مجله طب پیشگیری
سال هفتم شماره 4 (پیاپی 20، زمستان 1399)

Currently, the most important health priority of the whole world is COVID-19. Due to the lack of an effective treatment and vaccine for COVID-19, it is important to seriously focus of the prevention.The aim of this study was to investigate the Knowledge and practice of Hormozgan province workers regarding the protection against COVID-19.

In this cross-sectional study, the study sample included 406 workers working in the Hormozgan province who were selected through an available sampling method. The instrument used in this study was a two-part, valid, and reliable questionnaire. The first part contained demographic information and the second part included a questionnaire about knowledge and behavior regarding COVID-19. The questionnaire was provided to the participants through social media and the required data were collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and ANOVA, independent t-test, and multiple regression analysis.

Regarding the COVID-19 symptoms and prevention, 78.6% of workers answered the questions correctly. The average score of workers’ behavior was 32.70±3.84, which indicates only 56% of the participants had appropriate behavior. The results of the study showed that the mean scores of behavior in men and women were 33.51±3.51 and 31.96±3.95, respectively, which are significantly different (P-Value≤0.001). Based on the results of multiple regression analysis, knowledge, exercise, and gender were predictors of workers’ behavior (P-Value<0.05).

According to the results of this study, improving the awareness of workers about COVID-19 and increasing their physical activity, result in more preventive behaviors against this disease. Therefore, raising their awareness through education and also planning and encouraging them for regular physical activity is recommended.

Among the non-communicable diseases, cardiovascular diseases are among the most important causes of death, worldwide. Exercise, by modulating hematological factors and fat profile can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and their complications. This study compares the hematological factors and fat profiles between active and inactive male workers.

To conduct this cross sectional and case-control study, a total of 82 workers from Mehriz Cement Factory were selected based on the available sampling method. According to Beck questionnaire, 48 workers assigned to the inactive and 34 workers assigned to the active group. After 12 hours from the last meal, 10 ml of venous blood of the workers was taken to analyze for hematologic variables (red blood cells, hematocrit, hemoglobin, white blood cells) and fat profile (Cholesterol, Triglyceride, HDL and LDL). To analyze the data, SPSS  software and independent t-test was used.

The results showed that red blood cells, hematocrit, and hemoglobin were significantly higher in the active group than the inactive group (P-Value≤0.05). In addition, compared to the active group, triglyceride level in the inactive group was significantly higher (P-Value≤0.05), but the levels of cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein were not significantly different between the two groups.

Since physical activity can improve hematological factors and fat profile, workers are recommended to take benefits from regular exercise.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the pollutants of water resources that disrupts the endocrine glands and is resistant to biodegradation. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of photocatalytic process using Fe2O3/ZnO in the presence of visible light for degradation of BPA in contaminated water.

A descriptive-analytical study in batch mode was performed on synthetic contaminated water samples made in the laboratory. In this study Fe2O3/ZnO catalyst was used to decompose BPA in the presence of visible light. Moreover, the effect of some parameters such as solution pH, catalyst dose, BPA concentration, and radical scavengers on removal efficiency was investigated. The catalystchr('39')s decomposition kinetics and surface properties were also determined using XRD, SEM, DRS, EDX, and BET techniques.

BET analysis showed that the Fe2O3/ZnO catalystchr('39')s surface area was 15.86 m2/g, and the band-gap was 2.7 eV. The highest BPA removal efficiency was obtained at neutral pH, which, considering the interpretation of pKa of BPA and pHpzc of catalyst, seems reasonable. Moreover, with increasing the catalyst dose to 0.04 g/L, BPA removal efficiency increased, and this catalyst dose was selected as the optimum dose. The removal efficiency of BPA was decreased with increasing the initial concentration of BPA. The photo-degradation of BPA fits pseudo-first-order degradation kinetics, and by increasing the initial concentration of BPA from 10 to 100 mg/L, the kobs decreased from 0.012 min-1 to 0.0022 min-1. Radical scavenger tests showed that hydroxyl radical (HO●) and generated holes (h+) play the main role in the degradation of BPA.

Considering the high photocatalytic performance of the Fe2O3/ZnO in the presence of visible light, it is recommended for the decomposition of persistant organic compounds in contaminated water.

Household batteries, if not recycled, are one of the sources of environmental pollution.Educational intervention can change the behavior for recycling these batteries. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of education on battery recycling among housewives.

In this randomized quasi-experimental study, using random sampling, 120 housewives referring to health centers in Karaj city were selected and were equally divided into intervention and control groups.The educational intervention program consisted of 10 one-hour sessions of group training about battery components and their risks, separation methods, and disposal. Data were collected before and three months after the educational intervention using a valid and reliable researcher-made questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 25 and Chi-square, independent t-test, paired t-test and analysis of covariance.

The mean age of participants was 35 ± 4. 63 years and about 70% had high school and university education. Covariance analysis showed that, after the educational intervention, there is a significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of knowledge, attitude, abstract norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention variables (P-value <0.05). Also, the average battery recycling behavior in housewives of the intervention group improved significantly after the educational intervention (P-Value <0.001).

The level of knowledge, attitude, and practice for battery recycling increased after the educational intervention. Therefore, continuous training for battery recycling is recommended.

Nowdays athletes use performance-enhancing substances (any type of nutritional, physical, mechanical, psychological, or pharmacological action) for a variety of reasons, including increasing their ability to perform physical activity and improve performance. The main reason for using these substances is attributed to the positive attitude towards them. These substances are categorized into authorized and unauthorized substances. The aim of this study was to investigate the implicit and explicit attitudes of Iranian male athlete students toward performance-enhancing substances.

This research was of descriptive-analytical type. The statistical population were athelete students in the Tehran province. A total of 64 subjects were selected based on the available sampling method. To test the studentschr('39') attitudes, a standard doping-based image test was used. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20 software.

The results showed that athlete students had a positive attitude towards dietary supplements in both explicit and implicit attitudes. However, they had a negative explicit attitude towards doping but a positive implicit attitude toward it (p- value <0.05). There was also a significant difference between the studentschr('39') implicit and explicit attitudes toward doping (p- value <0.05). But there was no difference in implicit and explicit attitudes towards permitted dietary supplements.

The use of implicit attitudes can be considered as a new approach in preventing doping and its side effects among professional and even non-professional athletes.

Desirable sexual relations of couples is one of the most important causes of happiness and success in married life. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment based therapy on sexual satisfaction of infertile women.

This applied research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The study population included all infertile women referred to 6 infertility centers in Isfahan in 2019-2020, out of whom, 40 women were selected by the available sampling method and then randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group was exposed to 9 training sessions based on acceptance and commitment therapy and were evaluated in three stages of pre-test, post-test, and follow-up using the Hudson-Harrison Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 26 and using repeated measures mixed analysis test.

The results showed that the mean of sexual satisfaction in the experimental group increased compared to the control group in the post-test and follow-up stages (P-Value<0.05). However, no significant difference was observed in the sexual satisfaction of control group in the three stages. The results of mixed analysis also showed that the interaction effect of time × group on sexual satisfaction was statistically significant (P-Value=0.001, F=10.71) and the implementation of the independent variable led to an increase in sexual satisfaction in the experimental group.

Acceptance and commitment based therapy is effective in increasing and improving the quality of life and sexual satisfaction in infertile women.

The present study investigated the effect of noise on blood pressure and heart rate of workers in an oil and gas industry in Khuzestan province.

This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 60 employees of one of the oil and gas industries who worked in administrative, warehouses, and operation units. A demographic questionnaire, a Beurer blood pressure monitor (BC16), and a sound level meter (TES1358) were used for data collection. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured before, during, and after the work. ANOVA and Paired Sample Test were used for data analysis in SPSS software.

Occupational exposure of administrative, warehouse, and operation unit workers to noise were 50-60, 85-75 and 95-85 dBA, and their heart rate was 79.38, 82.12, and 85.73 beats per minute (BPM), respectively. Before exposure to noise the mean heart rate of workers in the operation unit was 82.29±3.58 BPM and after exposure it was 85.73±1.92 BPM, and the difference was statistically significant (P-Value<0.001). The mean blood pressure of exposed to noise workers was significantly higher than that of non-exposed to noise workers (P-Value<0.001). The heart rate of operation unit workers was significantly higher, compared to other studied workers (P-Value<0.001).

Considering the effect of noise on blood pressure and heart rate and the direct relationship between these parameters and cardiovascular diseases, it can be claimed that noise is one of the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases.

 The aim of this study was to compare the effect of acceptance and commitment-based therapy on psychological distress, coping styles, and quality of life and perception of patients with type 2 diabetes.

 The present study was an applied research and in terms of research methodology, it was of pre-test post-test quasi-experimental type with the control group. The statistical population of the study included patients with type 2 diabetes who referred to medical centers and the Diabetes Association of Tehran in the age range of 30 to 60 years. An available sampling method was used to select the participants and they were randomly assigned to two groups of acceptance and commitment based therapy (n=20) and control group (n=20). Data were collected using Quality of Life Questionnaire, Conflict Response Questionnaire, Disease Perception Questionnaire and Psychological Distress Scale. Acceptance and commitment therapy (9 sessions of 90 minutes per week) was performed in the intervention group. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.

 The results showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of psychological distress, body image, and eating disorders (P-Value<0.05). The mean scores of psychological distress, emotion-oriented coping styles, and attention-grabbing in the intervention group in the post-test were lower than the control group (P-Value<0.01). Also, the mean scores of problem-solving coping styles, social entertainment, quality of life, and perception of the disease in the intervention group in the post-test, were higher than those of the control group (P-Value<0.01).

 Commitment treatment based therapy had a significant effect on psychological distress, coping styles, quality of life, and disease perception in the intervention group and this therapeutic method is proposed for reducing the psychological disorders and improving the quality of life in type 2 diabetes patients.