relationship between perceived life changes and mental health in family caregivers of patients with heart failure who referred to Rajaei cardiovascular medical and research center, Tehran

Caring for a patient with heart failure can be a challenging and stressful situation. However, researchers have paid less attention to caregiving outcomes in heart failure caregivers. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between perceived life changes and mental health of family caregivers of heart failure patients. Through a correlational design, a convenience sample of 90 Iranian family caregivers of patients with heart failure was selected. Data were collected using demographic-clinical characteristics form, Bakas Caregiving Outcomes Scale and General Health Questionnaire-28. Data were analyzed in SPSS using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis. Half of the caregivers reported that their lives had changed for the worse and nearly three fourths were suspected cases of mental disorders. There was a strong negative correlation between perceived life changes and mental health [r=-0.607, P<0.001]. This finding remained consistent [B=-0.522, P<0.001] even when potential confounding factors including caregiver's age [B=-0.222, P=0.016], caregiver's marital status [B=-6.085, P=0.025], and patient's age [B=-0.153, P=0.030] were controlled. Being younger, unmarried caregiver and caring of younger patients were identified as other correlated factors of poor caregivers' mental health. The strong negative correlation between perceived life changes and mental health in caregivers of patients with heart failure suggests that the heart failure caregivers with poor mental health may benefit from nursing interventions that improve appropriate coping with life changes related to caregiving

[Disability situation in disaster management in Iran [a literature review]]

Attention to people with disability is important at all stages of disaster management, besides reducing damage to these groups they cause to prevent the risk of many adverse and irreversible consequences of disasters. According to the previous experiences, not enough attention is being paid to the needs of the disabled people in national disaster management plans. However, this study aimed to collect and review the disability publications and studies conducted by Iranian researchers in order to describe characteristics of the existing evidences and also to explain the position of disabled people in disaster studies and researches in the country. On September 2013, the relevant documents searched by using six databases such as SID, Irandoc, Iran Medex, Magiran, Database of Iranian Rehabilitation and Med Lib. Several keywords such as disability, disabled people, disasters, hazards, events, crisis, and earthquake were applied without any time limit in the publication years. About 13,624 documents were retrieved in initial search; finally, 10 studies including articles and thesis were selected and studied based on the inclusion and exclusion and eligibility criteria. The articles described in three parts: 1] The study of the disability before disasters [2 articles]; 2] The study of the disability after disasters [4 articles]; 3] The disaster management studies related to pre-disaster and post-disaster phases [1 article]. The related thesis were conducted in Kerman University of Medical Sciences and Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences University and just explained in the form of first and second parts. The collected and studied existing scientific and academic documents on people with disability and disasters revealed inadequacy of related scientific resources and documentation. This considerable gap should fill with identifying the challenges and needs of all types of disabilities and reduce the risk of natural and man-made disasters for disabled people as well as improving their preparedness

Mental health in family caregivers of patients with heart failure

Family caregivers of patients with heart failure [HF] deal with a wide range of problems related to caregiving that influence their mental health. The aim of this study was to investigate the mental health status of the family caregivers of patients with HF. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 90 family caregivers of patients with HF, who referred Shahid Rajaei Cardiovascular Center, were selected through convenience sampling method. The data were collected using General Health Questionnaire [GHQ-28] for measuring mental health and were also analyzed by SPSS 16, and then processed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation test. The mean score of GHQ-28 was 33.06 +/- 14.34 [range: 9–72]. The majority of caregivers [74.4%] were suspected cases of mental health disorders. Regarding to instrument subscales, the prevalence of caregivers' problems were 65.6% in somatic symptoms, 82.2% in anxiety/insomnia, 83.3% in social dysfunction, and 25.6% in depression. The total GHQ-28 score of the caregivers gradually decreased with increasing patient's age as in the minimum age group of the patients [aged 40 years and lower], the highest mean score of GHQ-28 was observed [P < 0.05]. A considerable proportion of family caregivers of patients with HF were suspected cases of mental health disorders. A routine assessment of mental health in this group of caregivers should be considered to identify those at risk. Also, clinical team should design and implement effective programs aimed at improving the mental health, especially in caregiver who provide care for younger patients

Studying the Environmental health status and consumption of Baking soda in military and urban Lavash bakeries of Tehran in 2012

Consumption of baking soda, as a primary material for preparation of bread dough, has been banned due to its health complications in Iran. So bread production in our country faced difficulties and one part of them is related to health issues which are bread production. Also, in some cases, baking soda is used in the bread production. This study was done to study the environmental health status and consumption of baking soda in the military and urban Lavash bakeries of Tehran in 2012. This is a descriptive comparative study done on Lavash bread production of 14 military bakeries and 14 corresponding urban bakeries near them. PH in the samples was tested based on Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran No. 2628. To check the status of environmental health and personal hygiene of bakeries, the check list of Cereal Research Center was used. In terms of environmental health status,28.6% military bakeries and7.1% urban bakeries were at good level. In terms of personal hygiene, all bakeries were in the poor category. Also,42.9% of military Lavash bakeries and 14.3% of urban Lavash bakeries used baking soda in their bread production. Environment health and personal hygiene status in military bakeries are better than the urban bakeries; however, hygiene status was not desirable in military bakeries. Also, baking soda consumption in military bakeries was more common than the urban bakeries. According to the results of this study, control of health status and avoiding baking soda consumption in the bakeries are necessary. [Rostami H. farajzadeh D. Haratian P.Masoumbeigi H.Ebadi A. Delkhosh M. Studying the Environmental health status and consumption of Baking soda in military and urban Lavash bakeries of Tehran in 2012. IJHS 2013; 1[1]: 19-24] http:/jhs.mazums.ac.ir