جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « military personnel » در نشریات گروه « پزشکی »

Understanding the attitudes of military personnel towards suicide is crucial for evaluating suicide prevention programs, clinical practices, and policies within the military community. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Military Suicide Attitudes Questionnaire (MSAQ) among conscripts in the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces.

In 2020, a descriptive-correlational study was conducted with a sample of 420 conscripts selected through cluster sampling. Data were collected using a demographic information form, the MSAQ, Suicide Stigma Scale (SOSS), and Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI). Face validity was determined qualitatively, internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, and convergent, divergent, and retest validity were evaluated using Pearson correlation coefficient. Exploratory factor analysis was employed to identify the MSAQ's factor structure.

Analysis revealed that the MSAQ showed convergent validity with the SOSS and divergent validity with the BSSI. The questionnaire demonstrated appropriate internal consistency, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, and cut-off point.

The findings suggest that the MSAQ is a valid and reliable tool for assessing suicidal ideation among conscripts in Iran.

Depression literacy is an important concept and having adequate depression literacy can improve prevention, early diagnosis, intervention, and prognosis of depression. The current study is a short report on depression literacy in military personnel.

This was a cross sectional study. The statistical population of this study consisted of all military personnel who were referred to the psychology and counseling clinics of the military in Mashhad, Iran from May to September 2022, which included 1500 clients. Based on Cochran's sample size formula, 300 military personnel completed the depression literacy questionnaires of Griffiths et al. and the second edition of Depression by Beck et al. The findings were analyzed with SPSS-24 software and Spearman`s correlation test.

Among the indicators of depression literacy, awareness of cognitive-behavioral symptoms received the lowest score while awareness of psychological symptoms obtained the highest score. Moreover, having a history of depression and the military deployment had a significant effect on the component of the signs and symptoms of depression (P<0.05).

Psychotherapists in barracks should teach new soldiers about the symptoms of depression and what can be the underlying factors of depression in military personnel and soldiers.

Considering to the new conditions compared to the traditional concept, military training courses should be designed in such a way that becomes efficient, effective, and works properly and practical. In contrast, their physical training develops from other types of aspects such as metabolic and hormonal. Resistance exercise (RE) with different types of military and training equipments, such as gas masks, and training masks that performs with a low intensity, results in different physiological responses and effects. Therefore, the main goal of this research was to study the effect of two types of military and training masks during resistance sports exercise on lactate and growth hormone responses in the AJA simulated training program.

In this study, the case-crossover method was used. Twelve military personnel trained (with an average age of 27.75 ± 6.45 years and a body mass index of 25.41 ± 3.43 kg/m2) were randomly chosen and examined in three different physiological training methods traditional (control) training (Intensity: 1RM 75%), training with military and training masks (1RM 30%). The RE consisted of performing 4 squat movements with a total of 65 repetitions. Blood samples were collected before and immediately after the workout. The data were analyzed using the two-way analysis of variance method with repeated measurements, with SPSS software (version 23) at a significance level of P<0.05.

All three types of exercise caused a significant increase in lactate (P<0.05) and no increase in growth hormone except the traditional method immediately after the exercise, but there was a significant difference between the groups in the amount of lactate, but not in the amount of growth hormone (P<0.05).

Studies have shown that both methods of resistance sports activity with a military mask and exercise such as routine resistance activity can cause a significant increase in blood lactate after exercise. This research confirms the effectiveness of this type of training on lactate increase response and can meet the goals expected from high-intensity training.

Objectives :

The tendency to suicide in conscripts can be due to several factors, including organizational factors, socio-economic factors, and family emotional climate. The current study aims to develop a structural model to show the relationship of organizational and socio-economic factors with tendency to suicide in conscripts in Iran, considering the mediating role of family emotional climate.

Methods :

This is a descriptive-correlational study. The study population consists of all male conscripts of the Islamic Republic of Iran Police Force in 2021-2022. Of these, 1000 were selected by multi-stage cluster random sampling method from three provinces. The sample size was determined using Cochran’s formula. To collect data, the tendency to suicide scale based on the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior, two researcher-made questionnaires of organizational and socio-economic factors, and Hilburn’s family emotional climate scale were used. Structural equation modeling (SEM), SPSS version 22, and Amos version 24 were used for data analysis.

Results :

The SEM model had an acceptable fit. The effect of organizational factors on the tendency to commit suicide mediated by the family emotional climate was significant and negative (β=-0.252, P=0.038). The effect of socio-economic factors on the tendency to suicide mediated by the family emotional climate was significant and negative (β=-0.267, P=0.002). The variables of organizational and socio-economic factors and family emotional climate together were able to explain 32.6% of variance in tendency to suicide. The organizational and socio-economic factors were able to explain 23.1% of variance in family emotional climate.

Conclusion:

 The organizational and socio-economic factors, by mediating role of family emotional climate, have a relationship with tendency to suicide in Iranian conscripts.

Paying attention to physical activity and regular exercise in the military forces can control physical and mental disorders and thus maintain the health of personnel and increase efficiency. The present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of Pilates exercises on self-efficacy and psychological well-being of armed forces personnel suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

 The research was semi-experimental in a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. Based on the objective, 40 armed forces personnel suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder were selected purposefully and available in 2021 and were randomly divided into two groups of Pilates interventions and control (20 people in each group). The experimental group performed Pilates exercises for eight weeks (3 one-hour sessions per week), while the control group received no intervention. Sherer's (1982) standard self-efficacy and Ryff's (1989) psychological well-being questionnaires were used in both pre-and post-tests. The findings were analyzed through dependent and covariance t-tests. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 25 software, and a significance level 0.05 was considered.

In this research, 20 people in the experimental group with an average age of 45.11±5.37 and a history of suffering from 26.0±5.3 disorders, and 20 people in the control group with an average age of 43.32±5.09 and a history of suffering from disorder 23.0±9.2 were participated. The results of the research showed that eight weeks of Pilates exercises significantly improved the scores of both self-efficacy (p=0.02) and psychological well-being (p=0.01) in the experimental group of armed forces personnel suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

According to the results obtained regarding the effect of Pilates exercises on psychological well-being variables and self-efficacy, these exercises are suggested as a cost-effective, accessible, and practical program to improve the psychological factors of male personnel of the armed forces.

The nature of military activity requires that a military person always have cardio-respiratory fitness and sufficient strength. The present study was conducted to compare the effect of circular resistance and intense functional training on the physical performance of military forces.

 In this semi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design, among all the male military forces of an operational military center in Ahvaz, Iran 45 people were selected as available and were randomly assigned to three groups: intense functional training, circuit resistance training, and the control group. In the pre-test level, measurements of height, weight, maximum oxygen consumption, and anaerobic power were performed and then the training level began. The training protocol consisted of eight weeks and three training sessions each week. Finally, 24 hours after the end of the training phase, at the post-test level, the desired measurements were performed again. Data were analyzed by dependent t, covariance, and Bonferroni post hoc test using SPSS 19 software.

The results showed that there was no significant difference between the groups in the variables of age, height, and weight, and the groups were homogeneous in these three variables. Intense functional training and circular resistance training had a significant effect on increasing aerobic power (p<0.05) and increasing anaerobic power (p<0.05). The results indicated a significant improvement in aerobic and anaerobic power indices due to HIFT training compared to circular resistance training (p<0.05).

The results of the present study showed that both types of HIFT and circular resistance training increase aerobic capacity, improve anaerobic capacity, and improve the endurance of military forces. In general, the results of the present study emphasize the importance of HIFT training compared to circular resistance training on the physical performance of military forces.

Paying attention to factors affecting mental health in military forces can control mental disorders, maintain the health of employees, and increase their efficiency. This study aimed to investigate the predictive role of physical activity on reactivity to perceived stress and mental toughness of male police officers.

The research method is descriptive-correlation type. The statistical population of this research was formed by all the male employees of police in Yazd City in Iran in 2022, of which 174 people participated in the research as available. The research data collection tool was Sharkey’s Physical Activity Questionnaire (1997), Scholtz et al.’s Stress Reactivity Questionnaire (2011), and Clough’s Mental Toughness Questionnaire (2002). Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation and linear regression using SPSS 25 software.

174 male participants with an average age of 35.87±8.37 years and experience of 14.24±7.57 years participated in the research. The mean scores of physical activity variables were 13.17±4.55, reactivity to stress was 22.05±7.63, and mental toughness was 155.12±19.70. The results of Pearson’s correlation test showed that there was a significant relationship between physical activity and reactivity to stress (p< 0.01; r=- 0.343) and between physical activity and mental toughness (p< 0.01; r= 0.336). Also, the results of the linear regression test showed that physical activity scores could significantly predict variables of reactivity to stress (12%) and mental toughness (11%) in male police officers (p<0.01).

Based on the results, the physical activity level of police male employees can predict their reactivity to stress and their mental toughness.

Body image is a multifaceted construct that shows a person's thoughts, feelings, and behavior toward their body shape, appearance, and attractiveness. The purpose of this research was to investigate the body image and its subscales in the employees of one of the ranks of the police who had regular and irregular sports activities.

The current research is cross-sectional and comparative of two groups. In 2022, 172 male employees of one of the ranks of the police of Tehran City participated in this research using the available sampling method. These people were divided into two groups with regular exercise (94 people) and irregular exercise (78 people) based on the Baecke physical activity questionnaire. To evaluate body image, Marsh's body self-description questionnaire was used. The difference between the groups was analyzed using an independent t-test using SPSS 21 software at a significance level of p= 0.05.

The samples were 172 people with an average age of 35.2±6.5 years. The overall body image index, health subscale, physical activity subscale, sports fitness subscale, strength subscale, endurance subscale, and self-esteem subscale had significant differences in the two groups (p<0.05). The comparison results of the coordination subscale (p=0.26), fat scale (p=0.10), appearance scale (p=0.16), and physical flexibility scale (p=0.10) in the two groups show no significant difference.

It seems that participating in regular physical activities increases the level of physical abilities and physical fitness of a person, which changes the type of assessment and estimation of one's capabilities and ultimately improves it.

The operating room, being a unique department, has encountered specific challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges can impact the performance of operating room nurses. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the experiences of operating room nurses in military hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This qualitative study utilized contractual content analysis in Iran in 2021. Purposive sampling with maximum diversity was employed for participant selection. Data was gathered through individual, semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 12 operating room nurses in Tehran.

Twelve operating room nurses, with an average age of 32.31±5.23 years, participated in the study. Analysis of the data revealed three main categories: "disruption of the balance of interactions and relationships with the patient," "the stressful intersection of roles," and "the increase in the volume of tasks and the lack of life and job security."

This study highlighted the fears and anxieties experienced by military operating room nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, including concerns about contracting the disease, increased workload, lack of support, and inadequate post-infection facilities. The findings can be valuable for hospital authorities in developing efficient planning and effective management strategies during the ongoing pandemic.

In challenging maneuvers with fighter aircrafts, the sensory stimuli are variable in terms of size, direction, and frequency; so there is always the possibility of some kind of sensory mismatch between these elements or between them with the central pattern of balance, which can lead to an illusion in understanding the situation. This condition is called spatial disorientation or airsickness. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of balance rehabilitation program on vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) of military pilot students suffering from spatial disorientation.

Totally, 10 pilot students who suffered from airsickness were subjected to otological and neurological examinations. Pre-tests were conducted to check the health of the vestibular system including audiometry, tympanometry, and videonystagmography. Then rehabilitation exercises were performed in three stages, including exercises to improve oculomotor skills, improve VOR, and desensitization using a rotary chair at frequencies of 0.11, 0.25, and 0.50 Hz. Two weeks after the intervention, the students were evaluated by MISC questionnaire and Coriolis stress test.

VOR gain increased significantly after rehabilitation interventions (p=0.005). Also, the results of the MISC questionnaire showed a significant improvement in the scores (p=0.005). This means that the VOR gain had increased significantly after two weeks of treatment.

The use of a rotary chair for the purpose of evaluating, predicting, and treating airsickness is very helpful and it is suggested to be used routinely in the air force.

Shooting plays an important role among the acquired skills of soldiers and is considered one of the main criteria for measuring their capabilities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of training interventions on shooting performance in both military and sports fields.

National and international databases from the beginning to April 2022 were searched. In addition, a manual search and a complete review of the sources of the articles were also performed.

After reviewing the entire text of the articles, 22 full-text articles were selected that investigated the effect of training interventions on shooting performance in both military and sports fields. The meta-analysis results showed that training interventions have a significant effect on shooting performance both in the military field (p=0.001) and in the sports field (p=0.001).

In the current review study, it was found that training interventions have a significant effect on improving the performance of shooters in both military and sports fields. In addition, the results of this review study showed that all interventions can have a positive effect on improving the performance of shooters. Also, the results showed that both physical and mental training interventions are effective in improving shooting performance; Therefore, it is recommended to use them  together to improve shooting performance in both military and sports fields.

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is increasing in the world and also in Iran. MetS is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. There is no study on the prevalence of MetS in families of military personnel. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of MetS and its components in a military town in Tehran. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 384 participants who were referred to the health center in Shahrak-e- Fajr. MetS components including waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured. MetS was diagnosed according to the Iranian National Committee of Obesity criteria. The overall prevalence of MetS was 36.45% (95% CI=31.62%-41.29%); 37.5% and 62.5%% were males and females, respectively. Only 6.25% of the participants did not have any MetS components. The most frequent components were low HDL-C levels (62.23%), and abdominal obesity (49.73%), respectively. Female gender (OR=1.35, 95% CI=0.83–2.19) and age (OR=1.17, 95% CI=1.12–1.22) were associated with increased risk of MetS. According to the results of the present study, the prevalence of MetS and its components is high in Shahrak-e- Fajr, Tehran. It needs to implement MetS prevention programs for the families of military personnel.

Noise annoyance is considered a significant injury in military personnel and has the ability to affect their combat performance. The purpose of this study is to determine the characteristics of sound in the occupational exposure of employees to military vessels.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on N-class and T-class vessels near Mahshahr city in 2022. Sound measurement and octaband analysis were done using sound meter and acoustic calibrator. In N-class and T-class vessels, the analysis of the sound pressure level was analyzed in the stationary state and in the state while moving with engine speed of 1300 and 1700 rpm. The collected data were analyzed in Minitab 21 software.

The findings showed that the sound pressure level in the switched on state is less than the standard limits at frequencies of 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 Hz. But in the on state during movement and with the engine speed of 1700 rpm in both N-class and T-class vessels, engine number 2 has the highest sound pressure level with a difference of 18.8 and 14.9 dB compared to the standard limits. Also, at the frequency of 250 Hz, among the distance measurement of different engines, the biggest difference in sound pressure level (-29.6 dB) with the standard limits is related to the right engine of the N-class vessel.

The findings of the present study demonstrated that the sound pressure level in the switched on state does not cause any damage to the hearing of military personnel, because in all the measured frequencies, the sound pressure level was reported to be lower than the standard limits. It is recommended to use personal protective equipment for employees during military operations or to install a high-performance absorber in the cabin of both vessels during occupational exposures to reduce the harmful effects of noise.

Psychological distress is one of the psychological problems that is related to a wide range of mental disorders. Considering the role of military personnel in creating social security, paying attention to their mental health has particular importance. In this study, the prevalence of psychological distress in the military personnel of Razavi Khorasan province, Iran was estimated and demographic factors related to it were identified.

In this cross-sectional study, military personnel who referred to the health centers of Mashhad city in the first half of 2019 were examined. Data was collected using the demographic checklist and Kessler's standard scale of psychological distress (K-6) from the SINA system of health centers in Razavi Khorasan province, Iran. The total score of 10 and more in the K6 questionnaire was considered as the cut-off point. The K6 questionnaire evaluates people's feelings in 6 areas: discomfort, restlessness, nervousness, helplessness, hopelessness, sense of worthlessness in the last month

Out of 4488 military personnel, 98.7% were men, 51.7% were married, and 44.5% had a diploma. The mean psychological distress score was 3.39±4.45 out of 24 and the prevalence of psychological distress was 12.6%. Gender (p=0.024), education level (p<0.001) and place of residence (p=0.001) were associated with the prevalence of distress. The prevalence of psychological distress was higher in women, singles, military personnel with less than a diploma, and residents of cities between 50 and 500 thousand people.

The prevalence of psychological distress was estimated to be moderate in comparison with the studies conducted in other countries. Senior military managers can prevent the occurrence of more serious mental disorders as well as the creation of problems in their subordinate organizations with proper planning in the direction of screening patients.

Shooting plays an important role among acquired skills and is considered one of the main criteria for assessing ability. This comprehensive review aimed to summarize the effective and key factors on the accuracy and performance of shooting in both military and sports fields.

This review study was done by searching in Persian and English databases from 1995 to 2022. The keywords were “shooting” with “pistol, accuracy, precision, stress, performance, technique, rifle,, elite”, as well as “sports, dynamic balance, military, skilled and unskilled archers, police, soldiers, and marksmanship”.

After reviewing the full text of the articles, 21 articles were selected in military (n=15) and sports (n=6) field. The results showed that the studies investigated some effective factors such as 1) muscle strength and endurance, 2) stress and anxiety, 3) fatigue and visual acuity, 4) caffeine and supplements, and 5) skill on performance and shooing accuracy.

The results of the studies showed that fatigue and anxiety have a negative effect on shooting performance, but the training and practice of these conditions will improve shooting performance. It was also found that improving the central muscles of the body and physical fitness factors have a positive effect on shooting performance. In addition, the results showed that the consumption of drinks depending on its type and dosage can have a negative or positive effect on shooting performance. Therefore, paying attention to these variables improves the performance and accuracy of shooting in both military and sports fields.

Spiritual fitness in combat requires spiritual intelligence to give meaning to life and change the attitude towards crises as a spiritual experience. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of the spiritual counseling of the Sound Heart Model on the spiritual intelligence and spiritual experience of military commanders.

The research method was a clinical trial type. The research population consisted of 98 military commanders of the army, who were selected according to the inclusion criteria through available sampling. They were divided into two groups by random group allocation. The intervention for the experimental group was implemented for 51 weeks with model-based multimedia training with the aim of gaining trust, increasing knowledge, developing communication, and motivation, by means of educational software and follow-up in the virtual network. Before and after the intervention, daily spiritual experiences and spiritual intelligence questionnaires were completed by both groups.

The spiritual intelligence of the commanders of the two groups before the intervention had no significant difference (P = 0.80) (intervention 65.39 ± 4.33 - control 65.15 ± 5.38). But after the intervention, a significant difference was created (P<0.001) (intervention 84.16 ± 2.97 - control 65.41 ± 5.82). There was no significant difference in the spiritual experience of the commanders of the two groups before the intervention (P = 0.92) (intervention 48.08 ± 2.13 - control 48.12 ± 2.36). But after the intervention, the difference was significant (P<0.001) (intervention 67.96 ± 4.18 - control 48.37 ± 2.20).

Considering the effect of spiritual counseling on improving the spiritual intelligence and spiritual experience of military commanders, it is recommended to use the "Sound Heart Model" for the spiritual fitness of military personnel.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a common musculoskeletal disorder with a high prevalence among military personnel. Changing the movement pattern and applying loads can lead to an increase in postural sway and contribute to the development of patellofemoral pain syndrome in military personnel. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to comparison of knee valgus angle and the effect of carrying a military backpack on postural sway in the military with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome.

In this case-control study, 21 military personnel with patellofemoral pain syndrome participated voluntarily with Convenience Judgmental Sampling method and 21 healthy military personnel with the case group matching method. The indices of postural sway, including the path length, the standard deviation of medial-lateral sway (M-L), and the standard deviation of anterior-posterior sway (A-P) were measured using the Zebris pressure distribution device in two situations with and without carrying a military backpack. Also, the knee valgus angle was assessed during the single-leg squat test. To analyze the data, an independent t-test and paired sample t-test with a significance level of 0.05 were used in SPSS software version 23.

The results of the independent t-test showed that knee valgus angle, path length, SD(M-L), SD (A-P), in both positions with and without carrying a military backpack showed a significant increase in patellofemoral pain syndrome group in comparison with the healthy military (P<0.05). Comparing the changes in the center of pressure variables during the static balance test, and static balance with carrying a military backpack, there were also significant changes between the two positions (P<0.05).

According to the results, military with patellofemoral pain syndrome who had an increase in knee valgus angle had more postural sway and changes in postural sway indices compared to the healthy military, which could be caused by changing posture control strategies and changing the movement pattern of the military with patellofemoral pain syndrome. It is necessary to pay attention to these changes in providing an appropriate treatment plan for preventing re-injury and secondary changes in military suffering from patellofemoral pain syndrome.