Comparison of lifestyle in fertile and infertile couples in Kermanshah during 2013

Infertility is a major reproductive health in gynecology. According to the world health organization, there are currently 50-80 million infertile couples in the world. Considering the critical effects of lifestyle on reproductive health, this study aimed to compare the lifestyle of fertile and infertile couples in Kermanshah during 2013. This research is a descriptive cross sectional study that was done on 216 fertile and infertile couples attending Infertility Center and six medical centers that were selected through the convenience sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire containing demographic and fertility-related information and also lifestyle items on nutrition, physical activity, perceived social support, responsibility for health, and inappropriate health behaviors. Descriptive statistics, logistic regression analysis, independent t, chi-square and Generalized Estimating equation were performed to analyze the data. Fertile and infertile women [86.1% and 73. 1% respectively, p= 0. 03] as well as fertile and infertile men were significantly different in terms of physical activity [87% and 96.3% p<0.001, respectively] and perceived social support [p<0.001]. Moreover, there was a significant difference between fertile and infertile women in nutrition [p<0.001]. Similar differences were observed in responsibility for health and inappropriate health behaviors between fertile and infertile men. However, all of the dimensions of lifestyle, except nutrition, were significantly different between fertile and infertile couples. As lifestyle plays a crucial role in reproductive health, the inappropriate lifestyle of infertile couples has to be modified through effective measures such as awareness promotion, behavioral changes, and development of a healthy environment

Problems of Clinical Nurse Performance Appraisal System: A Qualitative Study

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to explore problems of clinical nurse performance appraisal system. METHODS: This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach. The participants were purposively selected from clinical nurses working across all of the hospital units in a large metropolitan teaching hospital in Tehran, Iran in 2012. Data were collected using five focus group interviews, which were audio taped. The number of participants in each group ranged from 7 to 10. The semi-structured interviews were guided by a set of nondirective questions, and continued until the data reached saturation. Data were analyzed using framework analysis. RESULTS: Four major themes regarding the problems of clinical nurse performance appraisal system emerged from the analysis of textual data. These themes were contextual problems, problems related to performance appraisal structure, problems related to performance appraisal process and those related to performance appraisal results. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study reveal that the nurse performance appraisal system confronts with various problems. Some of these problems are related to organizational context while the others concerned structure, process and results of the performance appraisal system. In order to achieve high quality of patient care as the final goal of performance appraisal, changing and revision of this system is necessary.

Effects of fenugreek seed on the severity and systemic symptoms of dysmenorrhea

Primary dysmenorrhea is a prevalent disorder and its unfavorable effects deteriorates the quality of life in many people across the world. Based on some evidence on the characteristics of fenugreek as a medical plant with anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, this double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial was conducted. The main purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of fenugreek seeds on the severity of primary dysmenorrhea among students. Unmarried Students were randomly assigned to two groups who received fenugreek [n=51] or placebo [n=50]. For the first 3 days of menstruation, 2-3 capsules containing fenugreek seed powder [900 mg] were given to the subjects three times daily for two consecutive menstrual cycles. Pain severity was evaluated using a visual analog scale and systemic symptoms were assessed using a multidimensional verbal scale. Pain severity at baseline did not differ significantly between the two groups. Pain severity was significantly reduced in both groups after the intervention; however, the fenugreek group experienced significantly larger pain reduction [p<0.001]. With respect to the duration of pain, there was no meaningful difference between the two cycles in the placebo group [p=0.07] but in the fenugreek group, the duration of pain decreased between the two cycles [p<0.001]. Systemic symptoms of dysmenorrhea [fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, lack of energy, syncope] decreased in the fenugreek seed group [p<0.05]. No side effects were reported in the fenugreek group. These data suggest that prescription of fenugreek seed powder during menstruation can reduce the severity of dysmenorrhea

Spatial analysis of CO and PM10 pollutants in Tehran city

Nowadays, air pollution in cities with regard to its harmful outcomes has been turned into one of the serious challenges in urban management. Pollutants as Carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and the aerosols that are known to be among the most important factors related to heart, vascular, and lung disease, have underlined public welfare and health, and the organizations concerned with community health undertake remarkable expenses for disease coming out of these pollutants per year. Awareness of the air situation and its quality over periods and the process of air pollutants' changes in locations, and especially detection of high risk places can play an important and efficient role in urban health management and land use policy-making. In this paper, for the prediction of the possibility of occurring a pollutant in different locations, based on location information, one modern method of analysis entitled indicator kriging method is introduced. Since, nowadays, CO and PM10 are the two major pollutants in Tehran city, using the mentioned method, the probability of occurrence of each of them in Dey 1390 along with their accuracy is being measured and then a map is provided for the possible occurrence of these pollutants over the whole city of Tehran

[Effects of inhalation aromatherapy on female students' anxiety and depression settling in dormitory of Tehran University of Medical Sciences]

Aromatherapy, as an alternative medicine, is using of volatile oils for inducing psychological and physical well- being. In this study, the effects of inhalation aromatherapy in reducing anxiety and depression in female students of dormitory of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were investigated in 2008-2009. In this experimental study, 260 female students living in dormitory were selected and assigned randomly in 4 groups of 65 people as case and control according to two variables of anxiety and depression. The scales used in this study were Spillberger Anxiety Test and Beck Depression Inventory. At first, pre-test were taken. A mixture of essential oils of Lavender and Rose was inhaled for four weeks, half an hour for each night by the case groups [anxious and depressed]. For control group, only sesame oil inhalation was used. At the end of the second week, post-test 1 and at the end of fourth week, post-test 2 were taken. Students who received inhalation aromatherapy had significant improvement in anxiety and depression symptoms compared with pre-test and control group [p