ABSTRACT
This study developed and validated a questionnaire to measure the sexual health of patients with spinal cord injuries [SCI]. This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Brain and Spinal Injury Research Center [BASIR], Tehran, Iran. Extensive review of literature, expert opinions, and encounters with SCI patients were used to develop and validate the questionnaires. There were 40 [32 males, 8 females] patients with SCI that presented for treatment at BASIR who enrolled in the study. Participants completed the questionnaires while they were admitted for medical care and during treatment follow-up visits. Participants completed the questionnaires twice, at a 2-4 week interval. Reliability testing for each measure was performed separately. Cronbach's alpha was used for internal consistency and test-retest was used for reliability. An expert committee approved the face and content validities of the questionnaires, Internal consistency of our questionnaires, was acceptable according to Cronbach's alpha that ranged from 0.73 for the sexual activity measure to 0.90 for the sexual adjustment measure. Test-retest reliability was satisfactory. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient [ICC] of measures ranged from 0.65 for sexual function to 0.84 for sexual activity. The sexual health measures has provided a valid assessment of sexuality-related matters in this sample of patients with SCI, which suggests that evaluation of sexual well-being may be useful in clinical trials and practice settings. Overall, the sexual health measures shows good internal consistency and test-retest reliability
ABSTRACT
The goal of this study was to assess attitude towards plagiarism in faculty members of Medical School at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. One hundred and twenty medical faculty members of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. They were asked to answer to valid and reliable Persian version of attitude towards plagiarism questionnaire. Attitude toward plagiarism, positive attitude toward self-plagiarism and plagiarism acceptance were assessed. Eighty seven filled-up questionnaires were collected. Mean total number of correct answers was 11.6 +/- 3.1. Mean number of correct answers to questions evaluating self-plagiarism was 1.7 +/- 0.4 and mean number of correct answers to questions evaluating plagiarism acceptance was 1.4 +/- 0.2. There was no significant correlation between plagiarism acceptance and self-plagiarism [r=0.17, P=0.1]. It is essential to provide materials [such as workshops, leaflets and mandatory courses] to make Iranian medical faculty members familiar with medical research ethics issues such as plagiarism
ABSTRACT
Studies have shown that patients with Spinal Cord Injury [SCI] are susceptible to various diseases including dislipidemia and Cardiovascular Disease [CVD]. In this study for the first time, we evaluated the relationship between dietary intake and metabolic variables of 162 patients. This cross sectional study was done in Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All of the consumed food items and the variables were measured. Independent-sample t-test was used for comparison of dietary intake and serum profile. Multiple regression analysis was used to estimate predicting variables of serum variables. Men as compared to women had higher triglycerides [TG] levels and lower HDL-C levels [p<0.05]. Patients with paraplegia compared to those with tetraplegia had significantly higher total cholesterol and LDL-C levels [p<0.001]. In regard to serum profile, there is a positive correlation between LDL-C levels and age [p<0.05]. Dietary intake of saturated fat showed positive correlation with FBS [p<0.05]. Moreover, there is a significant negative correlation between LDL-C levels and dietary intake of PUFA [p<0.05]. Body Mass Intake [BMI], cholesterol intake and level of trauma were positive predictors for serum cholesterol. Waist circumference, level of injury and cholesterol intake were positive predictors for serum LDL. Moreover, PUFA intake and education level were negative predictor for serum LDL. Despite low intake of saturated fat and cholesterol in older participants, serum LDL level was high. Male group had higher levels of TG. So, attention to dietary intake of patients with SCI and encouraging healthy dietary habits may have important effects on their health