Determining dimensions of Iranians' individual social health: a qualitative approach

Social health is important to be assessed as a dimension of health. The aim of study was to determine domains and sub-domains of individual social health of Iranians. This study was carried out with a qualitative approach, using thematic content analysis. Twenty five experts participated in interviews, using individual semi-structured interviews between November 2010 and June 2011. This data supported with strong search. Two main areas extracted from these interviews including social support and social function. The social support domain contained seventeen sub-areas, including social support at the time of disease; disability; daily life issues, etc. And the social function as second domain contained twelve sub-areas, including: financial aids to others; emotionally aids to others; participating in social groups, etc. We developed a conceptual framework for social health in the individual level in Iranian population. It makes preparations for providing a valid and reliable measurement scale for social health in next studies and evidence-based policy-making

What to do to promote mental health of the society

According to the last existing documents, the prevalence rate of mental disorders is about 20% which is considered to be 14% of all country's burden of disease. In the fifth economical, social, and cultural development plan of the country in accordance with the 20 year vision, "healthy human being" and "comprehensive health" approaches and also improving of mental health indicators are emphasized. Aim of study was preparing national policy and interventions for promoting mental health. Using secondary data, analytical review of country's mental health programs, recommendations of WHO, descriptive situation of mental health and its trend during the last decade were drafted and a group of experts and stakeholders was formed following a sound stakeholder's analysis. After three Focus Group Discussions [FGDs], main points of the meetings, influencing factors of present situation, and oncoming strategies were agreed upon. Based on different studies and the experts' opinions, the prevalence of mental disorders in the last decade has increased. Coverage of mental health programs in two last decades in the best could be equal to rural population. Urban areas have been deprived of these services. Analysis of mental health system of the country shows that internal environment is weak and the external one is concede to be in threat. Eight principal challenges in country's mental health are considered. Improving current situation requires increasing internal capacity of mental health system and developing inter-sectoral cooperation. During next five years, the Ministry of Health, Iran should mainly focus on improving mental health services particularly in urban and peri-urban areas, promoting mental health literacy of different groups and minimizing mental health risk factors

randomized, double-blind, placebo - controlled study of safety of the adjunctive saffron on sexual dysfunction induced by a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

Recent studies have indicated potential of saffron for applying in a wide variety of diseases such as psychiatric and neurologic disorders. The concurrent use of saffron with SSRIs can lead to reducing the dose of SSRIs. Saffron at a dose of 200 mg may change some hematological and biochemical parameters. The goal of this trial was to assess the safety of concomitant administration of saffron and SSRI in patients with major depressive disorder [MDD]. Twenty adult outpatients between 18 to 55 years-old with the diagnosis of MDD who were receiving an SSRI for at least 1 month prior to the initiation of the study entered this double-blind trial. They were randomly assigned to receive capsule of saffron [15 mg twice daily] or placebo. Some laboratory parameters were measured at baseline and week 4 of the study. Other side effects checked on a prepared list of side effects, were systematically recorded throughout the study at baseline and on a weekly basis. Saffron as an add-on medication to SSRIs for 4 weeks did not cause any statistically significant changes in laboratory parameters including AST, ALT, ALP, BUN, Cr., FBS, TG, TC, WBC, RBC, Hgb, Ht, PT, INR, and Pl count. This preliminary study provides safety evidences of concurrent intake of saffron and SSRI

[Investigation of the needed religious commandments in the natural unexpected disasters]

Most of Iranian populations, which are Muslim, attach great importance to their religious rituals in the natural unexpected disasters. Some groups of people paid more attention due to their religious commandments observation in disasters such as affected people, clergy and relief workers. This research aims to study the needed religious commandments for both groups in natural unexpected disasters. In this cross-sectional study, it was assessed people's needs for religious issues and also relief workers and the clergy in the affected areas after earthquake and flood by using questionnaires and descriptive method. According to the most participants, knowing about the necessary religious issues was evaluated and considered as a [very important] item in the natural unexpected disasters and they [deeply] care about its compiling. Collecting and compiling juridical problems and religious issues required in natural unexpected disasters are essential therefore appropriate measures should be taken

[ level of marital adjustment in dormitory students]

The aim of this project was to evaluate the level of marital adjustment and the relation between marital adjustment and some demographic variables in a group of students residing at the dormitories of Tehran University of medical sciences. This is a descriptive-cross sectional study.The instrument to collect data was the marital adjustment questionnaire. The subjects for this study were 148 residents of married students dormitory of Tehran University of Medical Sciences [74 males, 74 females]. Data were analyzed by chi-square and Fisher's LSD. This project indicated 75.8% marital adjustment and 24.2% incompatibility. Among evaluated variables, there were significant correlations between the variable marital adjustment and both age difference between the couples as well as duration of marriage in years. Marital adjustment is reduced with the raise in age difference between the couples and duration of marriage

Combination of fluoxetine and nortriptyline in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorders

There is growing interest in investigating noradrenergic functions in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder [OCD] because some antidepressants with strong effects of serotonin reuptake inhibition fail to relieve obsessive-compulsive symptoms. We undertook a trial to investigate whether the combination of fluoxetine with nortriptyline is more effective than fluoxetine alone. Thirty nine patients who met the DSM-IV criterias for OCD were included in the study. Patients were allocated in a random fashion, 19 patients to fluoxetine 40mg/day plus nortriptyline 40mg/day and 20 patients to fluoxetine 40mg/day plus placebo. Although both protocols significantly decreased the scores of the Yale-Brown obsessive-compulsive scale over the trial period, the combination of fluoxetine and nortriptyline showed a significant superiority over fluoxetine alone in the treatment of OCD. As this study indicates, a rapid onset of action is one of the advantages of this combination. This study supports further investigation of the noradrenergic-serotoninergic hypothesis in OCD