Jundishapur Journal of Chronic Disease Care
Volume:5 Issue: 1, Jan 2016

It is known that health education on foot care is a common strategy for preventing diabetic foot and reducing the rate of lower limb amputation. To evaluate the efficacy of an intervention based on the theory of planned behavior for improving foot care in patients with type II diabetes in 2013 in Ahvaz, Iran..Patients and In this clinical trial, 69 patients (30 - 60 years old) who were referred to Golestan Hospital Diabetes Clinic between June and May 2013 were selected randomly and divided into 2 groups (intervention and control). The control group received the clinic’s routine training. In contrast, a 4-week educational program based on the theory of planned behavior was held for the intervention group. Data were collected before and after the intervention using a questionnaire developed for this study that assessed components of the theory of planned behavior, and foot care. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 19 using paired and independent t-tests and chi-squared.. The two groups showed no significant difference in terms of demographics or in the mean scores of other variables before the intervention (P > 0.05). After the intervention, a significant increase was observed in the mean scores of attitudes, and foot care performance in the intervention group, and the intervention group had higher scores than did the control group (P < 0.05).. An intervention based on the theory of planned behavior was effective in improving the foot care in diabetic patients..

Hypertension is the most common public health problem that its prevalence increases along with the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents. It also has a direct relationship with cardiovascular diseases in adults.. This study was performed to determine the prevalence of hypertension among high school girls in Susa, Iran and its relation to age, body mass index, and physical activity..Patients and In this cross sectional study, 400 female students aged 15 - 19 years were selected using multistage cluster random sampling method. Their height, weight, and blood pressure (blood pressure was measured twice while in sitting position) were measured by standard methods. The international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to score their physical activity. The individual questionnaire was completed by essential question toward hypertension. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 22 using descriptive indexes and the Chi-square and Pearson tests while P < 0.05 was considered as significant.. The prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension is 5% and 40.3% in the high school girls, respectively. The frequency of age ranges between 14 and 18 years, with the highest frequency belonged to the age of 16 years. Also, there was a significant relationship between age and increase in blood pressure (P = 0.022). Direct significant linear relationship and difference were reported between hypertension and exercise (P = 0.025), as well as body mass index (P = 0.036).. The results showed a high prevalence of hypertension in girls with little difference with regard to ethnic groups, indicating that the use of training programs to adjust and modify lifestyle attitudes not only is effective in reducing hypertension, but also can prevent the adolescents’ susceptibility to the diseases that cause disability, increased living costs and weakened family ties..

AIDS is now known as a crisis throughout the world. Gastrointestinal parasites are the main causes of infections in HIV-positive patients.. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of intestinal parasites in HIV-positive patients who referred to Ahvaz health centers, Ahvaz, Iran in 2012..Patients and This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 HIV-positive patients of the Ahvaz health centers who selected by convenient sampling. Patients’ demographics were recorded by a researcher-made questionnaire. Then, their fecal samples were collected and tested by using direct and concentrated formalin-ether and modified acid-fast staining. Data were analyzed by SPSS 19 software using Chi-square and ANOVA (analysis of variance) tests.. The prevalence of intestinal parasites was 48.8%, which shows a high prevalence in HIV-positive patients. There was a significant relationship between prevalence of parasite and variables of job, kind of health centers, history of diarrhea (P = 0.0001), education (P = 0.001), and age (P = 0.005), but there was no relationship with variables of CD4+ count (P = 0.293) and dyspepsia (P = 0.103).. Given the prevalence of most gastrointestinal parasites, the HIV-positive patients show a weak immune system and higher sensitivity for infection particularly for opportunistic parasites. So, routine stool tests for detection of intestinal parasites are very useful for people with weakened immune systems..

In sickle cell disease, red blood cells are sickle shaped and consequently lose their ability to carry oxygen, which may cause vessel blockage. Pregnancy in the setting of classic sickle cell disease could be extremely dangerous for both mother and fetus.. The aim of this study was to determine the effective factors related to the maternal mortality among pregnant women with sickle cell disease.. In this descriptive study conducted with data from 41 hospital records of women with sickle cell disease from 2001 to 2011, various data such as demographic, midwifery, and laboratory test information were recorded in a questionnaire. The relationship between this information and sickle cell disease was assessed. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, Fisher exact test, and chi-square test were used in the data analyses.. The mean maternal age was 27.60 ± 6.37 years. The hemoglobin level at hospital admission was 8.9 ± 1.61 g/dL for the survivors and 7.73 ± 1.19 g/dL for the deceased patients (P < 0.05). All the patients with the sickle cell trait, 73% of the patients with sickle cell disease, and 50% of the patients with sickle cell-thalassemia disease survived (P < 0.05). The gestational age of the deceased patients was lower than that of the survivors (34.12 vs. 35.81 weeks, P = 0.08).. Ultimately, we can conclude that the hemoglobin level at the time of admission and before delivery, the type of disease, gestational age, and transfusion could be effective factors of patient mortality..

Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disease in which hyperglycemia is a major symptom, and is associated with numerous vascular and non-vascular complications. People with diabetes use medicinal treatment to exert glycemic control, as well as exercise training and herbal remedies, such as urtica dioica (UD).. This study aimed to compare the effects of 8 weeks of aerobic training and UD supplementation alone, and in combination, on glycemic control in men with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)..Patients and This semi-experimental study was conducted in 2014, in the city of Dezful, Iran. A total of 40 males (aged 30 - 50 years) with T2DM were selected and randomly divided into one of four groups in equal numbers (n = 10): 1 - aerobic training (Ae), 2 - UD supplements (UD), 3 - a combination of aerobic training and UD supplements (Ae + UD), and 4 - a control group. Blood samples were taken 24 hours before and 48 hours after the intervention period, following 10 - 12 hours of fasting. A t-test and analysis of variance was used to analyze the changes in the measured parameters, and P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.. A significant decrease in fasting blood sugar (FBS) was observed in the Ae group (-9.50 ± 6.96 mg/dl; P = 0.002), the UD group (-7.60 ± 6.04 mg/dL; P = 0.001), and the Ae + UD group (-18.30 ± 6.63 mg/dL; P < 0.001) after 8 weeks. There was a significant difference in FBS between the three intervention groups and the control group. In addition, a significant difference in FBS (P < 0.05) was shown between the UD and Ae + UD groups.. The findings confirmed the positive influence of UD supplements and aerobic training on glycemic control in males with T2DM. When aerobic training was combined with a UD supplement, a greater degree of glycemic control was observed..

Patient education is one of the most basic patient rights. It has multiple benefits including decreased patient anxiety, increased patient adherence to treatment programs, and ultimately improvement of healthcare service quality. Patients, especially those with chronic conditions, make daily decisions about illness self-management. Given the nature of their professions, physicians and nurses have more responsibility regarding patient education.. This study compared patient's satisfaction with educational performance of physicians to that of nurses at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences..Patients and This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in 2013 with 231 patients hospitalized in Mashhad-based hospitals affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Sampling was performed nonrandomly using quota sampling. Data collection tools were a demographic information questionnaire and separate questionnaires for satisfaction with educational performance of physicians and nurses. Data were analyzed in SPSS (11.5) using t- and Wilcoxon’s tests.. There were 231 participants (men: 55.3%). Of them, 58.9% of the patients were satisfied with educational performance of nurses and 50.6% were satisfied with that of physicians. To compare satisfaction with physicians’ (66.2 ± 23.4) and nurses’ (74.1 ± 24.1) educational performances, mean total satisfaction points out of 100 were obtained. Independent t-test showed a significant difference in this regard (P = 0.02).. Nurses and physicians’ educational roles should be examined in the authors’ healthcare system. Further surveys are needed to find and assess individual and organizational approaches to improve physicians’ and nurses’ educational performances..

Despite published guidelines emphasizing the importance of education in preventing readmissions, the most effective means of educating hospitalized patients with heart failure (HF) about their self-care remains unknown.. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of group education with the teach-back method on the readmission of HF patients..Patients and A randomized, controlled trial was conducted at two academic health care systems in Ahvaz. A total of 100 patients aged 50 years and older were enrolled during hospitalization for the treatment of heart failure. Patients in the intervention group were educated and evaluated using the teach-back method as part of usual care. Data on patients’ ability to recall educational information while hospitalized and during follow-up approximately seven days after hospital discharge were collected. Readmissions were confirmed through follow-up telephone calls and reviews of medical records. The data were analyzed with the Mann-Whitney statistical test to compare the proportion of readmissions in each study groups using SPSS. 22.. Patients correctly answered three out of four, or 75%, of self-care teach-back questions. In the intervention group, greater time spent teaching was significantly associated with correctly answered questions (P <. 001). The number of readmissions for heart failure was reduced by 56.2% in the intervention group (44 vs. 21, P = 0.04).. This study will be an important step in creating an evidence base for the relative benefits of different educational strategies for reducing readmissions..

Diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased risk of psychological disorders and symptoms.. This research investigated the effect of group reminiscence therapy on depression among women with type II diabetes..Patients and The present study was a clinical trial study. Twenty-four patients referring to the diabetic clinic of Golestan hospital in Ahvaz, Iran were selected through simple random sampling and were divided in two groups. Data were collected through a demographic questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory. Group reminiscence therapy was held over eight biweekly sessions, each lasting 90 minutes. Finally, data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and the Mann-Whitney, Friedman, and Chi-Square tests, using SPSS version 20.. A significant difference was observed between the two groups after the intervention (P = 0.001). The rating for depression decreased significantly in the experimental group. Before the group reminiscence therapy, the highest rating for depression obtained by the experimental group was “need for consultation” (50%), whereas after the intervention, the highest rating was “no depression” (50%). One month after the intervention, the highest rating obtained for depression was “low” (50%).. Reminiscence therapy decreased depression among diabetic female patients after the intervention and one month after the intervention. It can be said that, through the reminiscence therapy, patients’ past memories were reviewed and emphasis on the positive aspects thereof in the group setting was followed by an increased sense of self-worth and a decrease in depression..

Hemodialysis patients with chronic renal failure experience a variety of sexual disorders that result in self-dissatisfaction, undermining self-care, and decrease in quality of life.. The present study aimed at investigating the effects of lifestyle changes on the sexual function of patients undergoing hemodialysis..Patients and In a mono group quasi-experimental study, 37 subjects (21 males and 16 females) were selected among available patients using convenience sampling. The population included all the patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment in the year 2015. The tools of research included a demographic questionnaire, questionnaires assessing female sexual function and standard questionnaires for male patients. All the questionnaires were completed by the researcher. The subjects were individually instructed to introduce changes to their lifestyles for three days including their eating habits, exercising, and quitting smoking. The participants were asked to implement these changes for a period of 8 weeks at the end of which they would have to complete sexual function questionnaires again. The data obtained were analyzed by paired-t test, frequency percentage, and mean using SPSS (ver.21).. The results indicate that average sexual function of women before and after intervention were 46.12 and 58.62, respectively. The same variable for men was 45.88 and 65.11 for before and after the intervention, respectively. Paired t-test was performed for comparison of pre- and postintervention sexual function in women with significance levels of P < 0.001 and P < 0.005, respectively.. Improvements in certain aspects of lifestyle may significantly improve sexual function in patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment without excessive usage of resources. Therefore, introducing specific improvements in the lifestyles of patients undergoing hemodialysis is of considerable importance..