reza heidarifar

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a crisis in health care systems such that the treatment/care of patients 19 faced big challenges. This study aims to investigate the challenges related to treatment/care of patients hospitalized in Forgani Hospital in Qom, Iran.

This study was conducted using the qualitative content analysis approach in 2020 Forgani Hospital in Qom, Iran. Eleven patients with COVID-19 were selected using a purposive sampling method. Data collection tool was in-depth semi-structured interview. Data analysis was done using the conventional content analysis method.

The results of content analysis led to identification of three main themes including lack of disease knowledge, human recourse and equipment shortage, and individual-family and social concerns.

Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Qom face various challenges due to the unknown etiology of the disease, lack of experience and sufficient medical staff, and personal and family concerns. Therefore, it is recommended to make proper planning for the management and control of pandemics in the future.

  The main mission of the Health System is improving the level of health and meeting the needs of the society and its correct implementation also plays a very important role in the Health and Treatment System. This study aimed to investigate Patients’ satisfaction during their treatment process following implementation of Health System Reform Plan at selected treatment centers affiliated to the Qom University of Medical Sciences.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 550 patients who were hospitalized in different wards of hospitals in Qom city in 2017. Sampling was performed by stratified random sampling using the table of random numbers. The data were collected using the standard questionnaire prepared by the Ministry of Health, and the questionnaires completed by the clients of different wards of selected public hospitals in Qom city, were evaluated.

In the present study, the total satisfaction level of the patients during their treatment process was 72%, which this satisfaction was reported to be 78% at Shahid Behshti hospital, 72% at Nekouee Hospital, and 61.5% at Karmkar Hospital. Moreover, the highest level of satisfaction was reported in the areas of drug provision (95.5%) and franchise and lack of informal payment to doctors (93.5%) and the lowest level of satisfaction was in the complaints management (53%) and discharge process (58%) areas.

According to the results of this study, the execution of the Health System Reform Plan in the treatment centers is effective in the promotion of patients’ satisfaction. Thus, it is suggested that the weak points should be paid attention, and the quality of services be promoted and the program be continued in order to increase the level of satisfaction.

Pre-surgery anxiety is a common factor among the individuals referring to the operating room. The present study has been conducted with the objective of investigating the effect of lavender essential oil on the anxiety, hemodynamic changes, and pain using the aromatherapy method.
This single-blinded clinical trial study was performed on 64 patients candidate for surgery with average anxiety score (46-56). The samples were divided into two equal groups (N=32 in each group). The first group had lavender aromatherapy for 20 min and the second group had aromatherapy with distilled water for 20 min. Finally, the levels of hemodynamic changes, pain, and the state (clear) and trait (hidden) anxiety, were investigated using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety (STAI) questionnaire once at the night before surgery and once on the day of surgery after aromatherapy.
In this study, 30 male patients (46.9%) and 34 female patients (53.1%) with the mean age of 28.2±6.4 (minimum 17 and maximum 40 years old) were investigated. Spielberger trait mean score was not significant in control and aromatherapy group before and after the anesthesia. Spielberger state anxiety mean score in control group before and after the anesthesia was respectively obtained 52.1±1.5 and 50.2±2, which was not significantly different, but this mean in aromatherapy group before and after the anesthesia was respectively 51.9±3.8 and 45±2, the difference of which was significant (p=0.03). The mean pain score during exit from recovery in control and aromatherapy groups was, respectively, 45.3 and 29.5, the difference of which was significant (Z=-2.55, p=0.01).
Considering the reduction of pain and anxiety in the recovery before and after aromatherapy by the Lavender essential oil, especially in subjects with moderate anxiety, it seems that use of this plant before surgery is effective in the reduction of anxiety.

The Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score is a commonly used in the initial evaluation of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The GCS has some limitations to evaluate the unconscious patients. This study aims to reliability and predictive validity of outcome at discharge of GCS in an intensive care unit population.
This study is a cross-sectional method in 84 patients with acute brain injury in Shahid beheshti hospital in Qom (Iran). The inter-rater agreement for the GCS scores was evaluated by the weighted kappa. Outcome prediction power of the scales was assessed by the area under the curve (AUC) in the ROC curve.
In total, 168 ratings were performed for 84 patients by the GCS score. Inter-rater reliability for GCSC score was excellent. Cronbach’s showed a high degree of internal consistency for the GCS (α=0.82). The inter-rater agreement for each pair of raters was excellent (kw 0.838, 95% CI 0.889 - 0.987). The results show that scale is able to predict in-hospital mortality and poor outcome. The cut of point was 6.
The researchers conclude that the reliability and predictive validity of Persian version of the GCS score is a valid scale. The present study shows that the Persian version of the GCS score is a reliable tool for the measurement of consciousness changes in TBI patients

Pregnancy in low age has been proposed as one of the important factors causing risks and adverse outcomes. One of these complications is low birth weight (LBW), which is an important health indicator in any countries. In this study, texts related to Environmental and Biological Factors Influencing Infant’s Low Birth Weight in teenage mothers was reviewed. In the present study, articles indexed in the databases Pubmed, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, SID, Magiran, were used. In the present study, a total of 22 articles related to teenage pregnancy and low birth weight were studied. Also, all factors influencing infants’ low birth weight in teenegers were evaluated in the areas of biological and environmental factors. The results of the present study showed that environmental and biological parameters are factors influencing low birth weight in teenage pregnancy. Thus, to reduce social problem of low birth weight and to improve this indicator in both environmental and biological issues, health intervention is necessary.

Anethum graveolens (Dill) like Bunium persicum has therapeutic effect, such as food digestive, carminative, anticonvulsant, but its effect on increasing milk is certain. In this study, the possible effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Dill was investigated on serum levels of estrogen and progesterone in female rats.

The present study was carried out on 36 mature female wistar rats (weight, 150-250g) in 4 groups (9 rats per group):The first and second groups received the hydroalcoholic extract at doses of 50 and 100mg/kg, respectively, and the third group (sham) received 1 ml of water (solvent)for 14 days through gavage. The fourth group (control) received no drug. At the end, a deep ether anesthesia and blood sampling from the heart of animals were done and the serum levels of estrogen and progesterone hormones were measured. The results were compared using one-way ANOVA statistical test. The significance level was considered to be p<0.05.

The serum concentration of progesterone hormone significantly increased in groups received the extract compared to the control and sham groups (p<0.05). But the serum level of estrogen did not show any significant difference in experimental groups compared to the control group.

The results of this study indicated that the hydroalcoholic extract of dill seed at both doses could be effective in the increase of serum progesterone level. Therefore, in future, after conducting more studies, this extract should be considered as an important factor for elevation of this hormone level in women.

Use of non-chemical treatments (medicinal plants) is a novel approach in the treatment of diabetes. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of combined hydroalcoholic extract of medicinal plants on the treatment of diabetes in normal and diabetic male rats and its comparison with the effect of glibenclamide. Thirty-six male rats were randomly divided into six groups: normal control (NC)، diabetic control (DC)، diabetic rats received the plant extract at a dose of 0. 2g/Kg (D0. 2) and 0. 4g/kg (D0. 4)، and normal rats received 0. 2g/kg plant extract (N0. 2). The induction of diabetes was performed by intraperitoneal injection of a single dose of 60mg/kg of streptozotocin. Glucose level and weight were measured after injection of streptozotocin and 4-week gavage، and the insulin level was measured only at the end of the 5th week. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test. The significance level was considered to be p<0. 05. The blood glucose level in D0. 2 group was significantly decreased (p<0. 005) from the third to fifth week، as compared to DC group. However، the decrease in D0. 4 group was only significantly observed during the last week of the study (p<0. 01). In the DG group، in comparison with the DC group، the glucose level decreased during the third (p<0. 005)، fourth and fifth weeks (p=0. 001). No changes were observed in the insulin level in groups treated with the extract (p>0. 05 DC vs. D0. 4، D0. 2)، but in DG group، a significant increase (p<0. 05) was observed، as compared with DC group. The studied combined extract of medicinal plants has hypoglycemic effects in diabetic rats، which this combination has better effect in lower doses، but the mechanism of these effects is accomplished through increasing insulin levels.

Dysmenorrhea has negative effects on women’s life. Due to side-effects of chemical drugs, there is growing trend toward herbal medicine. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Dill compared to mefenamic acid on primary dysmenorrhea. This double-blind, randomized, clinical trial study was conducted on 75 single female students between 18 and 28 years old educating in Nursing and Midwifery School and Paramedical Faculty of Qom University of Medical Sciences of Iranin 2011. They were allocated randomly into one of the three groups: In Dill group, they took 1000 mg of Dill powder q12h for 5 days from 2 days before the beginning of menstruation for two cycles. Other groups received 250 mg mefenamic acid or 500 mg starch capsule as placebo, respectively. Dysmenorrhea severity was determined by a verbal multidimensional scoring system and a visual analog scale (VAS). Students with mild dysmenorrhea were excluded. Data were analyzed by SPSS using the descriptive statistic,paired-samples t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Mann-Whitney test, and Kruskal-Wallis test. There were no significant differences between three groups for demographic or descriptive variables. Comprising the VAS showed that the participants of Dill and mefenamic acid groups had lower significant pain in the 1st and the 2nd months after treatment, whereas in the placebo group this was only significant in the 2nd month (P < 0.05). Dill was as effective as mefenamic acid in reducing the pain severity in primary dysmenorrhea. Further studies regarding side-effects of Dill and its interactivity are recommended.

Herbal medicine as a type of complementary medicine has long been used by different societies. The studies of the last two decades have indicated the growing use of drug plants in the world, sometimes without consulting a physician and with no knowledge about their side-effects. This study was done with the aim of determining the status of use of drug plants and its related factors in Qom city.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was done on 372 people of Qom city in 2012, using convenience sampling. The data were collected through a questionnaire that its validity and reliability had been confirmed. The data were analyzed via frequency tables, chi 2, Mann-Whitney and Fisher’s tests. Significance level was considered p<0.05.

In this study, 35.48% and 11.55% of participants had used drug plants for treatment and prevention, respectively. The most cases of consumption belonged to abdominal pain (48.4%), cold (42.2%) and sore throat (35.8%), and the most used plants were mint (72.3%), Sisymbrium irio (65.1%) and cinnamon (62.9%). The most important reason of use of drug plants were fewer side-effects (51.1%) and better results (39.9%) compared to chemical medicine. Among studied variables, a statistically significant relationship was observed between gender and the amount of using drug plants (p=0.01).

Concerning the results of this study, the most reason of using drug plants was their fewer side-effects compared to chemical drugs. So, it is necessary to give accurate information, at the society level, about their side-effects and possible interactions.

Students learning in clinical education environment is the major part of the curriculums. This study was done with the purpose of comparing the students’ and teachers’ points of view about the status of clinical education environment in Paramedical Sciences and Nursing & Midwifery Schools of Qom University of Medical Sciences in 2012. This analytical-descriptive study was done on 154 students of Nursing and Midwifery, Operating Room, Anesthesia in fifth semester and above who were serving their apprenticeship and 18 teachers. Data collection was performed using a questionnaire consisted of 22 questions in four major domains (learning opportunity, support for learning, the environment’s facilities, and student-teacher communication. There was a significant difference between students’ and teachers’ points of view in the domains of teacher-student communication, learning opportunity, support for learning, and overall point of view. Also, teachers had more favorable point of view (p<0.05), But no significant difference was observed in the domain of hospital environment facilities (p=0.999). According to the results of this study, knowing the students’ and teachers’ points of view as well as similarities and differences of these viewpoints could be effective in planning for the improvement of clinical education environment.