[Occupational exposure to a mixture of organic solvents and prevalence of hypertension in workers of a car manufacturing company]

Hypertension [HTN] is a common disease with various complications for health. A number of studies suggested that some organic solvents can affect blood pressure and usually workers in work environments expose to mixtures of solvents. We decided to survey the effects of a mixture of organic solvents on blood pressure in workers of a car manufacturing company. In a cross-sectional study, systolic and diastolic blood pressure [SBP and DBP] of 179 workers of a car manufacturing plant was measured. Workers in the repair location as non-exposure group and workers in the paint location as exposure group were compared in terms of systolic and diastolic blood pressure [SBP and DBP] and prevalence of hypertension and pre-hypertension. There were no statistically significant differences between groups in the variables, age, employment duration, smoking and other confounding factors [p>0.05]. The mean values of SBP and DBP was significantly higher in exposure group than non-exposure group [p<0.001]. After logistic regression analysis with adjustment of confounding variables, prevalence of pre-hypertension and hypertension was significantly higher in exposure group than non-exposure group [p<0.05]. Further, in this study there was a significant association between hypertension and variables such as age, smoking, body mass index, regular exercise and shift work [p<0.05]. Our results suggested that, exposure to mixture of organic solvents can increase prevalence of hypertension in car manufacture workers. Therefore, more attention should be paid to such workers by prevention and periodic monitoring of blood pressure.

[Comparing stress level of woman nurses of different units of Iran university hospitals in autumn 2009]

Background: occupational stress consists physical and emotional impacts on workers and decreased efficacy is its consequence. Nursery as a main axis of the health care system involves an occupational stress needs to cover by a management system. Recent studies focused on this aim. We targeted to evaluated stress level among the nurses of Iran University Hospitals

Material and Methods: 84 Female health nurses were evaluated by job stress brief questionnaire and divided to groups by some demographic criteria's, comparing them together based on the questionnaire score

Results: the results have shown an intermediate level of stress among our targets. Stress had fewer level among married group. Urgency agents had a high significant amount of stress compare the others

Conclusion: occupational stress influence efficacy of health nurses. Strategies to control personnel stress is necessary. Wards could divide nurses based on stress. Marriage had a significant effect on nurses occupational stress level. More steps may modify by learning the psycho method

[Quality of life in workers with occupational dermatologic diseases that referred to Rasoul hospital in 2009]

Occupational disease as a common title of both industrial and medical fields discussed so much recently. These disorders could affect quality of life directly or by the means of a primary etiology. In a cross sectional study we gathered all related data of workers. Sampling done by all cases sampling method. We assessed quality of life in Iranian involved workers, by WHOQOL-BREF quality of life questionnaire. The mean of Hamilton score was 63.5[SD=8.8], which had shown a decreased quality of life among this population. In the other hand the mean of all 4 sections of the questionnaire were below the normal level. Work related skin disorders could affect quality of life may be resulted from primary cause or arise from the disease directly. We suggest more studies with control groups, and compared with other diseases, about quality of life

Is hypnotherapy effective in relapse rates of drug dependence and reducing withdrawal symptoms?

This study was performed to assess the effect of hypnotherapy on withdrawal symptoms and the relapse rates of substance use. In a clinical trial, 22 subjects at the detoxification stage who were eligible for the study were randomly assigned to the case and control groups. Each group similarly took part in the cognitive therapy sessions. Additionally, the case group took five sessions of hypnotherapy. After six months of follow-up, relapse rates of the two groups were compared. Also, in the case group, the effect of autohypnosis on symptoms of withdrawal was evaluated. By the end of the study, there were 40% and 73% relapse in the case and control groups, respectively. Subjective reports on positive effects of autohypnosis were 88% on insomnia, 80% on restlessness, 60% on pain, and 33% on autonomic symptoms. According to the findings of this study, autohypnosis has no significant effect on the relapse rates in opium users, but the effect was clinically prominent