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Potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) is a major public health concern with several undesirable health consequences for older adults. In this overview, we aimed to map and gather information from existing literature to provide a better insight into the prevalence of PIP among community dwellers. Electronic databases were searched from their inception to April 2022. The quality of the included systematic reviews (SRs) was assessed using the assessment of multiple systematic reviews checklist. The degree of overlap within the SRs was also evaluated (2% overlap). All SRs on the prevalence of PIP in older individuals in community settings were included, and a narrative approach was used to synthesize data. Nineteen SRs comprising 548 primary studies met the inclusion criteria, and the average quality of the included SRs was moderate. More than half (50.5%) of the primary studies were conducted in Europe, followed by the United States (22.8%), and Asia (18.9%). Thirty different criteria were used in the primary studies to estimate the prevalence of PIP. The most widely used criteria were those presented in Beers (41.8%) and STOPP (Screening Tool of Older Persons’ Prescriptions)/START (Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatment) (21.8%) criteria. Benzodiazepines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and antidepressants were the most frequently reported PIPs. A considerable variation in the prevalence of PIP ranging from 0% to 98% was reported by SRs. However, there is a high degree of uncertainty regarding the extent of PIP in community settings. To identify knowledge-to-action gaps, SR authors should consider the differences in prevalence of PIP according to settings, applied tools, data sources, geographical areas, and specific pathologies. There is also a need for primary and SR studies from low- and middle-income countries regarding the prevalence of PIP.
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Background@#Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed tumorous cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. This study aimed to qualitatively explore the barriers to mammography adoption among Iranian women. @*Methods@#This study is a qualitative component of a large research project on exploratory sequential mixed method design, utilizing conventional content analysis. In total, 24 participants were selected from among women who had participated in the first phase of the study. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. @*Results@#Five main themes were extracted, consisting of unawareness of mammography, fear control, priority of mammography needs, inadequate competency of mammography centers, and a sense of losing family support. @*Conclusion@#Different perceived barriers within various levels (individual, intrapersonal, health systems, and community) play influential roles in women’s decisions to participate in breast cancer screening program, which indicates the cultural aspect of perceived barriers in different communities and countries. The study provides the basis for intervention planning in this regard.
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OBJECTIVES: Substance abuse behaviors among university freshmen in Iran are poorly understood. This study aimed to identify, for the first time, subgroups of university freshmen in Iran on the basis of substance abuse behaviors. Moreover, it examined the effects of socio-demographic characteristics on membership in each specific subgroup. METHODS: Data for the study were collected cross-sectionally in December 2013 and January 2014 from 4 major cities in Iran: Tabriz, Qazvin, Karaj, and Khoramabad. A total of 5,252 first-semester freshmen were randomly selected using a proportional cluster sampling methodology. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify subgroups of students on the basis of substance abuse behaviors and to examine the effects of students' socio-demographic characteristics on membership in each specific subgroup. RESULTS: The LCA procedure identified 3 latent classes: the healthy group; the hookah experimenter group; and the unhealthy group. Approximately 82.8, 16.1, and 2.1% of students were classified into the healthy, hookah experimenter, and unhealthy groups, respectively. Older age, being male, and having a family member or a close friend who smoked increased the risk of membership in classes 2 and 3, compared to class 1. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 2.1% of freshmen exhibited unhealthy substance abuse behaviors. In addition, we found that older age, being male, and having a close friend or family member who smoked may serve as risk factors for substance abuse behaviors.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Friends , Iran , Risk Factors , Smoke , Smoking , Substance-Related DisordersABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Substance abuse behaviors among university freshmen in Iran are poorly understood. This study aimed to identify, for the first time, subgroups of university freshmen in Iran on the basis of substance abuse behaviors. Moreover, it examined the effects of socio-demographic characteristics on membership in each specific subgroup.METHODS: Data for the study were collected cross-sectionally in December 2013 and January 2014 from 4 major cities in Iran: Tabriz, Qazvin, Karaj, and Khoramabad. A total of 5,252 first-semester freshmen were randomly selected using a proportional cluster sampling methodology. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify subgroups of students on the basis of substance abuse behaviors and to examine the effects of students' socio-demographic characteristics on membership in each specific subgroup.RESULTS: The LCA procedure identified 3 latent classes: the healthy group; the hookah experimenter group; and the unhealthy group. Approximately 82.8, 16.1, and 2.1% of students were classified into the healthy, hookah experimenter, and unhealthy groups, respectively. Older age, being male, and having a family member or a close friend who smoked increased the risk of membership in classes 2 and 3, compared to class 1.CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 2.1% of freshmen exhibited unhealthy substance abuse behaviors. In addition, we found that older age, being male, and having a close friend or family member who smoked may serve as risk factors for substance abuse behaviors.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Friends , Iran , Risk Factors , Smoke , Smoking , Substance-Related DisordersABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES@#Substance abuse behaviors among university freshmen in Iran are poorly understood. This study aimed to identify, for the first time, subgroups of university freshmen in Iran on the basis of substance abuse behaviors. Moreover, it examined the effects of socio-demographic characteristics on membership in each specific subgroup.@*METHODS@#Data for the study were collected cross-sectionally in December 2013 and January 2014 from 4 major cities in Iran: Tabriz, Qazvin, Karaj, and Khoramabad. A total of 5,252 first-semester freshmen were randomly selected using a proportional cluster sampling methodology. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify subgroups of students on the basis of substance abuse behaviors and to examine the effects of students' socio-demographic characteristics on membership in each specific subgroup.@*RESULTS@#The LCA procedure identified 3 latent classes: the healthy group; the hookah experimenter group; and the unhealthy group. Approximately 82.8, 16.1, and 2.1% of students were classified into the healthy, hookah experimenter, and unhealthy groups, respectively. Older age, being male, and having a family member or a close friend who smoked increased the risk of membership in classes 2 and 3, compared to class 1.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Approximately 2.1% of freshmen exhibited unhealthy substance abuse behaviors. In addition, we found that older age, being male, and having a close friend or family member who smoked may serve as risk factors for substance abuse behaviors.
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As adolescent tobacco smoking has become a widespread problem in developing countries, it is time to understand the cognitive determinants of adolescents' decisions to engage in tobacco smoking. This study aimed to investigate the predicting factors associated with tobacco smoking among male adolescents based on Prototype Willingness Model [PWM] as a theoretical framework. This descriptive-analytical study was carried out on 810 male adolescents of Hamadan City western Iran, recruited with a multistage sampling method. The data-gathering tool consisted of a questionnaire based on the PWM constructs. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-19 software, by bivariate correlations, liner and logistic regression tests. The prevalence of current tobacco smoking was 17.2%. Behavioral willingness and subjective norms were the most important predictors of behavioral intentions, whereas subjective norms, attitude and prototype were the most important predictors for behavioral willingness. The result obtained from logistic regression analysis revealed that both pathways of PWM constructs [behavioral intention [OR=1.207; 95% CI: 1.13, 1.28] and behavioral willingness [OR=1.334; 95% CI: 1.25, 1.41] were significant predicting factors for tobacco smoking among male adolescents. The framework of the PWM is applicable and useful in understanding tobacco smoking among male adolescents. In addition, the results revealed the importance of social reaction path when examining adolescents' smoking status
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Hookah smoking has increased worldwide especially among youth and young adults and has been identified as an emerging threat to public health. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of hookah use and related factors in a sample of Iranian college students. This study took place in Tabriz [northwest of Iran] in April and May 2011. The randomly selected sample consisted of 1837 college students. Data was collected in a survey. A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure religious belief, parental support and risk taking behaviors including hookah smoking. Logistic regression model was performed in data analysis. The prevalence of hookah smoking was 8.5% [CI95%: 7.3-9.9]. After adjustment, being male [OR= 2.01], living in single house in comparison with living with parents [OR= 2.22], smoking [OR= 5.96] and ever drug abuse [OR= 3.02] were factors associated with students' hookah use. Our results showed a low prevalence of hookah smoking in Iranian college female students and revealed some of its associated factors. We demonstrated the co-occurrence of risky behaviors which emphasizes the importance of interventions aimed at reducing or preventing different high risk behaviors simultaneously
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Religion , Family , Students , Surveys and Questionnaires , Risk-TakingABSTRACT
Background: Self-medication with over the counter [OTC] and non OTC drugs may provoke serious consequences for users and societies. Recognition of its predictors therefore, is pivotal in plans to hinder the aggregating behavior. This study aimed to identify possibly all predictors of self-medication and the range of its prevalence among different populations
Methods: Medline, Amed, Scopus, Medlib, SID, Pub Med, Science Direct, and super searcher of Google Scholar were scrutinized using "self-medication", "self-prescription" and "self-treatment" key words without a time limit with special focus on Iranian studies. Authors independently assessed the title, abstract and full text of identified articles for inclusion and any disagreement was resolved with consensus
Results: The range of reported self-medication in the 70 included publications was 8.5-98.0%. Having a minor illness [15 studies], health care costs [9 studies], lack of adequate time to visit a physician [11 studies], prior experience [7 studies] in using a drug and long waiting time to visit a qualified practitioner [5 studies] were most frequently reported reasons of self-medication
Conclusion: The observed diversity in the reported prevalence and reasons of self-medication among different sub-groups of populations [e.g. males vs. females] and between developed and developing countries highlights the importance of explanatory behavioral chain analysis of self-medication in different population groups and countries. Even within a single country, predictors of this harmful practice could be inconsistent. Lack of sufficient quality re-search to identify precipitating factors of self-medication in developing countries is paramount
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One of the most important factors affecting relapse of addiction is craving beliefs of substance use. The goal of the present study was assessment of the effectiveness of coping skills education program to reduce craving beliefs among opium addicts. In a randomized controlled trial, during September 2011 to August 2012, 70 opium addicted men referred to the Behavioral Disorders and Substance Abuse Research Center in Hamadan, western Iran were assigned to intervention group [receiving coping skills education program] and control groups. The study information was analyzed using SPSS software. Regarding craving beliefs for continuing drug use, the two groups had similar scales at the beginning of interventional program, while the level of these beliefs was significantly reduced in the intervention group [P = 0.002], but not in the control group [P = 0.105]. Also, a significant correlation was also revealed between taking advantage of the educational program and increase awareness of the signs of relapse in the intervention group [P = 0.003] that was not revealed in the control [P = 0.174]. On the other hand, executing coping skills education program led to reduce craving beliefs and improve knowledge towards signs of relapse. Our findings demonstrate positive impact of coping skills education program after detoxification process on decrease of craving beliefs among opium addicts
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The purpose of the present study was [a] to assess the relationship between physical activity and the intensity and duration of menopausal symptoms, [b] to investigate the relationship between physical activity and the four domains of health-related quality of life [HRQOL] and [c] to assess the relationship between physical activity and chronic diseases. This descriptive-analytical study that was conducted in Tabriz City, Iran. Data were collected in 2012 by personal home-based interviews, using structured questionnaires. All participants [n= 273], who were middle-aged [age range of 40-60 yr] were recruited from two of the 25 urban health service centers' clients, by clustered random sampling allocation. There was a positive significant relationship between Psychological, Social, and Environmental domains of HRQOL with physical activity [P<0.001]. In addition, a negative significant relation was found between somatic complaints including sexual problems [P< 0.017] and vaginal dryness [P<0.030] as well as joint-muscular discomfort [P<0.018], and the level of physical activity. Diabetic [P<0.047] and women with history of heart disease [P<0.040] performed 2.670 and 3.548 hours more than who were not. Regular physical activity would be effective in decreasing menopausal symptoms as well as improving healthy aging and also physical activity promotion as a part of healthy life style promotion programs needs to be improved in communities where women are physically inactive. In addition, women need to be informed about importance of physical activity on their life which it leads to feel healthy aging and pre and post- menopausal stages
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The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictive factors of psychoactive and hallucinogenic substanceabuse among college students in Hamadan. This descriptive cross sectional study was carried out on 400 college students of Hamadan which were recruited with a stratifiedsampling method. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis was done with the SPSS software [version 13], using CHI[2] tests and logistic regression methods. The results showed that lifetime prevalence of methamphetamine, ecstasy and LSD were 18, 8.5 and 4.8%, respectively. In logistic regression, factors influencing psychoactive substanceuse were status of dwelling, having drug user friends and use of other drugs [P<0.05]. The high prevalence of psychoactive and hallucinogenic substance abuse which is usually accompanied by use of other drugs should be considered in educational programs