Quality of life in Iranian elderly population using the SF-36 questionnaire: systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Ageing is a major known risk factor that is a threat to human health. To date, many studies have investigated quality of life [QOL] among the elderly population in the Islamic Republic of Iran. However, their results were inconsistent.

Aims: We designed this systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the overall mean score of QOL based on the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire [SF-36] among the Iranian elderly population.

Methods: We searched international databases [Medline, Scopus and Science Direct] and national databases [Science In-formation Database, MagIran, IranMedex and Irandoc] up to February 2015. We included all cross-sectional studies that evaluated QOL among the Iranian elderly population using SF-36.

Results: Of 2150 studies identified, 15 were included in the meta-analysis. The mean scores for QOL in the 8 scales were: 47.58, 51.75, 55.42, 55.78, 59.55, 51.54, 47.85 and 51.31 for physical-role, physical function, mental health, bodily pain, social functioning, emotional-role, general health, and vitality, respectively.

Conclusions: Our results indicated that health-related QOL decreased with increasing age. QOL was worse in women than in men, especially in physical-role and general health scales. Elderly people who lived in a nursing home had lower QOL than those who lived in their own home. So, health policy-makers should design comprehensive programmes to improve health-related QOL for the Iranian elderly population

Predictors of miscarriage: a matched case-control study / 한국역학회지

OBJECTIVES: The risk factors for miscarriage vary across communities and countries. This study was conducted to investigate the predictors of miscarriage in the west of Iran. METHODS: This matched case-control study was conducted in Hamadan Province from April 2013 to March 2014. Cases were selected from women who had a recent spontaneous abortion and controls were selected from women who had a recent live birth. Two controls were selected for every case and matched for date of pregnancy and area of residence. Multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis was performed and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: Five hundred fifty cases were compared with 1,091 controls. The OR of miscarriage was 1.58 (95% CI=1.30-1.92) for every five-year increase in age, 0.20 (95% CI=0.14-0.28) for every live birth, and 3.43 (95% CI=2.03-5.79) for a history of previous spontaneous abortion. Compared to nulliparous women, primiparous or multiparous women had an OR of 17.85 (95% CI=6.65-47.91) for miscarriage. There was a strong association between miscarriage and abnormal amniotic status (OR, 2.46; 95% CI, 0.46-13.09) and also abnormal placenta status (OR, 10.44; 95% CI, 0.95-114.92); however, these associations were not statistically significant. No significant associations were observed between miscarriage and body mass index, previous history of stillbirth, low birth weight, congenital anomaly, ectopic pregnancy, impaired thyroid function, or high blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that miscarriage is a multifactorial outcome associated with several modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors that may vary among different communities.

Predictors of unintended pregnancy among married women in Hamada, Western Iran: a case-control study

Literatures that focus on the risk factors of unintended pregnancy among married women are limited especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of unintended pregnancy in a west region of Iran. This case-control study was conducted from September to November 2011 in Hamadan City, western Iran. A stratified cluster random sampling method was used for data collection. All participants were enrolled voluntarily into the study including 181 cases and 391 controls. Cases were married women with unintended pregnancy. Controls were married women with planned pregnancy. Of 572 participants, 31 [5.4%] women had not used any methods of contraception prior to the recent pregnancy. The proportion of using ineffective contraceptive methods such as withdrawal was higher in cases than in controls. The most effective predictor of unintended pregnancy was the number of previous alive children so that the risk of unplanned pregnancy increased 3.68 per one child [P<0.001]. This study introduced several effective predictors for unintended pregnancy among married women which may be useful for family planning programs. The high-risk population should be strongly advised to use highly effective contraceptive methods such as tubal ligation, vasectomy or OCP provided that being used correctly

Factors associated with mothers' beliefs and practices concerning injury prevention in under five-year children, based on health belief model

Injuries are the first leading but predictable, avoidable and preventable cause of death among under five-year children worldwide. The present study aimed to identify the factors associated with mothers' beliefs and practices concerning injury prevention in under five-year children. This cross-sectional study was conducted from August to October 2011 in Hamadan County, the west of Iran, enrolling 580 mothers with at least one under five-year child. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire including 85 questions regarding demographic characteristics; knowledge; practices; Health Belief Model [HBM] constructs; and history of injury occurrence among the children. The reliability of the questionnaire was evaluated by a pilot study using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data had been collected through interview with mothers, by trained interviewers. Almost 22.59% of mothers reported at least one injury in their under five-year children. Of 131 injuries occurred, 85 cases were mild, 23 cases were moderate, and 23 cases were severe. About 52.67% of injuries occurred in boys, 37.41% in less than one-year children, 73.28% at home, and 61.07% when the children were playing game. Fall [24.28%], burn [20.61%] and poisoning [14.50%] were the common causes of injuries. There was a positive correlation between mothers' practices and knowledge, perceived benefits, cues to action and self-efficacy and a negative correlation between mothers' practices and perceived susceptibility, severity, and barriers. Knowledge, perceived severity, perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy of mothers toward the injuries in children were among the most important predictive constructs, which may be used for planning educating programs