مجله سلامت و بهداشت
سال دهم شماره 4 (پیاپی 43، زمستان 1398)

Because of its very high solubility, nitrate penetrates easily into soil and underground waters. Surface waters such as lakes, reservoirs, and rivers are exposed to nitrate pollution. Photocatalytic processes have a high potential for nitrate removal due to complete oxidation, lack of formation of multi-cycle metabolites and the availability of catalysts. The purpose of this study was to investigate the nitrate removal from aqueous solutions using photocatalyst of titanium dioxide nanoparticle under the influence of ultraviolet light (UV).

This laboratory-experimental study was carried out as discontinuously using a photocatalytic process in a reactor with volume of 1-liter, containing 250 ml of a sample with radiation source of UVC ultraviolet lamp and a power consumption of 9W. The statistical method of the CCD response level, one of the standard methods of RSM, was used to investigate the parameters of pH, titanium dioxide nanoparticle, nitrate concentration and contact time.

The results showed that nitrate removal from aqueous solutions was influenced by factors such as exposure time to ultraviolet light, nitrate concentration, nanoparticle content and pH. The optimum conditions for nitrate removal, based on the appropriate model, were obtained from the response level statistical method including 0.55 g/l titanium dioxide nanoparticle, nitrate concentration of 35.15 mg/l, pH=5 and contact time of 50.22 minutes equal to 62.59%.

The process used in this study, according to the desired conditions, is able to remove nitrate from aqueous solutions, and changing the laboratory conditions can be effective in it eliminating. This process can be recommended as an economic and practical solution to nitrate remove from drinking water.

Environmental standards are quantitative criteria for protecting the environment from pollution and degradation. One of the solutions to improve air quality status is to use reasonable limits to prevent excessive release of airborne contaminants from their various sources. On the other hand, these standards are effective in evaluating air pollution reduction strategies.

In this study, we reviewed different standard setting frameworks using a theoretical analysis. First of all, we studied the ambient air quality guidelines and standards which developed by the World Health Organization(WHO), the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the European Air Quality Management Agency, the Australian National Council for Medical and Health Research and the Canadian federal government. In addition, a framework to set the national air quality standards in Iran was proposed according to international efforts and national-specific conditions.

By investigating the status of standards and guidelines in some parts of the world, it was found that all of them have reasonable and rational methods for standards setting, despite some different in standard setting methods across organizations. All these standards were set on epidemiologic studies and the effects of air pollutants on human health. Except WHO, other organizations had used a quantitative risk assessment methodology to develop their own standards. Also, for developing national standards based on its guideline, WHO has recommended considering the economic, social, and health conditions.

The results of this study indicate that for developing ambient air quality standards in Iran, a rational and scientific framework is needed.

Xylene, which can pollute the water sources, is widely used as a solvent in insecticide manufacture, dye and leather and other industries. Adsorption is one of the most common processes used to treat the contaminated aqueous solutions by xylene. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the xylene removal efficiency and adsorption isotherms of magnetic nanoparticles (iron nanoparticles), single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) and single-walled carbon nanotubes- magnetic nanoparticles (SWCNT-MN) hybrid adsorbent.

The variables studied in this research were xylene concentration, adsorbent dosage, contact time and pH. In this study, the xylene removal was evaluated by SWCNT-MN hybrid nanoreactors for 2 to 20 minutes. Design Expert software was used to optimize the xylene removal factors using Taguchi OA method. Xylene adsorption isotherm was investigated by ISOFIT software. Xylene measurement was performed by GC/MS.

The efficiency of the xylene removal by magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles, SWCNT and SWCNT-MN were 99.8, 99.2 and 99.9%, respectively. The Xylene adsorption isotherm of these three adsorbents showed that GLG isotherm is the most suitable isotherm for this adsorption.

The efficiency of the xylene removal by SWCNT-MN nano-reactors had no significant difference with the efficiency of the nano-magnetic column, but the removal efficiency of the xylene by the SWCNT-MN nano-reactors column and the nano-magnetic column was significantly different from the SWCNT column. Also, the comparison of adsorption capacity of used adsorbents showed that SWCNT-MN nanoreactors had the higher adsorption capacity than magnetic nanoparticles and SWCNTS.

Despite the importance and impact of health and education on economic growth in countries, the causal relationship between education and health is important to policymaking. This study aimed to investigate the causality relationship between education and health in the short and long runs using the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) in Iran.

This was an analytical and applied study, conducted at the national level using Vector Error Correction Model for Iran. The data type was annual time series which extracted from the World Bank website between the years of 2017-1996. The VECM and the required tests were estimated in Eviews 10 software.

the result showed that there was a cointegration vector for the health function of Iran in these years, i.e., current health was not only a function of independent variables of the model but also a function of health and education variables in previous periods. Also, in the short and long run, the years of schooling had the causal effect on life expectancy and, life expectancy had a causal effect on years of schooling in Iran. GDP and health expenditures per capita had a positive effect and the carbon dioxide production per capita had a negative impact on life expectancy.

According to the results, there was a two-way causality relationship between education and health in the short and long runs in Iran, so that in the short and long runs, increased education can lead to improved health status, and improved health status can lead to increased education. Therefore, the policies of the education and health sectors are complementary.

Today, accurate measurement of physical activity volume and assessment of physical fitness is necessary to promote community health. So, the purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of obesity and its relationship with physical fitness indices of Mashhad offices employees.

A total of 3737 subjects aged 20 to 60 years (2559 men and 1178 women) were selected by convenient sampling and participated voluntarily in evaluating the status of anthropometric indices and physical fitness. Anthropometric indices and body composition measurements including height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR) and body fat percentage were collected from all participants. The participants were classified into 4 groups based on BMI: underweight (BMI<18/5), normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9), overweight (BMI 25-29.9), and obese (BMI >30). Level of physical fitness was evaluated by cardiovascular endurance test, muscular endurance, strength, flexibility and balance. Pearson correlation test was used to examine the relationship between indicators and independent sample T test to compare the groups.

Based on the findings, the fat percentage in men was significantly lower than that of women (p=0.001). The highest BMI in men and women were 42.9% with BMI of 9.29-25 and 36.5% with BMI of 18.4-9.29, respectively. Also, there was a significant relationship between anthropometric indices and maximum oxygen consumption between males and females (p<0.05). In addition, there was a significant correlation between cardiovascular endurance (p=0.001), flexibility (p=0.037), reaction time (p=0.041) and static equilibrium (p=0.024) among men and women.

The results showed that the higher percentages of fat and BMI were related to the lower level of physical fitness. So, the promotion of peoples’ awareness about abdominal obesity and its associated factors and their encouragement to perform physical activity can be effective in reducing the prevalence of abdominal obesity and its comorbidities.

Today tourism is considered as the largest service industry in the world. Because of the regional situation, professional staff and quality medical centers, health tourism is one of the areas where our country has a high competitive advantage. In spite of these advantages, attracting customers is a challenge in becoming a medical tourism brand. In this regard, this paper examines the challenges of medical tourism branding.

The present study is applied in terms of purpose, exploratory in nature and qualitative in terms of approach. In this research, the data, collected from interviews with 16 people including two groups of medical professionals and medical tourists in Ardabil province, were analyzed using the Grounded Theory Method in three stages (open coding, axial coding and selective coding).

In the analysis of data, 37 concepts from all interviews were extracted and finally, these concepts were categorized in selective coding in six groups of infrastructural, cultural-social, legal, ethical, promotional, and competitive challenges.

According to the results of the research, in branding the medical tourism in Ardabil, the basic challenges should be identified and the related concepts in each area should be considered.

The aging population of the world is increasing. One of the problems that occur along with age is sleep disorder, leading to a gradual decrease in the quality of life in the elderly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of sleep and related factors in the elderly patients hospitalized in Imam Khomeini Hospital of Khalkhal in 2016.

The present study was a descriptive-analytic study, performed on 409 elderly patients admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Khalkhal city in 2016. Data collection tool was a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.

The findings of this study showed that the mean and standard deviation of total sleep quality score of participants in the study was 8.61±3.31. The average sleep quality score in women was higher than men and men had better sleep quality, however, no significant differences was observed between two genders. The relationship between demographic variables and sleep quality in the elderly showed no significant relationship between age and number of children with sleep quality. There were significant relationships between other variables such as marital status, occupation type, income level and hospitalization unit with sleep quality (p<0.05).

The results of this study indicated that the sleep quality of elderly patients in studied hospital was low and directly related to some of the underlying variables. So, it is necessary to take measures in hospitals to reduce sleep disorders.

Diabetes mellitus, as a metabolic disease, is associated with impaired insulin resistance index and cardiovascular risk factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a concurrent exercise and Ginger supplementation on cardiorespiratory endurance, body composition, and insulin resistance index in obese women with type 2 diabetes.

60 women with type 2 diabetes, which had medical records in 2016 in Sabzevar Diabetes Association Centre, were selected with convenient sampling (age: 49.2±5.5 years, BMI: 30.98±3.01 kg/m2) and randomly divided into four groups: Concurrent training groups of high-intensity (resistance training: 75 to 85% of 1RM and endurance training: 70 to 85% HRmax) with Ginger supplementation or placebo, Concurrent training groups of moderate intensity (resistance training: 50 to 74% of 1RM and endurance training: 50 to 70% of HRmax) with Ginger supplementation or  placebo. In supplementation groups, the volunteers were recieved daily 800 mg capsules of Ginger Rhizome powder and in placebo groups, a capsule containing Wheat flour twice daily. 24 hours before training and also after 12 weeks, lipid indices (LDL, HDL, TG and Chol), biochemical indices (insulin, glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin), body composition, and cardiorespiratory endurance were measured. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA test at significance level of p<0.05.

The results showed that in all training groups, the indices of body composition, lipid and cardio-respiratory endurance were significantly improved (p<0.05); However, there was no significant difference between groups (p<0.05). Insulin resistance was significantly decreased in the high intensity training group+placebo and the moderate intensity training group+supplement compared to the high intensity training group+supplement (p<0.05). Hemoglobin glycosylated levels in the high intensity training group+placebo and the moderate intensity training group+placebo were lower than the moderate intensity training group+supplement (p<0.05). The levels of glucose in high intensity training group with and without supplement and the moderate intensity training group+placebo were significantly decreased compared to the moderate intensity training group+supplement (p<0.05).

It seems that the exercise with both intensity compared with supplementation had an optimal effect on the improvement of indices of cardio-respiratory endurance, body composition, lipid and some glycemic indices, though the moderate intensity training+supplementation was more effective than other groups in improving insulin sensitivity. Therefore, the study of synergistic effects of exercise and supplementation on improvement of the aformentioned indices requires more emphasis on detailed in the future.

Dental caries is one of the most common chronic diseases and affected by many determinants identified as social inequalities. So, this study explored how social determinants of health had impacts on dental health in school children of Hamadan.

This cross-sectional study was conducted based on data related to the examination of 14858 students in Hamadan in 2016. The fluoride concentration was measured in drinking water samples from 22 urban and 61 rural areas using SPAND colorimetric method and spectrophotometer (DR/5000). For data analysis, frequency tests, chi-square, and regression model were used in SPSS-23.

Our results indicated that 11.5% of the rural and 18.2% of the city regions had fluoride level lower than standard level and 4.9% of the rural and 9.1% of the city regions higher than standard concentration. The probability of dental caries was decreased with age (AOR: 0.97, CI: 0.91-0.98) and increased with reducing each mg/l of fluoride concentration in water (AOR: 6.51, CI: 5.68-7.47). The probability of boy's dental caries was more likely than girls (AOR: 1.07, CI: 1.15-1.24). Also dental caries was less likely in healthy students in comparison to students with visual impairment (AOR: 0.45, CI: 0.36-0.56), pediculosis (AOR: 0.21, CI: 0.11-0.40), smoker parents (AOR: 0.40, CI: 0.27-0.58), obesity and overweight (AOR: 0.20, CI: 0.24-0.73).

Although, fluoride is an important factor in the prevention of dental caries, other factors also play some roles. A better understanding of the social determinants of health can help decision-makers in policy making and prioritizing of costs.

Oil well drilling operations are subject to various occupational hazards because of their nature and type of activities, which causes illnesses, loss of workforce as well as a lot of financial losses to the economic system of the community. Therefore, it is essential for all employees to observe safety in order to protect manpower and equipment. The purpose of this study is to assess the occupational hazards of the drilling unit and provide the control measures to reduce the risk level of these hazards.

To this end, a list of probable safety and health risks was prepared and given to a number of drilling experts to confirm their accuracy. Then, considering the state of the risks, the overall risk options during the exploitation phase of drill rigs 28 and 101 were screened through the HAZAN form.

The results showed that 48% of the total risks were in grade 1 (acceptable), 29% in grade 3, 22% in grade 2 and 2% in unacceptable rating.

The results showed that the acceptable risks were at the highest percentage, pointing the fact that using more engineering controls can lead to risk control, and also, within a reasonable time, the level of risk of 1 and 2 ratings can be reduced to 3 or 4. Furthermore, welding activities, drilling operations and drilling start-up were among the top three priorities of unacceptable risk-taking level which created the most occupational hazards for the industry.