE above 0.50 for both factors) and high reliability (composite reliability above 0.70), and were appropriately divergent (HTMT ratio of 0.512). Finally, the internal stability of the thirst distress scale was deemed acceptable (Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability above 0.70).

The psychometric results of the thirst distress scale indicated that chronic kidney disease patients undergoing hemodialysis experience and perceive distress with two concepts of thirst and dry mouth. This study confirmed the psychometric properties (appropriate validity and reliability) and suitable factor structure for the Persian version of the thirst distress scale in hemodialysis patients. It can be stated that healthcare providers can utilize it in future studies.

The pretest-posttest control group design is one of the most widely used quantitative experimental design models for evaluating the efficacy of programs, treatments, and interventions. Despite the prevalence and utility of this research design, best practices for data analytical procedures are not clearly defined. Invalid results decrease the chance of generalization. Given that Iranian Journals are interested in publishing pretest-posttest control group design studies, it is important to denote the accuracy of them. The aim of the current study is to explore the correct procedure for using ANCOVA in pretest-posttest control group designs to mitigate the potential limitations of this approach. This study explores the use of ANCOVA in pretest-posttest control group design. It has been done by analyzing data from experimental studies published in five Iranian journals indexed in PubMed or Scopus between 2011 and 2018. The results indicate that among the 280 published experimental studies in these journals, 53 papers (18.9 percent) used ANCOVA as the statistical test in pretest-posttest studies. The power of the test represents the probability of detecting differences between the groups being compared when such differences exist. Our analysis concludes that ANCOVA, which runs a multiple linear regression, is a suitable method for comparing and examining pretest-posttest study designs. Implications of this study have potential utility for researchers employing the use of pretest-posttest control group designs in various fields in and outside of Iran.

Diabetic foot ulcers are among leading causes of disability in diabetic patients, often resulting in amputation and disability. Proper foot care can prevent diabetic foot ulcers. One assessment tool is the Nottingham Assessment of Functional Footcare (NAFF). This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Nottingham Assessment of Functional Footcare.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in the winter of 2023 on 517 patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes who were referred to the diabetes clinics in Bam, Hamadan, and Asadabad cities, Iran. Patients were selected using convenience sampling. The instruments were examined to assess their psychometric properties, including face validity, content validity, construct validity, internal consistency, and stability.

The mean age and duration of diabetes in patients were 50.01±18.14 years and 10.70±9 years, respectively. Most samples were female (54%) and married (80.9%). More than one-third of the patients (36.4%) were taking hypoglycemic tablets. The exploratory factor analysis identified five factors: general foot self-care, foot examination, shoe examination, wound management, and use of appropriate shoes. Together, these factors accounted for 52.381% of the total variance. The internal consistency of all extracted factors was above 0.70, as measured by McDonald's Omega coefficient. The stability reliability of the questionnaire was 0.790 for the whole instrument with a two-week interval.

The Persian version of the Nottingham Assessment of Functional Foot-care tool is a valid and reliable tool for measuring the foot care of diabetic patients. It allows domestic researchers to use this tool along with other available tools to check and measure the concept of diabetic foot self-care based on their facilities and preferences.

Accurate assessment of cardiorespiratory function, muscular strength and endurance seems necessary for awareness and for providing exercise interventions and prevention of subsequent diseases. Therefore, the aim of the current research was to develop a comprehensive tool for assessing cardiorespiratory, muscular strength and endurance function in people with intellectual disabilities.

The current research is fundamental and has practical implications in terms of its purpose. In this study, the psychometrics of 51 specific tests of intellectual disability people were used to develop a tool for measuring cardiorespiratory function, muscular strength and endurance. The face validity of the instrument was examined through a 51-test questionnaire by 15 experts and 15 intellectually disabled educators, the content validity by a 51-test questionnaire by 15 experts, and the construct validity through a 19-test questionnaire by 243 intellectually disabled educators. The reliability of the tool was checked through internal, intra-rater and inter-rater consistency. Internal consistency was estimated with Cronbach's alpha. The intra-rater and inter-rater reliability were also checked through the implementation of the tests by 18 people with intellectual disability in three times and with three raters through the internal correlation index (ICC), confidence interval (CI) and standard error of measurement (SEM). Data analysis was done through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis with AMOS26 and SPSS22 software.

Based on the results of estimating the content validity ratio (CVR), 19 out of 51 tests had a content validity ratio higher than 0.49 and the rest of the tests were excluded. In terms of construct validity, 10 out of 19 tests were removed and the final 9 tests were approved for evaluating cardiorespiratory function, muscular strength and endurance. Exploratory factor analysis extracted three latent factors that explained 46.21% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the final construct model. From the results of factor analysis, KMO=0.829, BT=4706.93 and p<0.0001.

The current study provided a special set of tests for people with intellectual disability in the fields of cardiorespiratory assessment (one test), strength (four tests) and muscular endurance (four tests). after psychometry, 51 specific tests were presented in this field. By using this set of tests, it is possible to make an accurate assessment of the physical fitness related to the health of people with intellectual disability.

In universities, the issue of attracting and retaining faculty members is of great importance. If this is not possible for any reason, it can lead to the academic stagnation of academic staff members the loss of motivation in their career path, and interruption in the implementation of their seven duties. Considering the importance of the advancement of academic staff members as educational and research elites of the country and their significant role in training skilled human resources, especially the role of academic staff members of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in training graduates of medical sciences that are related to the general health of the society, are related, this study was carried out to identify, diagnosing the factors and ways to prevent their scientific stagnation.

This study was conducted with a qualitative method from January to December 2023. In this research, according to the nature of qualitative research, to explain the perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of the participants, the purposeful sampling method with maximum diversity was used, as well as the snowball sampling method because the goal was to select participants, Which was a rich source of information and helped the researcher to better understand the concept of scientific stagnation. The participants were faculty members who had been faculty members for at least 10 years. In addition to conducting in-depth and semi-structured interviews, upstream documents and the results of similar studies were also examined.

In total, 3 themes, 18 categories, and 118 codes were extracted as follows: The main themes of this study are the causes of scientific stagnation, the challenges of the advancement path, and the strategies to prevent scientific stagnation. The theme of scientific stagnation includes 47 codes and 6 categories (individual, organizational, psychological, skill, job, and research factors). The content of the challenges of the promotion path, including 33 codes and 6 categories (the challenges of the path of the promotion regulations, challenges in cultural, educational, research, executive activities, and challenges of examining cases for promotion of scientific rank). The content of the solutions to prevent scientific stagnation includes 38 codes and 6 categories (the solution to prevent scientific stagnation in connection with the regulation of promotion, cultural, educational, research, executive activities, and the review of files for the promotion of scientific rank.)

Based on the results of the present study, the researchers identified the causes of scientific stagnation; also, they believe that revising the promotion regulations is the most important way to prevent scientific stagnation. They stated that in the revision of the bylaws, in addition to the quantitative indicators, in each of the scoring factors, their quality can also be addressed. In terms of education, the quality and innovation of education should be considered. In the research section, pay attention to the applicability of the research. They believed that scientific stagnation is preventable and can be countered through broader scientific productivity measures and reward systems that encourage innovative and exploratory projects. In the executive department, the quality of work and useful changes and developments during the executive activity should be the criteria. In cultural activities, pay attention to social and quality activities; also, they brought up the faster process of promotion cases and the existence of elite human resources to handle possible problems. They stated that with the approach of delegating authority to the country's medical sciences universities and revising the promotion and promotion bylaws, it is possible to deal with the factors causing scientific stagnation and take a step towards a responsive university.

Heart diseases, including coronary artery disease, are among the three main causes of death alongside cancer and stroke in most countries. The current study aimed to predict functional disability in functional somatic syndromes in patients with coronary artery disease based on personality traits and illness perception, considering the mediating role of self-care behavior.

Methods and Materials: 

This study, with applied objectives and a correlational research design, was conducted using the structural equation modeling approach. The statistical population included all patients with coronary artery disease in the city of Amol in the year 2022, from which 250 individuals were purposefully selected. Data collection tools included the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (2014), the McCrae and Costa Personality Traits Questionnaire (1985), the Illness Perception Questionnaire (2006), and the Self-Care Questionnaire (2003). The statistical technique used was structural equation modeling with full latent variables. SPSS version 26, AMOS version 24, and R version 4.2.0 software were used for statistical data analysis.

The results showed that all five personality dimensions, illness perception, and self-care significantly explain the variance in functional disability (P<0.01). Additionally, the mediating role of self-care behavior was significant in the relationship between functional disability and four personality dimensions: extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and illness perception (P<0.01).

It can be concluded that functional disability in functional somatic syndromes in patients with coronary artery disease can be predicted based on their personality traits and illness perception, taking into account the mediating role of self-care behavior.

The need for accurate measurement of constructs and understanding of diverse phenomena has prompted researchers to investigate the validity and reliability of developed measures in a continuous effort to improve our understanding of their psychometric properties. However, at times, these endeavors are flawed by serious methodological inadequacies. In this article, we discussed one example of a psychometric study that appears to be deeply flawed, providing some recommendations for remediating the issue. 

 As a prevalent phenomenon in the world, it’s required to view substance abuse as one of the most prominent social problems. Substance abuse, especially by the youth, imposes huge costs on society. The relevant misconceptions include immature mindsets held by individuals who conflict with the currently accepted concepts and empirical findings. Unfortunately, the common misconceptions about this phenomenon are so abundant that the majority of individuals, even the educated ones, are unfamiliar with its meaning and concept as a phenomenon. Thus, a valid and reliable tool is required to examine the common types of such misconceptions.

 This study pursued the goal of designing an inventory of the common types of misconceptions among university students about substance abuse.

 Using a two-stage approach, the present research study was conducted in 2019 in Iran. The first stage involved conducting individual interviews with 10 students who were substance abusers, as well as reviewing the relevant literature to generate the study items. The second stage consisted of a quantitative evaluation of the instrument, which included assessing the face validity (both qualitatively and quantitatively), content validity (both qualitatively and quantitatively, as calculated by content validity index (CVI), and content validity ratio (CVR)). The construct validity was examined by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with two 375 samples for each of them and its reliability.

 From the first phase and literature review, 71 items were codified. Five items were removed from surveying the qualitative and quantitative face validity; besides, due to a CVR of less than 0.49, 24 items were excluded, and also because of the CVI, less than 0.78, 12 items were deleted. Overall, a 30-item scale remained. Via the exploratory factor analysis, three factors, including 16 items and 40.86% of the total variance, were extracted. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient were greater than 0.7 for all factors and 0.8, respectively.

 The designed inventory revealed desirable psychometric properties and the necessary validity to investigate and evaluate the common types of misconceptions regarding substance abuse among the students of medical sciences.

 Nursing care is one of the main tasks of nursing. Currently, organizations are trying to improve the quality of nursing care to satisfy their patients and reduce the cost and length of hospital stays. Psychological ownership (PO) is intended to be a shortcut to achieving this goal through cognitive-emotional changes in nurses.

 This study was conducted to investigate PO in nursing care.

 The present study was performed with a qualitative content analysis method. The purposive sample was selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data were collected from Iranian nurses from May 2013 to November 2021 in semi-structured, in-depth, one-on-one interviews and subsequently analyzed using the method of Graneheim and Lundman. A code of ethics and required permissions were obtained. Lincoln and Guba’s criteria were used to ensure the reliability of the study, and MAXQDA software (version 10) was used for data management.

 Data analysis was performed using the conventional qualitative analysis on 13 nurses (mean age: 39 years; 69% female), resulting in the extraction of 395 primary codes, 71 subcategories, 16 subcategories, and 4 main categories (e.g., professional competence, practical efficacy, holistic advocacy, and professional identity).

 The nurses understood that a sense of ownership of nursing meant seeking to acquire sufficient professional competence and an appropriate position in practice to see themselves as supportive and influential in the healthcare system and have a sense of professional identity.

 With the spread of infectious diseases, especially coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), healthcare workers are vulnerable to mental health problems. Culture-based interventions in such critical situations are highly effective for the individuals in that cultural context.

 The current study aimed to investigate the effect of Logotherapy Based on Rumi’s Thoughts (LBRT) on depression, anxiety, and distress in frontline nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 The present study employed a quasi-experimental controlled pre-test-post-test design with a 2-month follow-up. This interventional study was conducted on frontline nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic 2020. Imam Khomeini and Fatemeh Zahra hospitals were selected as the research samples, as they were the main educational and medical centers of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Iran, and provincial referral centers. A total of 32 eligible individuals were selected for experimental (n = 16) and control (n = 16) groups through the convenience sampling method. The data were collected using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Logotherapy Based on Rumi’s Thoughts included eight sessions of 90 minutes. The control group did not receive any intervention during the study. The data were analyzed using repeated-measures one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

 The results revealed a statistically significant difference between the two groups. The intervention group exhibited lower levels of depression and anxiety among the frontline nurses at the post-test and 2-month follow-up than the control group (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of distress at the post-test and 2-month follow-up (P > 0.05).

 The findings showed that LBRT improved anxiety and depression among frontline nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this intervention did not significantly affect frontline nurses’ distress during the COVID-19 crisis. Further studies should examine the effectiveness of culture-based interventions in critical situations.

Organ donation is one of the main medical advances in treating patients with organ failure. However, the supply of transplant members ismuchbelow such patients’ demands, thereby arousing a serious challenge to governments. Organ donation is a sacrificial and altruistic behavior, and altruism is recognized as an effective factor in making decisions for organ donation.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between altruism and attitudes toward organ donation in society.

The present research was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in Iran during 2020 - 2021. The research sample encompassed328 individuals selected using the simple random sampling method. Data collection tools included a demographic information form, the standard Self-Report Altruism Scale, and the Attitude Toward Organ Donation Questionnaire. Linear regression controlling the intervening variables was used to investigate the relationship between altruism and attitudes toward organ donation.

The univariate analysis results showed that gender, occupation, age, and marital status were not significantly correlated with attitudes toward organ donation. In the multivariate model controlling the intervening variables, altruism increased attitudes toward organ donation (beta-standardized = 0.17; P < 0.001).

The findings highlighted the significance of altruism in attitudes toward organ donation. Accordingly, intervention programs promoting altruism can be helpful in different groups.

Context: 

Temperament (Mizaj) as an individual factor plays an important role in physical, mental, and sexual features.

 This study aims to investigate the effect of an educational program based on the temperament in Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) on sexual dysfunction in diabetic women.

Settings and Design: 

This was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) study conducted on 30 women with diabetes referring diabetes care centers affiliated to Imam Khomeini Hospital in the city of Sari, Iran, 2021.

 The participants were assigned into intervention and control groups by simple randomization. The intervention group received a healthy lifestyle educational program based on the type of temperament in four group education sessions. The tools of Sociodemographic Medical Characteristics, Mizaj Identification Questionnaire and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) were used in the study.

Statistical Analysis Used:

 Data analysis was performed employing descriptive statistics and statistical tests including Chi square, Kolmogorov–Smirnov, repeated measures analysis of variance, independent t-test, and paired t-test.

 Significant differences were observed in the total score of sexual function and all the FSFI domains except lubrication between the two groups (P=0.085).

 An educational program based on mizaj in ITM can be an appropriate approach to improve the sexual function in diabetic women.

Couples’ childless and one-child intention is one of the crucial challenges in all societies. Considering the aging of the world's population and the need to review birth control policies, it is necessary to take evidence-based measures. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the influencing factors on the tendency of couples to be childless and have only one child.

The present study is the first part of a mixed (qualitative-quantitative) study. The study is qualitative with a conventional content analysis approach. The research population consists of all couples aged 15-49 in 2021 in Babol city, who were single or childless and had no intention of pregnancy in the future. Sampling is based on the purpose, and the number of samples is 40 couples. To collect data, face-to-face and semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants. Sampling continued until data saturation. The data were analyzed by the conventional content analysis method.

The results of the analysis include 140 codes, 30 sub-categories, 9 categories (family economic problems, uncertainty in the future security of the child, threatened priorities, uncertainty about the continuation of life, Fear of becoming a parent, lack or weakness of support, diminishing religious beliefs, social role modeling and negative experiences of childbearing) and two themes (individual limitations and social limitations). These factors indicate the mandatory conditions for childlessness or one-child choice or voluntary child-free.

The results revealed that voluntary childlessness and single-child depend on various individual and social aspects. Some of these factors have made couples choose a childless or one-child lifestyle against their will and under forced circumstances. Financial support and welfare of the government, parenting education and efforts to change the attitude of couples towards having children by the government can help to maintain and improve the health of the family and achieve the goals of encouraging population growth policies.

Self-management in kidney transplant patients leads to increased tissue survival time, reduced graft rejection, early identification of drug side effects, and increased quality of life. Kidney transplant patients have poor self-management behaviors. Knowing how kidney transplant patients should encounter and manage them will improve transplant outcomes. This study was conducted to explain the self-management behaviors of kidney transplant recipients.

This qualitative study was done with eighteen participants. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through in-depth and semi-structured interviews and analyzed through qualitative conventional content analysis.

The findings included a theme of trying to achieve balance and stability in life and six main categories of lifestyle modification, physical self-care, self-efficacy, resilience, adaptation to new roles and treatment management.

The results showed the participants tried to achieve balance and stability after a kidney transplant. A kidney transplant can be considered an event that initiates a period of instability after a long period of illness and health deterioration. Therefore, self-management programs should focus on supporting patients in restoring stability in their lives after kidney transplantation.

The knowledge and skills of midwives as the most effective team providing health and preventive care can affect the behavior and performance of maternal care. Therefore, the present study was conducted with aim to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian version of midwives' knowledge and skills questionnaire to assess and promote maternal health literacy.

This methodological and cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2022to February 2023. In this study, 314 midwives working in hospitals and health centers or public and private clinics in the central cities of Mazandaran province completed the 13-item questionnaire. The face validity, content validity and construct validity of the questionnaire was evaluated. The reliability was obtained using Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reproducibility. The structure of the questionnaire was analyzed using factor analysis.

Based on the results of exploratory factor analysis, three factors of performance, knowledge and skills were extracted. The model fitness indices confirmed the questionnaire. (PCFI=0.684, PNFI=0.651, CMIN/DF=2.438, RMSEA=0.068, AGFI=0.905, IFI=0.923, CFI=0.922). Also, the internal consistency and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed (<0.7).

The three-factor questionnaire of midwives' knowledge and skills to assess and promote maternal health literacy produced good validity and reliability. Due to its suitable psychometric properties, this tool can be used in future studies designed to evaluate midwives' knowledge and skills to assess and promote maternal health literacy.

Teaching evidence-based practice in undergraduate nursing students is limited and requires a complex and step-by-step approach. The aim of this study was exploring the effect of a two-year educational-supportive intervention on undergraduate nursing students, evidence-based practice competency.

  This semi-experimental single-group study was conducted in Amol Nursing School from June 2017 to July 2019. Sixty -two undergraduate nursing students who were entered in same academic year, participated in this study as a census.  After assessing the evidence-based practice competency, a two-year educational-supportive intervention was conducted. In the third year, students were taught how to design clinical questions and critique the use of its results in responding. In the fourth year, students performed the above activities under the supervision of faculty members. At the end of the course, the competency level of evidence-based practice was considered as one of the seven test stations, as a post-test.

The average age of the students was 20.46±0.92 years and most of them (51.61%) were women. The evidence-based practice competency score of the students before and after the intervention was 13.71±2.31 and 34.71±5.19, respectively, and this difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). Comparison of evidence-based practice competency scores based on gender did not show any statistical difference (P>0.05).

The findings showed that the educational-supportive intervention implemented to improve evidence-based practice competence of undergraduate nursing students was effective. Therefore, nursing education practitioners and planners can use this model to nursing education.

Workplace bullying is a persistent amount of negative conduct which one individual is subjected to by another, and it is emotionally and psychologically aggravating. Nurses are exposed to a greater risk of bullying, due to their direct contact with patients and their associates. The present study aims to investigate the factor structure of Iranian version of Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised.

The present methodological study was conducted amongst 400 nurses working in various hospitals affiliated to the Gorgan University of Medical Sciences, over a three month period in 2017. Construct validity of the questionnaire was assessed, and its reliability was also verified for internal consistency, and construct reliability.

Exploratory factor analysis led to the extraction of the following three factors: Physically intimidating bullying, person-related bullying, and work-related bullying. The model's good fit indices confirmed the workplace bullying in nursing tool as follows: PCFI= 0.767, PNFI= 0.721, CMIN/DF= 2.325, RMSEA= 0.081, AGFI= 0.815, IFI= 0.912, and CFI= 0.918. The convergent validity and discriminant validity of the construct of workplace bullying in nursing as well as its internal consistency and construct reliability (>0.7) were confirmed.

The present study results showed that the three-factor construct of workplace bullying in nursing has good validity and reliability. Given its favorable psychometric properties, this questionnaire can be effective in assessing the incidence rate of workplace bullying in the nursing profession.

 In the last decades, bipolar disorder treatments have undergone a gradual shift away from relying on clinical expertise to adopting evidence-based practice guidelines and expert consensus, leading to an improvement in medical care safety, patient performance, and quality of life. Nonetheless, suboptimal prescribing has remained an issue, and there is an excellent opportunity for improving the care standards to reduce symptoms’ recurrence, frequent hospitalizations, and costs.

 This study aimed to develop and validate a medication assessment tool for evaluating prescribers’ adherence to pharmacotherapy recommendations outlined in practice guidelines during the acute phase of bipolar disorder in Iran (MATAPBD).

 This mixed-method study was conducted from August 2021 to May 2022. A 54-item pool was developed based on the results from the literature review and research group discussion. The validity (i.e., face, content, and construct) and reliability (i.e., stability and internal consistency) of the tool were evaluated.

 Four items were rewritten in qualitative content validity. Then, eleven and five items were excluded from the scale in terms of having low content validity ratios and corrected item-total correlation, respectively. The construct validity of the MATAPBD was assessed by adopting the maximum-likelihood exploratory factor analysis method and Promax rotation. The number of latent factors was calculated by performing Horn’s parallel analysis. In exploratory factor analysis, the remaining 17 items were categorized into four factors which explained 57.97% of the total extracted variance. Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega of all factors were > 0.7, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.914 revealing the strong reliability of MATAPBD.

 The MATAPBD had good psychometric properties and may have been a valuable tool to evaluate prescribers’ adherence to practice guideline recommendations during the acute phase of bipolar disorder.