Substance abuse behaviors among university freshmen in Iran: a latent class analysis / 한국역학회지

OBJECTIVES: Substance abuse behaviors among university freshmen in Iran are poorly understood. This study aimed to identify, for the first time, subgroups of university freshmen in Iran on the basis of substance abuse behaviors. Moreover, it examined the effects of socio-demographic characteristics on membership in each specific subgroup.METHODS: Data for the study were collected cross-sectionally in December 2013 and January 2014 from 4 major cities in Iran: Tabriz, Qazvin, Karaj, and Khoramabad. A total of 5,252 first-semester freshmen were randomly selected using a proportional cluster sampling methodology. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify subgroups of students on the basis of substance abuse behaviors and to examine the effects of students' socio-demographic characteristics on membership in each specific subgroup.RESULTS: The LCA procedure identified 3 latent classes: the healthy group; the hookah experimenter group; and the unhealthy group. Approximately 82.8, 16.1, and 2.1% of students were classified into the healthy, hookah experimenter, and unhealthy groups, respectively. Older age, being male, and having a family member or a close friend who smoked increased the risk of membership in classes 2 and 3, compared to class 1.CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 2.1% of freshmen exhibited unhealthy substance abuse behaviors. In addition, we found that older age, being male, and having a close friend or family member who smoked may serve as risk factors for substance abuse behaviors.

Substance abuse behaviors among university freshmen in Iran: a latent class analysis / 한국역학회지

OBJECTIVES: Substance abuse behaviors among university freshmen in Iran are poorly understood. This study aimed to identify, for the first time, subgroups of university freshmen in Iran on the basis of substance abuse behaviors. Moreover, it examined the effects of socio-demographic characteristics on membership in each specific subgroup. METHODS: Data for the study were collected cross-sectionally in December 2013 and January 2014 from 4 major cities in Iran: Tabriz, Qazvin, Karaj, and Khoramabad. A total of 5,252 first-semester freshmen were randomly selected using a proportional cluster sampling methodology. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify subgroups of students on the basis of substance abuse behaviors and to examine the effects of students' socio-demographic characteristics on membership in each specific subgroup. RESULTS: The LCA procedure identified 3 latent classes: the healthy group; the hookah experimenter group; and the unhealthy group. Approximately 82.8, 16.1, and 2.1% of students were classified into the healthy, hookah experimenter, and unhealthy groups, respectively. Older age, being male, and having a family member or a close friend who smoked increased the risk of membership in classes 2 and 3, compared to class 1. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 2.1% of freshmen exhibited unhealthy substance abuse behaviors. In addition, we found that older age, being male, and having a close friend or family member who smoked may serve as risk factors for substance abuse behaviors.

Substance abuse behaviors among university freshmen in Iran: a latent class analysis / 한국역학회지

OBJECTIVES@#Substance abuse behaviors among university freshmen in Iran are poorly understood. This study aimed to identify, for the first time, subgroups of university freshmen in Iran on the basis of substance abuse behaviors. Moreover, it examined the effects of socio-demographic characteristics on membership in each specific subgroup.@*METHODS@#Data for the study were collected cross-sectionally in December 2013 and January 2014 from 4 major cities in Iran: Tabriz, Qazvin, Karaj, and Khoramabad. A total of 5,252 first-semester freshmen were randomly selected using a proportional cluster sampling methodology. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify subgroups of students on the basis of substance abuse behaviors and to examine the effects of students' socio-demographic characteristics on membership in each specific subgroup.@*RESULTS@#The LCA procedure identified 3 latent classes: the healthy group; the hookah experimenter group; and the unhealthy group. Approximately 82.8, 16.1, and 2.1% of students were classified into the healthy, hookah experimenter, and unhealthy groups, respectively. Older age, being male, and having a family member or a close friend who smoked increased the risk of membership in classes 2 and 3, compared to class 1.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Approximately 2.1% of freshmen exhibited unhealthy substance abuse behaviors. In addition, we found that older age, being male, and having a close friend or family member who smoked may serve as risk factors for substance abuse behaviors.

[Body mass index and mental health in people referring to assadabadi health center in Tabriz, Iran]

Obesity is known as a public health issue. In addition to common problems,it also affects the mental health. The environmental factors are very effective on mental health among which nutrition and BMI have a critical role. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between BMI and mental health in Tabriz Assadabadi Health Center. This cross-sectional and analytic study was performed out on 500 people referring to assadabadi health center in Tabriz Assadabadi Health Center. Using a questionnaire, individual, population and community information was obtained from each case including sex, age, weight, height, family size, income, education, and occupation. A 28-itemGeneral Health Questionnaire [GHQ] was used for evaluation of mental health. Data were analyzed using Mann-whitney test. This study was performed on 127 men and 373 women, with mean age of 37.92 and 32.85 years, respectively. The BMI of 36.5% of the cases was in normal range, 33.5% of cases were overweight, and 22.9% were obese. Regarding mental health indexes, 51.8% of the subjects were healthy and 48.2% were unhealthy according to GHQ-28. There was a significant statistical relationship between BMI and mental health condition [p= 0.015]. The results of this study underlined that body weight could be related to mental health

association of the transitions in smoking stages with prevalence of cigarette smoking in the classes and schools: a longitudinal study

Adolescent tobacco use remains a major public health priority to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use in community. The aim of this study was determining the association of the transitions in smoking stages with prevalence of cigarette smoking in the classes and schools in adolescents of Tabriz City [northwest of Iran]. Fifty-six high schools were randomly selected, and 4903 students completed a self-administered questionnaire on cigarette smoking twice with a 12-months interval in 2010 and 2011. Transition from experimenter to regular smoker stage was associated with the prevalence of cigarette smoking in the school. The results have shown the association of student's smoking uptake with the prevalence of cigarette smoking in the school. This highlights the importance of enforcing smoke free policies in schools

Comparing the recognition of emotional facial expressions in patients with obsessive-compulsive and major depression

Recognition of emotional facial expressions is one of the psychological factors which involve in obsessive-compulsive disorder [OCD] and major depressive disorder [MDD]. The aim of present study was to compare the ability of recognizing emotional facial expressions in patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and major depressive disorder. The present study is a cross-sectional and ex-post facto investigation [causal-comparative method]. Forty participants [20 patients with OCD, 20 patients with MDD] were selected through available sampling method from the clients referred to Tabriz Bozorgmehr clinic. Data were collected through Structured Clinical Interview and Recognition of Emotional Facial States test. The data were analyzed utilizing MANOVA. The obtained results showed that there is no significant difference between groups in the mean score of recognition emotional states of surprise, sadness, happiness and fear; but groups had a significant difference in the mean score of diagnosing disgust and anger states [p<0.05]. Patients suffering from both OCD and MDD show equal ability to recognize surprise, sadness, happiness and fear. However, the former are less competent in recognizing disgust and anger than the latter

algorithm of smoking stages assessment in adolescents: a validation study using the latent class analysis model

Not withstanding the importance of smoking stages evaluation in adolescents, there is not an appropriate instrument for its measurement. This study aims to introduce an appropriate instrument for measurement of smoking stages in adolescents and to examine its validity using latent class analysis [LCA] model. We designed an algorithm to measure the smoking stages. The relevancy and clarity of the algorithm was examined by experts and lay experts. We assessed the reliability of our algorithm using test retest method. Moreover, using the LCA, we studied the validity of the stages measured by the designed algorithm in 4903 students [ages 14-19], who were randomly selected from grade 10 high school students in Tabriz [North West of Iran]. The algorithm content validity indicates high relevancy and clarity percentages. Intra-class correlation of 0.929 was found in the assessment of the reliability of smoking stages [9 stages] in 154 students within a two week interval. The LCA model revealed nine interpretable classes [G[2] = 0.051, df = 1, P = 0.821] for the measurement of smoking stages. Examination of the smoking cessation stages in a sample of 218 students in the cessation stage demonstrated that the results for five classes could be interpreted [G[2] = 0.001, df = 1, P = 0.975]. The results suggested that this algorithm is clear, valid, and reliable.

Smoking stages in an Iranian adolescent population

The aim of this study is determining the prevalence of smoking stages in adolescents of Tabriz city [northwest of Iran] and identifying the personal, environmental, and psychological factors relating to cigarette smoking. Fifty-seven high schools were randomly selected, and 4903 students were completed a self-administered questionnaire about cigarette smoking and the related risk factors. The association of independent variables with cigarette smoking was evaluated using the ordinal logistic regression model. In total, 17.3% of the participants were experimenters [95% CI: 15.8-18.9] and 5.0% were regular smokers [95% CI: 3.7-6.2]. The results showed that the male gender [OR=2.92; CI: 1.94-4.77], age [OR=1.27; CI: 1.02-1.64], having general risk taking behavior [OR=1.50; CI: 1.02-2.21], presence of a cigarette smoker in the family [OR=1.78; CI: 1.23-2.54], friendship with close cigarette smoker friends [OR=2.52; CI: 1.65- 3.86], substance abuse experience [OR=8.27; CI: 2.61-25.61], attitude toward cigarette smoking [OR=1.22; CI: 1.10-1.27] and positive thinking about cigarette smoking [OR=1.05; CI: 1.01-1.14] are associated to cigarette smoking in adolescents. The cigarette smoking prevalence is minimal in Tabriz city adolescents, especially in girls; but the experimenter prevalence is considerable. Findings of this study justifies adopting more serious measures in the pre-adolescence and adolescence period

[Intolerance of uncertainty and worry among patients with generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder]

The aim of the present study was to compare intolerance of uncertainty and worry among patients with generalized anxiety disorder [GAD], obsessive-compulsive disorder [OCD] and normal individuals. Thirty one patients with GAD, thirty one patients with OCD and thirty one normal individuals were selected via inconvenient sampling. Data gathering was done using Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale [IUS] and Penn State Worry Questionnaire [PSWQ]. The data were analyzed in multivariate analysis of variance model [MANOVA]. The results showed significant differences in the subscales "uncertainty leads to the inability to act" and "uncertainty is stressful and upsetting", and in "worry" between three groups of GAD, OCD and normal [p<0.0001]. The differences between OCD and GAD groups with normal group were significant in intolerance of uncertainty and two subscales: "unexpected events are negative and person should avoid them" and "uncertainty is unfair" [p<0.0001]. Intolerance of uncertainty is a common feature of OCD and GAD. Coping strategies for decreasing uncertainty differentiate these two disorders

Intention to start smoking and its related factors in never smoked adolescents in Tabriz, 2010

Intention to smoking is a strong predictor of future smoking behavior. The aim of this study is identifying the personal, environmental, and psychological factors relating to intention to smoking in adolescents of Tabriz city [Northwest of Iran]. Four thousand nine hundred and three [4903] students were randomly selected and completed a self-administered questionnaire about cigarette smoking, intention to smoking, and the related risk factors through multi-stage sampling. The association of independent variables with intention to smoking was evaluated using the multi-variable logistic regression model. The mean age of student was 15.7 +/- 0.73 years, and 42.9% of the samples were male. The results showed that 95.0% of students were in committer stage [students who had never smoked and were sure never start smoking]. Having general risk-taking behavior [OR 2.90; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-6.97], smoker in the family [OR 2.60; 95% CI: 1.20-5.61], and positive attitude towards cigarette smoking [OR 1.30; 95% CI: 1.18-1.43] had statistically significant association with intention to start smoking in future. Majority of non-smokers have firm decision to not start smoking in the future. Having general risk-taking behavior, smoker in the family, and positive attitude towards smoking are associated with intention to smoking in adolescents

Tourette's syndrome, chronic tics, and comorbid attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in elementary students

This study estimated the true prevalence of chronic motor and vocal tic disorders, and Tourette's syndrome in students as well as its comorbidity with attention deficit deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]. A random clustered sample of elementary students was selected from schools in Tabriz, Iran. Students were screened by Conner's teacher rating scale for ADHD and a detailed history from parents and teachers for the presence of any type of tic was obtained. Next, a clinical interview based on the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version [K-SADS-PL], and an interview with parents lead to the definitive diagnosis. A total of 1658 children were evaluated. Vocal tic was observed in 3.2% [ +/- SD = 0.02] students, and was more prevalent in boys. ADHD was diagnosed in 45.5% of these students. Motor tic was observed in 7.3% [ +/- SD = 0.02] of students. Almost half [48.1%] of these students had ADHD. Tourette's syndrome was observed in 1.3% [ +/- SD = 0.01], with a male/female ratio of 3.5:1. This is the first study to provide the prevalence of chronic tics in elementary school students in Iran. ADHD is more common among students with chronic tics and Tourette's syndrome

Celiac disease in patients with chronic psychiatric disorders

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of celiac disease in Iranian patients suffering from chronic depression or schizophrenia. Psychiatric disorders are common in untreated celiac disease. Two hundred Iranian inpatient men with in chronic phase of depressive disorders or schizophrenia, and 200 age-matched healthy male subjects were screened for celiac disease by anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies. The mean age of the study patients was 37 years. One [1%] schizophrenic and two [2%] depressive patients were positive for anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies; duodenal biopsy was not possible in these subjects. In the control group one [0.5%] individual was positive for anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies, but had normal duodenal histology. The difference between patients and controls was not statistically significant. The frequency of celiac disease serology in schizophrenic and depressive inpatients was not significantly higher than that in the general population. We would therefore not advocate systematic serologic screening in these patients, but alertness to celiac disease should be kept in mind

[ incidence rate of the delibeate self-injury in male high school pupils, Tabriz- Iran]

Self-injury [SI], also called self-mutilation or cutting, is highly stigmatized emotional disorder. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence rate of self-injury among male pupils in Tabriz - North West in Iran and to evaluate the associated risk factors. In this longitudinal study of all the pupils high school in Tabriz, 1772 [13.7%] were randomly sampled, and assessed in this and subsequent year. A self-administered questionnaire with 48 questions was distributed to high school in February and March 2005. After one year [February and March 2006], another questionnaire with 10-items was distributed to those students to determine the incidence rate of self-injury. The influence of different factors on self-injury was evaluated with a logistic regression model. The mean age of the subjects was 16.3 +/- 0.87 [min 15, max 19] years. At the end of follow-up, 4.8% of pupils reported incidence of self-injury. Most type of incidenced self-injury were cutting and burning. The results of logistic regression model indicate that transition in smoking stages [OR=2.81], incidence of alcohol drinking [OR=2.27] and having smoker friend [OR=1.78] were factors associated with incidence of self-injury. This study showed that incidence rate of self-injury in this group of adolescents was 4.8% in one year, which related to age, alcohol and ciggaret smoking

Study on serum homocysteine level in Alzheimer's disease and its relationship with the stage of this disease

To investigate homocysteine levels in Alzheimer's disease and its relationship with the severity of disease. This investigation was performed as a case-control study on 40 Alzheimer patients and 40 non-Alzheimer patients in Tabriz, Iran from May 2006 to September 2007. Alzheimer patients were selected based on the criteria of the American Psychological Association. The severity of illness was determined based on Reisberg scale. Mental status of the patients was evaluated by Mini Mental State Examination [MMSE]. The serum levels of homocysteine were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The average serum homocysteine level in the 40 patient group was 23.01 +/- 14.40mmol/L, and in the 40 patient control group was 15.40 +/- 6.23 [p=0.003]. The average serum homocysteine level in the first group of patients was 21.7 +/- 12.7mmol/L, in the second group 22.3 +/- 13.8, and in the third group 24.9 +/- 17.2. The relationship between MMSE score and serum homocysteine level of patients was not significant [p=0.4]. The average serum homocysteine level in Alzheimer patients was higher than in the control group, however, it did not show a significant relationship with the severity of illness

Cigarette smoking among Iranian adolescents

Smoking is a worldwide health problem. Despite recent efforts to reduce the rate of smoking, adolescent smoking still remains a significant public health concern. Current study was conducted to determine the effects of socio-environmental and personal factors on the smoking among adolescents. In the first stage of a longitudinal study of smoking in adolescents, 1785 students in Tabriz city were randomly selected. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information about demographic characteristics and self-esteem of the subjects and their attitude towards smoking. Information was also gathered about the smoking habits of the subjects, their families and friends. The association of different variables with smoking was evaluated by a logistic regression model and Chi square test using SPSS. Mean age of the subjects was 16.3 +/- 0.87 years. 77.4% of them reported that they never smoked. 18.2% had experimented the cigarette smoking at least once. But 4.4% said that they were regular smokers. Having a smoker family member [OR=1.40] or a smoker friend [OR=3.43] and a positive attitude toward smoking [OR=1.23] were significantly associated with a higher prevalence of smoking. An educational program aimed at changing the attitude towards smoking may be a successful primary prevention method

epidemiological survey of mental disorders among adults in the north, west area of Tabriz, Iran

To find out prevalence of mental disorders in the North West Area of Tabriz, Iran and their association with demographic factors such as gender, marital status, education and age. In this cross sectional study 1017 households were chosen using systematic randomized sampling and 2624 individuals above the age of seventeen years and above. We obtained information on psychiatric disorders by using Duke University Questionnaire. Four hundred fifty two people were interviewed by two psychiatrists based on the DSM-IV criteria. The SPSS-11 version was used for analysis. The probability of mental disorder was 19.4% in women and 8.59% in men. The overall prevalence of psychiatric disorders was 14.4%. Etiological studies provide usefull information for planning provision of mental health care. Further studies are needed to find out the prevalence of mental disorders in the community