ABSTRACT
Objective@#Iran has a low incidence of cervical cancer (CC). The country is introducing an organized screening system, including human papillomavirus screening. Studies show a high dropout rate among eligible women in continuing testing. @*Methods@#This descriptive-analytic study was part of the first phase of a clinical trial conducted on a random sample of 400 women aged 18–49 in Andimeshk City, Khuzestan Province, in 2020. The data collection tool consisted of a man-made questionnaire that included domains of demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude, practice, and self-efficacy in the Pap smear test. The data were analyzed with Stata-16 using linear and logistic regression models. @*Results@#The mean knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy scores were 6.80±2.33, 34.99±4.32, and 28.67±7.34, respectively. In the multiple models, every unit increase in the knowledge or attitude scores raised the mean self-efficacy score by 1.04 and 0.48, respectively (P<0.001). Every unit increase in the knowledge and self-efficacy scores increased the chance of performing Pap smear 1.61 and 1.41 times, respectively (P<0.001). @*Conclusion@#Given the association of women’s knowledge and self-efficacy with practice in performing the Pap smear, it seems that an effective program promoting women’s health behavior regarding CC screening would include applied education to raise community awareness and improve women’s attitudes, self-efficacy, and practice.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#Iran has a low incidence of cervical cancer (CC). The country is introducing an organized screening system, including human papillomavirus screening. Studies show a high dropout rate among eligible women in continuing testing. @*Methods@#This descriptive-analytic study was part of the first phase of a clinical trial conducted on a random sample of 400 women aged 18–49 in Andimeshk City, Khuzestan Province, in 2020. The data collection tool consisted of a man-made questionnaire that included domains of demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude, practice, and self-efficacy in the Pap smear test. The data were analyzed with Stata-16 using linear and logistic regression models. @*Results@#The mean knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy scores were 6.80±2.33, 34.99±4.32, and 28.67±7.34, respectively. In the multiple models, every unit increase in the knowledge or attitude scores raised the mean self-efficacy score by 1.04 and 0.48, respectively (P<0.001). Every unit increase in the knowledge and self-efficacy scores increased the chance of performing Pap smear 1.61 and 1.41 times, respectively (P<0.001). @*Conclusion@#Given the association of women’s knowledge and self-efficacy with practice in performing the Pap smear, it seems that an effective program promoting women’s health behavior regarding CC screening would include applied education to raise community awareness and improve women’s attitudes, self-efficacy, and practice.
ABSTRACT
Distribution of Tuberculosis [TB] has a special template affected by geographic and social factors. Nowadays Geographical Information System [GIS] software is one of the most important and useful epidemiologic devise for identifying geographic areas and high risk population for infection by TB. Aim of this study was assessment of Tuberculosis distribution by GIS in Khuzestan province, Iran. In this retrospective cohort study, documents of 6363 TB patients identified, in Khuzestan province at the beginning of 2005 until the end of the September of 2012 were assessed and sampling method was census. The data was gathered by TB-Register Center. TB incidence was evaluated by GIS maps according to climatic and vegetation with 1:25, 000 scale. The data was analyzed in SPSS software and means plot and Independent's t-test, ANOVA with a significance level of less than 5% and Eta Correlation. Spread of Tuberculosis in climatic and vegetation were plotted in GIS maps, accumulative incidence rate was calculated separately for each area. There was a statistical significant relationship between cumulative incidence rate of disease and climatic [P=0.017] and the Eta correlation coefficient was 0.379 [P=0.011]. There was a statistical significant relationship between cumulative incidence rate of TB and vegetation [P=0.004] and the Eta correlation coefficient was 0.388 [P=0.188]. Mean age and median age of patients were 39.3 +/- 18 and 35+6.5 years respectively. For women, mean age was 2.1 years older than men and this difference was statistically significant. [P=0.0001]. The risk of TB infection is closely associated with the climatic and vegetation. So the risk of TB in extra-dry climate and vegetation of highland meadows is more than other areas. Special care and services to high-risk areas is recommended
ABSTRACT
Background: Tuberculosis is still one of the main causes of mortality and disability in developing countries. Despite of socio-economic development of communities and controlling majority of communicable diseases, With respect to importance and high incidence of Tuberculosis in marginal provinces, the present study was aimed to assess the epidemiology of Tuberculosis
Methods: In this Descriptive-Analytical Retrospective Study, documents of 6363 patients diagnosed with TB in the beginning of March 2005 to the end of the September 2012 in Khuzestan province, Iran, by used census sampling size, were used. Demographic variables and other necessity data were recorded by TB-Register software and then these data were analyzed by SPSS 16.0 software and Chi-square and independent t-tests with a significance level of less than 5%. For comparison Tuberculosis incidence in consecutive years used by Poisson tests [with a significance level of less than 5%]
Results: mean age of patients and median age of patients were 39.3+/-18 and 35+/-6.5 years, for women mean age was older 2.1 years than men and there was significant relationship to age [P=0.0001]
Of all patients 75.7% were pulmonary tuberculosis, 2.7% were infected with HIV and 91.2% were new cases. Cumulative incidence in province was 148.84/100,000. Most prevalent in Non-pulmonary TB was Lymphatic glands. Poisson test showed that changing trends of TB incidence in study years was statistically significant [P=0.05]
Conclusion: Increasing concurrent of HIV infection and TB and decreasing patients mean age [39.3+/-18] and median [35+/-6.5] in southwest of Iran has high prevalence. Screening, training and preventive activities for controlling of disease is highly recommended for the whole country and in margin provinces in particular