Association of Self-Care Behaviors and Quality of Life among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Chaldoran County, Iran

BACKGROUND: Self-care of diabetes is an essential part for controlling the disease and improvement of quality of life in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. This study aimed to analyze the associated factors of quality of life in patients with T2DM in order to design effective interventions. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 T2DM patients referred to health centers of Chaldoran, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. The quality of life's questionnaires from World Health Organization and the self-care behaviors' questionnaires were used for data collection. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 46.30% and 53.30% of them were male. Among demographic variables, gender (P=0.002), age groups (P=0.007), and household monthly income (P=0.009) were significantly associated with total quality of life. Also, self-care nutrition (odds ratio [OR], 1.47; P=0.001), self-management of blood glucose control (OR, 1.29; P=0.002), and self-medication behavior (OR, 1.18; P=0.030) were identified as factors significantly associated with quality of life. CONCLUSION: Self-care behaviors were significantly associated with quality of life; among them, the greatest influence was observed in self-care nutrition behavior. According to the findings of this study, appropriate interventions on self-care behaviors about nutrition can improve the quality of life for T2DM patients.

epidemiological characteristics of motorcyclists associated injuries in road traffics accidents; a hospital-based study

Objectives: To determine the epidemiology of injuries of the motorcyclists in road traffic accidents [RTIs] between 2008 and 2014 in East Azarbayejan province of Iran

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in East Azerbaijan province in Imam Reza hospital on motorcyclists subjected to injuries in RTIs between 2008 and 2014. Demographic characteristics [age, sex], duration of hospitalization, final status of injured people after discharge from the hospital, admission ward, number of admissions due to injuries in RTIs, nature of injury, and the clinical services provided to injured people were gathered from hospital information system [HIS]

Demographic characteristics [age, sex], duration of hospitalization, final status of injured people after discharge from the hospital, admission ward, number of admissions due to injuries in RTIs, injured site of the body, nature of injury, and the clinical services provided injured people were gathered from HIS. Standardized data collection form was used for uniform handling of the data

Results: Most of the victims [94.4%] were male. The most frequent injuries pertained to the age group of 18-30 with 1676 [51.4%] injuries. Head, abdomen, lower back, lumbar spine, and pelvis, were the most common injured sites, respectively. Reduction of fracture and dislocation and cranial puncture were the most common provided services

The lowest survival time belonged to the age group over 60 years old

Conclusion: Injuries to the head are the most prevalent injuries among motorcyclists in RTIs. So it is suggested that proper interventions be implemented to ensure wearing helmet by motorcyclist and pillion passengers