[ effects of an educational intervention on knowledge, attitude and ergonomic behaviors]

Obviously, decreasing the work-related musculoskeletal disorders is well achieved through the application of ergonomic design principles however, there are occasions in which the existence of some barriers [technical and economical] can preclude ergonomic improvement and therefore, some organizations rely on correct task performance methods. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of educational intervention on worker's knowledge increase, attitude change, and ergonomic habits promotion. In this interventional study, workers were randomly assigned to one of the two study groups: a case group receiving the ergonomic training [n=75], and a control group [n=75]. Ergonomic training program composed of five sessions of 30-45 minutes duration containing issues such as ergonomic science, human body mechanic, upright and awkward postures, pros and cons of upright posture maintenance, and solutions for removal of obstacles, stretch exercise for prevention of musculoskeletal disorders, and workstation adjustment. Data were gathered before and 3 months after intervention by self-reporting questionnaire and checklist. Reliability was assessed by test-retest method and the internal consistency evaluated by Cronbach's Alpha. Statistical analysis was performed using X[2] test, McNemar test, independent t-test, and paired t-test. Worker's knowledge significantly increased from 7.97 +/- 2.91 to 14.07 +/- 1.98 and the attitude change from 14.29 +/- 6.5 to 21.63 +/- 4.7 three months after educational intervention [p> 0.05]. No significant change was observed in control group. Regarding the ergonomic risk factors, our findings were indicative of significant change in general body and feet posture, trunk, neck, and wrist and hands postures while other ergonomic risk factors remained unchanged Results from this study emphasize on necessity of integrated educational-managerial and engineering approach to promote the workplace ergonomic condition as well as considering the substantial role of psychosocial factors such as knowledge and attitude and focusing on personal skills for improving ergonomic habits to achieve a higher level of health promotion among human power

Assessment of health belief model structures along with HbAlC in diabetic patients with optimum and unfavorable diabetes control

Nowadays implementing educational models for identifying reasons of rejecting health issues in the treatment process is increasingly concerned. One of the models which has been a matter of concern in recent years is health belief model. The objective of this study is assessing the structures of this model along with HbAIC in diabetic patients. In this cross-sectional study 76 [insulin dependent and non-insulin dependent] diabetic patients who referred to diabetes clinic of Hormozgan University of Medical Science during July and August 2006 and had been detected as diabetic at least one year prior to recruitment, entered the study after filling consent form. Data collection was performed via 3 questionnaires including demographic information, health belief model and self-efficacy questionnaires. HbA1C was calculated by calorimetry and body mass index [BMI] were calculated. Data by SPSS software, using t-test and pearson's correlation coefficient. 46 women [60.5%] and 30 men were studied. Data analysis revealed that there is no significant difference between HbA1C and the following factors: amount of perceived barriers according to sugar control, amount of perceived self-efficacy based on sex, rate or perceived self-efficacy on the basis of literacy and sensitivity rate perceived by the number of years inflicted with diabetes. Diabetes control is not satisfactory in patients despite long term medication and prejudiced diets. The level of health belief model structures in patients with unfavorable diabetes control is lower than those with optimum control. Hence, a precise educational program based on health belief model is necessity for excelling severity and sensitivity perceived by patients, increasing the perceived benefits and removing perceived barriers

[ relationship between early admission in labor and the occurrence of obstetrical complications]

We evaluated the effect of the timing of admission in labor on the occurrence of obstetrical complications. The study involved a comparison between 460 low-risk nulliparous women who were admitted on labor unit in latent phase with 329 parturients admitted in the active phase with singleton pregnancy, intact membranes, and low risk as determined by their physicians according to the protocols of prenatal care. There were more cesarean deliveries in the latent phase than in the active phase [64/5% vs24/3% P < 0/0001] .The main reasons for cesarean delivery in the latent phase and active phase were dystocia and fetal distress. The rate of dystocia in the latent phase was greater than in the active phase. [32/6% vs 24/3% P=0/0048]. The oxytocin dose was greater in the latent phase than in the active phase [1/1 +/- 0/7 vs 0/18 +/- 0/1]. Our results show that more cesarean operations are performed in women admitted during the latent phase of labor

[Exploratory factor analysis of psychosocial determinats measures of physical activity amony iranian adolescent girls]

The present study aimed at assessing the psychometric properties of psychosocial determinants of physical activity-related measures in Iranian adolescent girls. These translated measures were administered to 512 ninth and tenth-grade Iranian high school students. The results of a series of factor analysis showed that the self-efficacy scale contained a single factor, the social support scale contained two factors: family support and friend support, the physical activity "pros and cons" scale contained two factors: physical activity pros scale and physical activity cons scale, the change strategies scale contained a single factor, the environment scale also contained a single factor. Chronbach's alphas, mean inter-item correlations and test-retest coefficients showed that these solutions were reliable. These preliminary results provide support for using the mentioned scales to measure psychosocial determinants of physical activity in Iranian adolescent girls

[Prevalence of asthma symptom in Iran: a meta-analysis]

Asthma is the most prevalent chronic disease in the world. To quantify the national prevalence of asthma symptom, we conducted a systematic review and random effects meta-analysis. After internet search for population-based estimates of Asthma prevalence in Iran, 19 papers were selected from 142 articles, dissertations and reports of research projects published between the years 1998-2003. All studies on children performed by ISAAC protocol were found. We entered the data from studies in children to NCSS software. We used funnel plot for publication bias. In the 19 accepted studies on children under the age of 18 years, 61067 children had been checked by the ISAAC protocol. The lowest prevalence of asthma is 2.7% from Kerman and the highest prevalence is 35.4% from Tehran. Overall prevalence of asthma symptoms in children is 13.14%, [95% confidence interval 9.97-16.30], at the national level. Based on this study the prevalence of asthma symptom in Iran is higher than international norms

[ study on the quality of parental-child relationship in addicted adolescents versus normal ones]

Because of the high number of Iranian adolescents that abuse substances and the severity of related consequences, adolescent substance abuse has become an important issue for Iranian families. An initial step toward understanding drug addiction is to recognize addiction as a problem that requires commitment to lifelong recovery efforts on the part of the individual and the family. The phenomenon of substance abuse among adolescents gradually becomes more common in every day life. Addiction to mood altering substances, irrespective of the addict's age, is a phenomenon powerful enough to destroy the sufferers and their families. Addiction is a disease that not only affect the addicts, but also their families. It is common knowledge that when treating or rehabilitating a chemical dependent person, efforts will most likely be futile when the person has no support system. The researcher noted that the success of rehabilitation of drug dependant adolescents is greatly influenced by the support and involvement of their families. The researcher also noted that the mothers of these adolescents seldom hesitated to be involved and on the contrary tended to be over involved with their children. Just the opposite appears to be true for the fathers of the adolescents. Although they attend parent meetings and other required events throughout treatment, they often seem to lack emotional involvement. With closer investigation it appeared that this was the "normal" pattern of functioning for these families. Lack of emotional involvement by fathers led the researcher to certain questions about such families, for instance "Did the adolescent turn to mood altering substances because of insufficient emotional involvement by his/her father, or did the father become emotionally distant after addiction had already set in?" and "What causes a father to be emotionally distant when his child suffers from addiction and needs emotional support and involvement from both parents?". These questions motivated the researcher to research the phenomenon. Subsequently the following question was formulated as a research question: "What is the quality of parental-child relationship in addicted adolescents versus normal ones?" The other hypotheses are as follow: - There are differences between the quality of father-child relationship in addicted adolescents versus normal ones in all aspects of relation. - There are differences between the quality of mother-child relationship in addicted adolescents versus normal ones in all aspects of relation. - There aren't any differences between the quality of fatherly and motherly relationship in normal adolescents. - There aren't any differences between the quality of fatherly and motherly relationship in addicted adolescents. The purpose of this study is to find an answer to above questions. Subjects are young adults referring to drug quitting centers in Tehran from which 30 have been chosen. Talking to them to be satisfied, they were asked to fill questionnaires. 30 normal students from junior high school level have been chosen concerning matching conditions. For gathering data Parental-Child Questionnaires were used. Results showed that the quality of parental-child relationship in adolescents of normal families in all aspects is better than addicted ones also the fatherly-child relationship in normal group is better than the latter ones; and it is the same for motherly-child relationship except in role confusion subscales. There was not any significant difference between fatherly and motherly relationship in normal families but among addicted children motherly relationship was somehow better