sareh keshavarzi

Craniofacial anthropometry and anthropometric ratios are used in different sciences such as dentistry, medicine, oral and maxillofacial surgery, growth studies, plastic surgery, bioengineering and production of personal protective equipment. The purpose of this study is to introduce Digimizer software to measure facial dimensions and compare manual dimensional measurement and photoanthropometry with this software.

In This descriptive-analytical study 12 female students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences participated. Measurement of face dimensions of samples was done manually and by photographic methods and data analysis was performed with SPSS software version 19 and descriptive-analytical tests.

From the ten dimensions of the measured dimensions, a significant difference was observed in the three dimensions of the Subnasal-Nasal Root Length (SNRL), Menton-Nasal Root Length (MNRL) (Face Length) and Bitragion-Menton Arc (TRMA) dimensions,(P <0.05 ). No significant differences were observed in other dimensions. The ICC (Intra Class Correlation) coefficient for both methods was obtained in the range of 0.56-0.94.

This study showed that the use of Digimizer software can replace the use of manual method in measuring the dimensions of the face and in the preparation of anthropometric database of the face in less time is preferable to the manual method.

The current evidences have indicated that the prevalence of smoking cigarette and waterpipe has an ascending trend among the university students since their first year of study. The present study aimed to evaluation of explanation of the BASNEF model on smoking waterpipe among the university students.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 462 students selected by proportional stratified random sampling. The study data were collected using demographic questionnaire and researcher-made questionnaire based on the “BASNEF” model. The collected data were then entered into the SPSS statistical software (v. 19) and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearsons correlation coefficient and Regression analysis.

The prevalence rates of smoking cigarette and waterpipe were 11.7% and 16.6%, respectively. The results showed no significant difference in using cigarette or waterpipe by gender(p<0.01). The participants’ mean scores of attitudes, subjective norms, and enabling factors were 72.96±14.95, 21.51±5.31, and 19.1±4.04, respectively, regarding behavioral intent, 35.28% of consumers said they would never stop smoking waterpipe, and only 4.32% said they were more likely to quit smoking waterpipe within the next month.

Considering the prevalence of smoking waterpipe and cigarette among the students and the relatively inappropriate attitudes, subjective norms, and enabling factors to quit smoking, educational interventions based on interpersonal models to prevent or quit high-risk behaviors are suggested.

The organizational leadership style can be considered as an important psychosocial factor that may affect workers’ health, safety, and productivity. The current study aimed at investigating the relationship between organizational leadership style and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among workers. The current descriptive, cross sectional study was conducted on 188 employees, including 10 leaders and 178 followers of an Iranian process industry. Nordic MSDs questionnaire (NMQ) and leadership style questionnaire (MLQ) were used as data collection tools. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 19. Totally, 71.7% of the participants reported experiencing the symptoms of MSDs during the last 12 months. The highest prevalence of MSDs was in lower back (47.2%), shoulder (34.8%), and neck (32.4%), respectively. Statistical analysis revealed that the mean scores of transformational and laissez faire leadership styles in the two groups of with and without MSDs were significantly different. MSDs had high prevalence among workers of the studied process industry. Higher rate of MSDs was observed among the workers with higher scores of laissez faire leadership style. In contrast, the employees under transformational leadership style as the dominant management method, reported lower rate of MSDs complaints. As a conclusion, a relationship was observed between the leadership style and MSDs occurrence in the studied industry.

Along with an increase in the rate of cesarean sections, the complications and problems associated with this procedure have also increased in Iran. Factors such as complications associated with caesarean scars, the high cost of chemical treatments, and failure of medications in treatments have led to an increased use of traditional and biological therapies in the healing and preventing of cesarean wound infections.
To determine the effect of an amniotic membrane dressing on cesarean wound healing.
This study is a prospective, randomized double-blind clinical trial. Patients participating in the study were women who underwent cesarean sections at Amir-al-Momenin Hospital in Gerash, Iran. Patients were randomly divided into two groups (N = 45 for each group). In one group, the cesarean wound was dressed using an amniotic membrane; in the control group, the dressing was performed using a simple dressing. The wound healing was assessed by the Redness, Edema, Ecchymosis, Discharge, Approximation (REEDA) scale 24 hours and 8 days after the cesarean procedure.
The average REEDA score, reflecting wound healing was significantly different between the groups 24 hours after the cesarean section, which proved to be less in the amniotic membrane group (.00 ± .00 vs. 0.60 ± 1.30; P = .003). However, on the 8th day after the cesarean section, there was no significant difference between the groups (P = 0.078).
The findings of this study showed that the application of an amniotic membrane dressing can be helpful in early stage wound healing of cesarean.

Unsafe behaviors are main causes of accidents mostly influenced by personal characteristics, social environment and also individual biorhythm cycles. This study was carried out to find out whether personality traits and biorhythm could affect the incidence of unsafe behaviors among city bus drivers.
This cross-sectional study was conducted on 224 bus drivers in Shiraz, Iran, 2014. The data were collected using NEO personality traits questionnaire. Also, a self-constructed checklist was used to investigate the driver's unsafe behaviors. Information on driver's biorhythm was analyzed by Natural Biorhythm software version 3.2. The relationship between demographic characteristics, personality traits and biorhythm were examined by T-Test, One-way ANOVA, correlation coefficient and Chi square tests. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate the factors influencing the incidence of unsafe behaviors.
28.6% of participants have experienced critical days in their biorhythm cycles. Also the mean percentage of unsafe behavior was 54.08 ± 11.91 among the subjects of the study. Significantly negative correlations were observed between each personality factor and the percentage of unsafe behaviors. Also, there was a significant relationship between percentage of deriver's unsafe behaviors and the general cycle of biorhythm (having at least one critical day in each of the cycles).
Taking the measures including selection of low-risk traffic routes in the critical days and considering the personality traits at the time of employment could be effective in reducing the unsafe behaviors and accidents.

Health-promoting behaviors during pregnancy are those that encourage or improve health-related quality of life, both maternal and foetal. They also decrease risk factors. The present study aims to investigate the effect of health education on health-promoting behaviors in pregnant women in Mahshahr, southern Iran
In this experimental study, 78 pregnant women were selected using multi-stage sampling and were randomly divided into 2 groups each including 39 subjects. The intervention group learned physical activity and health behaviors based on the constructs of self-efficacy through 6 sessions. However, no interventions were performed for the control group. The data were collected using a questionnaire containing demographic information, health-promoting lifestyle, and Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES) before and one month after the intervention. Then, the data were analyzed using t test, chi-square test, and regression analysis.
After the intervention, the mean score of health-promoting behaviors, subscale and physical activity self-efficacy increased in the intervention group, which was significantly different from the control group (P The results of current study supported the effectiveness of training and revealed that training based on self-efficacy theory led to an increase in the mean score of health-promoting behaviors, particularly physical activity and motivational skills (self-control and feeling of self-efficiency). Thus, by creating and maintaining regular health-promoting behaviors, maternal and fetal health and well-being can be guaranteed.

Keeping order in the classroom, modifying students’ behavioral problems, and implementing regulations codified at schools are among the issues in education involving the minds of headmasters and teachers. Following adolescence appropriate behavioral patterns plays a key role in bringing about the adolescents’ positive social behavior. This study aimed to investigate the predictors of adolescents’ positive social behavior using the Norm Activation Model (NAM). This study was conducted on 200 female students between 12 and 13 years old studying in the third educational district of Shiraz, Iran, that were selected through cluster random sampling method. The study data were collected as self-report using a questionnaire composed of demographic items and items measuring positive social behavior based on NAM. The findings showed that among the NAM constructs, personal norm was the strongest predictor of positive social behavior followed by awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility. The relation of awareness of consequences to birth order, ascription of responsibility to father’s occupation and birth order, personal norm to father’s occupation, number of brothers, and birth order, and positive social behavior to number of brothers, birth order, non-classmate friends, and number of intimate non-classmate friends was statistically significant. It was concluded that NAM could be utilized to predict the factors affecting positive social behavior. Moreover, the results can be used by authorities and policymakers to develop appropriate plans and behavioral interventions.

Most workers are exposed to a variety of hazards in their workplace. Devising a comprehensive checklist and developing an index for Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) assessment could be useful. This study was conducted in a heavy automotive company with the aim of developing and validating an OSH assessment index.
Methods and Materials: We used the experiences and comments of OSH experts to devise a checklist for OSH assessment. Weighting various harmful factors was done using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique. Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) was applied to measure the reliability of the checklist (SPSS version 20). In the studied industry, 150 workstations were assessed using the developed comprehensive checklist. In order to validate the total index, we assessed its correlation with 4 groups of occupational statistics (i.e. accident frequency, severity rates, lost working time rate, and occupational disease incidence rate). A p value of Among 7 sub-indices, sub-indexes of occupational health and the workplace order (w=0.21) and housekeeping (w=0.04) had the highest and the lowest AHP weights, respectively. The mean of ICC was found to be 0.978. The total index (OSHITotal) and the Accident Severity Rate (ASR) had a strong inverse significant correlation (r = -0.774, P=0.002).
The developed index covered important occupational hazards. The inter-evaluator reliability for this index was high.

Despite the importance of pap smear in reducing the incidence of cervical cancer and dying from it, yet this cancer is as the most common cause of cancer death in women, particularly in developing countries. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of education based on the protection motivation theory on women performance about Pap smear test.
This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 200 women referred to fasa health centers and randomized in two experimental and control groups. The study data were collected using a valid questionnaire including demographic variables and PMT constructs which was completed by both groups before and 2 months after the intervention. Four educational session classes were performed with method of group discussion and educational pamphlets for the experimental group. The data were entered into the SPSS 22 and were analyzed using chi-square test and independent and paired t-test.
The findings of this study showed that the mean scores of PMT constructs (i.e. perceived vulnerability, perceived severity, fear, response-costs, self-efficacy, and intention) increased in the experimental group after the intervention (P The study results revealed the effectiveness of the educational intervention based on PMT to promote the behavior of Pap smear. Therefore, educational interventions based on this theory to health promotion, especially women, have been proposed.

The empowerment of heart failure (HF) patients to improve self-care behaviors through appropriate training programs is necessary. Evidence has indicated a lack of theory-based trials in hospitals and healthcare centers, both of which represent important health promotion settings..
This study aimed to examine the effect of a hospital-based educational program based on the constructs of the health belief model (HBM) on self-care behaviors of patients with HF..
This controlled quasi-experimental study consisted of 84 patients with HF (42 patients in an intervention group and 42 in a control group) who were admitted to two large, specialized, referral hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran from April to August 2015. The patients were selected using purposive sampling. Data on self-care according to the constructs of the HBM were collected using a European HF self-care behavior questionnaire and a researcher-made questionnaire..
Before the intervention, the mean score for self-care behaviors was 30.69 ± 5.13 in the intervention group and 31.23 ± 5.48 in the control group. In the first and second post-tests of the intervention group, the mean scores for self-care behaviors were 39.47 ± 3.40 and 40.09 ± 2.91, respectively (P This study showed that implementation of the HBM-based educational intervention positively influenced the self-care behaviors of patients with HF. Thus, implementing long-term educational interventions, including continuous follow-ups, in inpatient treatment centers may result in improved and sustained self-care behaviors. We strongly suggest that novel trials of educational interventions that use other health behavior theories and training strategies are needed to expand training knowledge in hospitals..

Sleep disorder is very common among employees and is considered as one of the crucial health problems. There are strong correlations between poor sleep and sickness absence. The present study concerns the relationship between sleep quality and sleepiness and sickness absence.
this cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 employees of a gas company. The study data were collected using the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS). Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman’s correlation coefficient were applied for data analysis.
While 43.2% of the participants enjoyed satisfactory sleep quality, 56.8% had unsatisfactory sleep quality. The mean (SD) of KSS for the sample was 5.65 (2.19). Statistical tests indicated a significant difference between sickness absence of the personnel groups with good and poor sleep quality (p=0.0001). Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ = 0.777) indicated a statistically significant correlation between sleepiness index and sickness absence (p=0.0001).
The results showed a strong positive correlation between sleep quality and sleepiness index of the personnel and sickness absence; i.e. along with decline in sleep quality and incline in sleepiness, the personnel’s sickness absence increases.

Working conditions have considerably changed and exposure to psychosocial risk factors, particularly occupational stress, has recently had an increasing trend. Studies have shown that sickness absence was the worst outcome of occupational stress. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between dimensions of occupational stress and sickness absence in a gas company in Boushehr, Iran.
This cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 employees of a gas company, Boushehr, Iran who were selected through random sampling. Osipow occupational stress questionnaire was used to determine the participants’ stress levels. Then, the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Kruskal-Wallis test.
The participants’ mean of sickness absence was 2.164.57± days per year. Besides, 1.5%, 32.5%, 36.3%, and 29.8% of the participants had low, low to moderate, moderate to severe, and severe occupational stress, respectively. Additionally, the mean of total stress was moderate to severe among the study participants. This was also the case concerning the stress dimensions. The results revealed a significant relationship between the number of sickness absences and dimensions of occupational stress, including workload, role insufficiency, role conflict, responsibility, physical environment, and total stress (P=0.0001).
The majority of the employees had high levels of occupational stress. Besides, a significant association was observed between the dimensions of occupational stress and sickness absence. Accordingly, to decrease the number of sickness absence, we should take measures to reduce occupational stress.

Vision impairment in children is one of the most severe disabilities that cause stress in parents. Therefore, it seems necessary to establish and conduct interventions for controlling parenting stress and preventing its negative consequences. This study aimed to investigate the effect of life skills training (LST) program on parenting stress of mothers with blind children aged 7 to 12 years.
This study was a non-blinded randomized controlled trial. 52 mothers with blind children studying at Shoorideh Shirazi educational complex, Shiraz, Iran in 2013 were enrolled, using census sampling method. Balanced block randomization method was used to allocate the participants to groups. The intervention group participated in an LST program consisting of 5 two-hour sessions per week for 5 consecutive weeks but the control group didn’t. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and Parenting Stress Index; they were completed three times by the participants of both groups before, immediately after, and one month after the intervention. Collected data were analyzed using Chi-square, independent t-test and repeated measures analysis of variances (ANOVA).
The LST program could decrease parenting stress in the intervention group mothers (P LST program could reduce parenting stress in mothers with blind children. Therefore, it can be used as an efficient, cost-effective and simple technique for managing parenting stress in such parents.

This study aimed to standardize, stabilize, and validate the optimism questionnaire based on the theory of planned behavior in the first-grade high school male adolescents. The present descriptive study was conducted on 170 male students in the first grade of high school. The study data were collected using a questionnaire. In order to determine the reliability of the questionnaire, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were performed using the SPSS statistical software (version 19) and SAS 9.2. High internal consistency values were obtained for all the subscales. The results of factor analysis showed that 14 significant factors had eigen values greater than one values and 71.22% of the variance was determined by these factors. In addition, using CFA based on the theory of planned behavior, four factors were considered for the 45 questions of the questionnaire which determined 39.98% of the variance. The results indicated that the optimism questionnaire was a valid and reliable instrument to be used among the students in the first grade of high school.

Gradual weight reduction has been shown to be associated with improvements in liver enzymes. However, some evidence demonstrated that liver enzymes may transiently increase immediately after a diet-induced weight loss.
This study was designed to assess the effects of a hypocaloric, almond-enriched diet (AED) compared with a hypocaloric nut-free diet (NFD) on liver function tests in the context of a three-month weight reduction program in overweight/obese women.
Patients and This randomized controlled clinical trial was registered at Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials with ID number of IRCT2013062313751N1. Overweight and obese Iranian women [n = 108; age = 42.7 y, body mass index = 29.6 kg/m2] were randomly assigned to consume an AED or NFD. The carefully planned hypocaloric diets were identical for both groups except for the AED group who consumed 50 grams of almonds daily for three months. Anthropometric measurements and laboratory measurements including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) were assessed before and immediately after the intervention.
Of 108 participants, 50 women in AED group and 50 women in NFD group completed the protocol of the study (response rate: 92.6 %). The AED led to a median weight loss of 3.79 kg (interquartile range: 4.4 kg). Significant decreases within AED and NFD were observed in ALT (-16.6 ± 16.3 and -11.7 ± 16.8, P AED improved liver enzymes in obese women. However, mild, transient increases in ALT and AST values can be observed immediately after an NFD in women.

Prostate cancer has been reported as the second leading cause of cancer death among men in 2013. Prevention and early detection of cancer are considered as critical factors in controlling the disease and increasing the survival of patients. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of Health Belief Model (HBM)-based education on knowledge and prostate cancer screening behaviors in a randomized controlled trial. This study was a non-blinded randomized controlled trial. We enrolled 210 men aged 50-70. Balanced block randomization method was used to randomize the final participants who had inclusion criteria into intervention (n=93) and control (n=87) groups. The participants of the intervention group attended training workshops based on HBM. Data were collected using three questionnaires, i.e. demographic questionnaire, Prostate Cancer Screening-Health Belief Model Scale (PCS-HBMS), and the Knowledge about Prostate Cancer Screening questionnaire, all given before and immediately one month after the intervention. The mean scores of the perceived susceptibility, severity, barriers and benefits increased significantly after the intervention (P>0.05) in the intervention group. In the control group, such a difference was reported only for perceived susceptibility (P>0.05). The rate of participation in prostate cancer screening in the intervention group increased from 7.5% to 24% and 43.3% one month and three months after the intervention, respectively. Our findings showed that the health education programs designed based on HBM could positively affect prostate cancer preventive behaviors of individuals by improving their knowledge level and leaving positive effects on perceived susceptibility and severity as well as considering the perceived barriers, benefits and health motivations.Trial Registration Number: IRCT2013090911691N3

Overweight/obesity and depression are common among women especially in the elderly and can lead to unfavorable outcomes. We aimed to determine the association of overweight with depression and also to find any correlation of depression with some anthropometric indices in old women. A total of 94 depressed elderly women were compared with 99 non-depressed controls. The structured diagnostic interview based on DSM-IV were performed to diagnose depression, and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was completed to rate it. Anthropometric indices were measured and compared between groups. Pearson correlation coefficients were determined for linear relations between variables. Odds Ratio of obesity and overweight in depressed subjects comparing with normal participants was 1.45 (95%CI=0.63-3.32). A significant correlation was observed between BMI and GDS score (r=0.231, P-value=0.001). Total body fat (P-value=0.001) and BMI (P-value=0.016) were significantly higher in depressed women than non-depressed women. Despite the significantly higher total body fat and BMI among old women with depression, only a weak correlation was seen between BMI and GDS score.

Since hypoglycemia sequel includes neurologic damage resulting in mental retardation, it requires immediate attention. Due to the risk of hypoglycemia in healthy term infants with inappropriate diet, this study was designed to determine the effectiveness of feeding on blood sugar levels in healthy term infants. This clinical trial study was conducted on 85 eligible pregnant women. Samples were randomly assigned to two groups of cases and controls. Three sessions of 90 minutes theoretical and practical classroom training were held in the last month of pregnancy for the cases for a period of one month. Blood samples were taken at 1,3,and6 hours of life and blood sugar levels were recorded in a special form. Then the collected data were analyzed in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS,16) using appropriate statistical procedures such as independent t-test, Chi-square, Pearson correlation, Regression and Anova. The highest mean blood glucose was observed in the cases and the lowest blood glucose in the controls. The highest rate of hypoglycemia was observed 3 and 6 hours after birth in the cases. The statistical analysis showed no significant relationship between the qualitative and quantitative demographic variables and the infants, blood sugar levels. Height in newborn within the first 24 hours of life (by controlling other variables) in the p value less than 0.05 showed a significant correlation with hypoglycemia (pvalue= 0.003). The correlation was negative, i.e. an increase of 1 cm in neonates’height reduced the risk of neonatal hypoglycemia up to 40%. The correct method of breastfeeding significantly increased the blood glucose in healthy term infants and reduced the incidence of hypoglycemia in them. Therefore, despite the ongoing trainings in breastfeeding, further training sessions are needed for proper breastfeeding in pregnant and primiparous women. So paying attention to the low plasma glucose levels in the absence of proper breastfeeding in term infants is recommended.

Manual load lifting is the most common and stressful activity that imposes high biomechanical pressures on the body, particularly on the back. Diverse studies have shown that load lifting can cause work-related musculoskeletal disorders among workers. This study was conducted to assess manual lifting activity using NIOSH equation and WISHA index and compare the results of the two methods in workers with manual lifting activities. This cross- sectional study was carried out among 120 workers with manual lifting activity in 7 industrial settings of Shiraz city. Nordic Musculoskeletal disorders Questionnaire (NMQ) and demographic questionnaire, as well as NIOSH lifting equation and WISHA index were used to gather the required data. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS, 19. The results showed that back problems were the most frequent musculoskeletal disorders among the workers studied (68.3%). The results of lifting evaluation indicated that 79.2% of the individuals in the NIOSH method and 39.2% in WISHA index were at risk of back injuries. The kappa value was equal to 0.29, indicating a fair agreement between the results of assessment by the two methods. The results of this study confirmed a fair correlation between these two assessment methods, so they might be used interchangeably.

When people maintain positive attitudes during life, their beliefs orientation will be highly beneficial to their health. In other words, those who have optimistic expectations report better physical health which is the result of their better psychological compatibility. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of educational intervention based on Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) on Shirazi male high school students’ degree of optimism. This educational randomized controlled trial was conducted on 240 male high school students in Shiraz. The research sample was selected through multi-stage random sampling. In this study, a demographic information form was used to gather the students’ demographic characteristics. Besides, a positive thinking researcher-made questionnaire was designed based on TPB. Moreover, the life orientation test (optimism scale) developed by Scheier and Carver was used to evaluate the participants’ degree of optimism. After all, the data were analyzed in SPSS statistical software (v. 19) using descriptive and inferential methods. Significance level was set at 0.05 in all the tests. Compared to the control group, all the constructs of TPB increased in the intervention group after the training (P<0.001). Moreover, Pearson correlation indicated a significant relationship between the constructs, and the highest correlation was among attitude, perceived behavioral control, and intention. According to the research findings, all the constructs of TPB played a key role in increasing the students’ positive think. Thus, educational intervention based on TPB has a positive effect on increasing the students’ positive think.

Perceived work-related fatigue is an important issue since it may adversely impact workers’ performance. Additionally، workers’ fatigue is known as a main cause of occupational accidents in workplaces. Considering the consequences of perceived work-related fatigue، assessing fatigue at workplace is critical to work-related fatigue risk management. Therefore، this study assessed the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory (SOFI-20) among Iranian employees. In this cross-sectional study، 501 employees of two petrochemical companies were selected by simple sampling method. The Persian version of SOFI-20 was developed using forward and backward translation processes and used to collect the required data. The validity and reliability of the translated inventory were examined by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient، respectively. Assuming that some items of the Persian version of the SOFI-20 were correlated، the confirmatory factor analysis was repeated to achieve better fitness. The results of CFA revealed an acceptable fit for the Persian version of SOFI-20. The total Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient for the SOFI-20 was 0. 95. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for different dimensions of the SOFI-20 were found to range from 0. 690 to 0. 887. The validity and reliability of the Persian version of the SOFI-20 was acceptable for assessing the dimensions of work-related fatigue among Iranian employees.

Job satisfaction is an emotional and positive feeling which results from job assessment or experiences. It is always considered as a problem in some organizations. Despite the important role of nutrition therapy in patients care, dietitians’ job satisfaction is less taken into account. The aim of the present study was to determine the amount of job satisfaction among dietitians in Fars province, Iran.

In this study, job satisfaction of 95 dietitians was evaluated through demographic and job satisfaction questionnaires. They were sent by e-mail or face-to-face referral for participants. Job satisfaction level was classified into 6 different categories including very satisfied, fairly satisfied, slightly satisfied, slightly dissatisfied, fairly dissatisfied and very dissatisfied. The data were analyzed by SPSS software using independent sample t-test, oneway ANOVA and Pearson correlation test. Statistical differences were considered significant at P<0.05.

The results showed that 72.6% of the participants were satisfied with their job condition but 27.4% were dissatisfied. The mean score of job satisfaction of dietitians was 57%±10.54 (from the maximum score of 100), indicating the participants ’slight satisfaction. Moreover, the highest and lowest scores were related to the nature of work and salary, respectively.

Since the level of job satisfaction affects other institutional variables such as efficiency, motivation, performance, absenteeism or burning out, it is suggested that authorities of Health Ministry provide a condition in which job satisfaction is increased by applying appropriate techniques.

Manual load lifting is the most common and most stressful activity in manual handling of loads that imposes the highest possible amount of biomechanical pressure on the body, particularly on the spine. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and to estimate the mechanical force exerted on the lower back in workers responsible for manual load lifting. The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 workers responsible for manual load lifting activities in 7 industrial settings in the city of Shiraz. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was used for determining the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and the 3DSSPP software was used to estimate the forces exerted on the lower back during load lifting. Data were then analyzed in SPSS-19. The results showed that lower back problems constitute the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorder (68.3%). Evaluations conducted in 3DSSPP showed that in 17.5% of the cases, compressive forces, and in 10.8% of the cases, shearing forces exerted on the L5-S1 disc were higher in the workers than the permissible levels. There were no significant differences between the rate of the prevalence of lower back pain at different levels of compressive and shearing forces exerted on the disc (p>0/05). This finding might indicate the limitations of the method used in this study for conducting a comprehensive assessment of loads exerted on the spine. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, in particular lower back pain, was estimated to be high among the subjects studied. The risk levels of compressive and shearing forces exceeded the permissible amount in a low percentage of the workers studied. The 3DSSPP software might have certain limitations in the assessment of the pressure exerted on the spine.

Although sleeping problems are common among all age groups, the elderly suffer a higher prevalence of sleep disorders. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between sleep quality, self-efficacy, and stages of change among the elderly. This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 36 individuals aged 60-75 years selected through simple random sampling in 2013. The data were collected using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and self-made structured questionnaires, including sleep self efficacy scale and stages of sleep behavior change scale. SPSS statistical software, version 19 was used to analyze the data and descriptive and inferential statistics such as independent samples t-test were used. The results of the present study revealed that the mean of sleep quality was 7.91 (SD=4.99). In addition, most of the subjects (69%) had poor sleep quality. Considering the stages of change, the participants were in different stages of sleep behavior change. Moreover, a significant relationship was found between self-efficacy and PSQI total score (P<0.001). Also, significant relationships were observed between self-efficacy and the variables of stages of change (P<0.05), except for the average night sleep. The results of this study showed that most of the elderly had poor sleep quality. Besides, they were in different stages of change in sleep problems. The results also indicated that self-efficacy affected the sleep quality in the elderly. Therefore, measures should be taken based on stages of change and increased self-efficacy to improve sleep quality among the elderly.

Prostate cancer has been reported as the second leading cause of cancer death and the most common cancer diagnosed in men. Since Health Belief Model (HBM) has been intensively used for assessing health beliefs associated with cancer screening behaviors, we aimed to investigate the level of knowledge and health beliefs about prostate cancer screening among retired men. In this descriptive study carried out in 2013, we enrolled 180 men aged 50-70 years who were retired from Shiraz Education Department. Data were collected using three questionnaires including demographic questionnaire, HBM and the Knowledge about Prostate Cancer Screening questionnaires by interviewing the participants. Our findings showed that 95.6% and 85.6% of the interviewees had no experience of digital rectal examination (DRE) and prostatic-specific-antigen (PSA) testing for prostate cancer screening, respectively. 86.1% of men had no knowledge about such screening. 12.7% of the respondents reported good knowledge scores. 74.4% and 90.5% of them had good health motivation and perceived benefits scores, respectively. 81.6% of them revealed intermediate scores for perceived barriers. Moreover, 32.7% and 7.2% of the subjects reported good severity and susceptibility scores, respectively. Developing an assessment based on HBM could be effective in designing and implementing educational programs by helping to identify the needs and priorities of the target population.