[Vulnerability analysis of women's health in disasters and recommended strategies for risk reduction: a qualitative study]

Women are one of the most vulnerable groups in disasters. The aim of this study was to identify the influential factors of the vulnerability of women and proposed strategies for risk reduction the vulnerability of women's health in disasters. This study conducted in 2007 and consisted of two methodologies. The first was a narrative review and the second was a qualitative study [focus group discussion] to determine the views and opinions of decision makers with respect to influential factors and strategies for improving approaches of women's vulnerability in disasters. The main findings of this study were lack of presence of women especially in the responsible government agencies, lack of needs assessment regarding women in disaster situation, lack of legal support of women, lack of credit allocation to women in disaster management, absence or lack of female directors and experts in domain of disaster management, dispatch often men relief workers to affected areas without women's in the team, lack of specialized training centers for women's relief workers. The main strategies that could reduce the vulnerability of women in disasters are strengthening public education, enable women through communication networks, reinforce practical skills for women facing disaster, creating and reinforcing women's NGOs for the purpose of forming its humanitarian activities in crisis prevention, legislation to support of women, to conduct appropriate researches and presenting the results to relevant authorities to take advantage of the plan to deal with disaster [e.g. to determine the needs of women survivors of the disaster], allocation of quotas to women for employment in the relevant organizations, defined some positions responsible for women in the category headquarter and dispatched teams to undergo disaster regions, and train dispatched teams to improved their skills in all areas related to women's health especially in reproductive health in disaster and crisis situations

World AIDS day campaign in Iran: a population-based study

This was a population-based study to examine whether the campaign for World AIDS Day 2005 in Iran was successful. A random sample of the general population was asked whether they had seen the campaign and knew the message. They were also asked whether it was attractive; there was anything offensive, whether the campaign could raise awareness, and how they rated the campaign. In all 1215 individuals were approached and 1014 agreed to take part in the study. Only 43% [n= 435] said that they had seen the campaign. Of those who had seen the campaign 79% knew the subject and 24% acknowledged the main message correctly. Only 27% said it was very attention getting or eye-catching, 64% said the campaign could raise awareness but 75% said the message was unclear, and confusing. A few respondents [23%] rated that the campaign overall looked good or very good. The findings suggest that if the World AIDS Day is an opportunity to give visibility to the problem, then there is an urgent need to think seriously to choose other approaches for raising global awareness on the state of the epidemic in Iran and elsewhere

[Knowledge translation: a model for research utilization]

The present study was aimed to design a knowledge transfer model that would provide a conceptual framework for linking the different components of a knowledge translation cycle. Such a theoretical model will enable us to organize and evaluate the current situation and design further studies on the transfer of research generated knowledge. This research, performed in 2006-7 in Tehran University of Medical Sciences, utilized two district methodologies: the first part was a narrative review with the goal of identifying the existing knowledge transfer models; the second part included focus group discussions to find out the views and opinions of researchers and decision-makers concerning the factors that promote or hinder knowledge translation within the health system. The two studies have provided the input for designing a "Knowledge Translation Cycle" with five domains: Knowledge Creation, Knowledge Transfer, Research Utilization, Question Transfer, and the context of University. Within each domain, the model includes two components [with the exception of the university context]. This model offers a theoretical basis for identifying the basic requirements and the linking mechanisms for the translation of knowledge

[Self-assessment in research organization [Application of the knowledge translation model]]

The main purpose of the study was the development of a self-assessment tool for research organizations to enable them to assess knowledge translation in their own settings. The development of this self-assessment tool is done based on a narrative review and subsequent focus group discussions, to design a knowledge translation model that would provide a conceptual framework for linking the different components of a knowledge translation cycle, which reported previously. Repeatability of the self-assessment domains was assessed in the 21 participants using intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]. Each participant filled the form twice within a two-week interval. The internal consistency for each domain was estimated in the 45 study subjects using Cronbach's alpha. This self-assessment tool is an instrument that allows stakeholders in a research organization to review their own knowledge translation activities. This tool consists of 50 statements in four domains; 1- The research question, 2- Knowledge production, 3- Knowledge transfer and 4- Promoting the use of evidence. The respective ICCs and Cronbach's alpha for the four domains were 0.94 and 0.79 for the research question, 0.87 and 0.70 for knowledge production, 0.90 and 0.86 for knowledge transfer, 0.48 and 0.27 for promoting the use of evidence. This self-assessment tool is a way of listing the wide range of variables that affect knowledge translation at organizational level. Although the tool is intended for use by a group of people and not by individuals, it is not a survey instrument and its results should not be interpreted quantitatively. Therefore, this self-assessment tool can be useful for assessing the knowledge translation activities of each research organization, thereby identifying its shortcomings and seeking ways to improve them

Herbal medicine: Knowledge, attitude and practice in Tehran

Herbal medicine is one of complementary medicine [CAM] approaches that refer to a group of therapeutic and diagnostic disciplines that exists largely outside the institutions where conventional health care is taught and provided for treating patients. Herbal medicine is discipline based on systems practiced thousands of years ago. World health organization reported that more than 60% of world's population are using herbal components for their treatments. Herbal medicine is an increasing feature of healthcare practice, but considerable confusion remains what exactly it is and position the disciplines included under this term should hold in relation to conventional medicine. To study the Knowledge, attitude, and practice of complementary medicine [KAP Study]. Design of this study was cross-sectional. Setting was Tehran city and study conducted on Oct 2003 - Oct 2004. Studied samples were 4123 subjects [more than 15 years old age] who were selected with cluster sampling. Data gathered with questionnaire. This survey showed that 75/6% of the studied population knew herbal therapy and 38.4% of total population and 50.8% of population who knew about herbal therapy, had used it once at least. More than 60% of population of different areas of Tehran city knew this therapy and 19-70% of this population had been used it. Most subjects have heard about this type of therapy from others. Most of subjects who used herbal therapy expressed that it was very effective. Most of them referred to non-physicians and most of their diseases were gastro-intestinal, respiratory and nervous system diseases. Female, married subjects and elderly were the most users of herbal therapy. Public knowledge and demand for herbal medicine is considerable. Demand for herbal medicine had growth therefore we need more attention in planning for treatments and academic approach to herbal medicine. Health system provision might go some way to ensure certain minimum standards such as proper regulation, standardized note keeping, effective channels of communication [patients also want to be protected from unqualified practitioners and inappropriate treatments] and participation in research