Health-Related Quality of Life and its Associated Factors in COVID-19 Patients

Objectives@#Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is one of the most important outcome measures for patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate HRQoL and related factors in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. @*Methods@#A total of 420 COVID-19 patients who had been discharged from hospital were selected using a systematic sampling. The EuroQol 5-dimensional-5 levels (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire along with medical records of the patients were used to gather the data. The t test and analysis of variance were employed to test the difference between mean EQ-5D-5L scores, and the BetaMix model was used to investigate factors associated with EQ-5D-5L scores. @*Results@#The mean score for the patients who completed the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire (n = 409) was 0.6125. The EQ-5D-5L scores were significantly higher in males, patients with younger age , those with a low level of education, the employed, patients who worked in uncrowded workplaces, patients without diabetes, and those who were not admitted to intensive care unit. The BetaMix model showed that gender, age, education, employment status, having diabetes, heart failure, and admission to the intensive care unit were significant independent predictors of the EQ-5D-5L index values. @*Conclusion@#The mean score for EQ-5D-5L in COVID-19 patients was low in this study. Some of the factors, especially aging and having diabetes, should be considered in the aftercare of patients to improve their HRQoL.

[Evaluation of physical and chemical quality of groundwater in Northern Cities of Golestan Province [Bandar Torkaman, Kordkoy, Bandar-e Gaz] in 2005-2010]

Introduction and Aims: Access to safe water in terms of physical, chemical and microbial parameters is one of the health care providers of community. Testing and analyzing are essential to understand the safety of potable water. The purpose of this study is investigating the chemical and physical quality of drinking water resources in cites of Bandar Torkaman, Bandar Gaz and Kordkoy

Material and Methods: In this descriptive and crosses- sectional study, 43 samples of deep wells were collected from 3 cities during 2006-2010. 15 parameters analyzed according to standard methods, comparing to the WHO standards

Results: The results revealed the parameters of EC 625,992,650 micromho/cm, TDS 273, 535,523 mg/l, Nitrate 9/7,10.9,9.9 mg/l, Sulfate 19, 25.6, 39.2 mg/l and Chloride 22, 182, 185 for Bandar Gaz, Bandar Torkaman and Kordkoy, respectively. Also, the average value of hardness in drinking water 185, 255 and 317 mg/l calcium carbonate for Bandar Gaz, Bandar Torkaman and Kordkoy, respectively. According to hardness of water quality Bandar Gaz and Bandar Torkaman, Kordkoy ranged between hard and very hard water group. Fluoride concentration ranged from 0.3 to 0.4 ppm, where 100% samples showed fluoride less than permissible limit

Conclusion: According to results, the mean concentration of most physico -chemical parameters except fluoride concentration in Bandar Gaz, Bandar Torkaman and Kordkoy drinking water resources is within the Iran and WHO standard limitations

Prediction and modeling of fluoride concentrations in groundwater resources using an artificial neural network: a case study in Khaf

Background: one issue of concern in water supply is the quality of water. Measuring the qualitative parameters of water is time-consuming and costly. Predicting these parameters using various models leads to a reduction in related expenses and the presentation of overall and comprehensive statistics for water resource management

Methods: the present study used an artificial neural network [ANN] to simulate fluoride concentrations in groundwater resources in Khaf and surrounding villages based on the physical and chemical properties of the water. ANN modeling was applied with regard to diverse inputs

Results: the MLP[1] model with eight inputs of parameters such as root mean square error [RMSE] and correlation coefficient of actual and predicted outputs exhibited the best results. The lowest fluoride concentration [0.15 mg L[-1]] was found in Sad village, and the highest concentration [3.59 mg L[-1]] was found in Mahabad village. Based on World Health Organization [WHO] standards, 56.6% of the villages are in the desirable range, 33.3% of them had fluoride concentrations below standard levels, and 10% had higher than standard concentrations of fluoride

Conclusion: the simulation results from the testing stage for MLP[1] as well as the high conformity between experimental and predicted data indicated that this model with its high confidence coefficient can be used to predict fluoride concentrations in groundwater resources

Effectiveness of training intervention to improve medical student's information literacy skills / 한국의학교육

This study aimed to assess the efficiency of delivering a 4-month course of “effective literature search” among medical postgraduate students for improving information literacy skills. This was a cross-sectional study in which 90 postgraduate students were randomly selected and participated in 12 training sessions. Effective search strategies were presented and the students' attitude and competency concerning online search were measured by a pre- and post-questionnaires and skill tests. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 using t-test. There was a significant improvement (p=0.00), in student's attitude. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) was 2.9 (0.8) before intervention versus the mean (SD) 3.9 (0.7) after intervention. Students'familiarity with medical resources and databases improved significantly. The data showed a significant increase (p=0.03), in students' competency score concerning search strategy design and conducting a search. The mean (SD) was 2.04 (0.7) before intervention versus the mean (SD) 3.07 (0.8) after intervention. Also, students' ability in applying search and meta search engine improved significantly. This study clearly acknowledges that the training intervention provides considerable opportunity to improve medical student's information literacy skills.

Quality of life in chronic hepatitis B and C patients

Chronic hepatitis B and C are prevalent diseases, especially in developing countries. In many of the patients they cause limitations in physical and mental functions and finally cause reduction in their life quality. We wanted to assess the quality of life in these patients. This research was done on 74 chronic hepatitis B and C patients of Rasht which their diseases were confirmed by serologic and histologic methods and their hepatic enzymes including AST and ALT was two times more than normal range for at least 6 months. Cross-sectional questionnaire survey performed in October 2003 till Jully 2004 in Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center of Rasht [north city of Iran], Razi hospital. The questionnaires consisted of 29 questions that were given to the patients and they were let free to complete it. The individuals under survey consisted of 15 [20.27%] chronic hepatitis B patients and 59 [79.72%] chronic hepatitis C patients. 54 [72.79%] ones were male and 20 [27.02%] were female. Total adjusted score [up to 100 points] of life quality was 54.4 +/- 22.5. No meaningful difference was seen between two sexes based on total score of life quality. Also, in different fields of life quality no significant difference was seen between two genders, except the systemic signs that the average of adjusted score of females [43 +/- 28] was less than males [63 +/- 27] that means meaningful statistical difference [P < 0.007]. Generally, it seems that chronic hepatitis B and C have untoward life qualities which could result from concern of decrease of social support or fear of society or decrease in patronage of the family or friends and it is mandate to be concerned when furnishing services to these patients

Efficacy of Lamivudine therapy on decompensated liver cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis B

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of lamivudine on liver function and clinical status of the patients with decompensated cirrhosis arising from hepatitis B virus [HBV]. In a clinical trial on the basis of liver consideration in 55 patients with cirrhosis that had positive HBsAg and HBV DNA, Child-Pugh score more than 8 and some other criteria were treated with lamivudine. In these patients, serum level of bilirubin, albumin, ALT, AST and also the PT-INR were controlled at the beginning of study and then at intervals of 2 to 6 months and finally 12 months after the start of treatment. Five patients died in the first 6 months of treatments. The following results are related to 50 patients being under treatment with lamivudine at least for a period of 6 months. In these patients mean Child-Pugh score was decreased from 11 +/- 2 to 7 +/- 1 [P < 0.0001]. All of the patients tolerated this drug very well. Lamivudine can be effective in improvement of liver function in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis resulting from HBV, but for determination of proper period of treatment, further studies are necessary