communicative model of mothers lifestyles during pregnancy with low birth weight based on social determinants of health: a path analysis

Objectives: Low birth weight [LEW] is one of the major health problems worldwide. It is important to identify the factors that play a role in the incidence of this adverse pregnancy outcome. This study aimed to develop a tool to measure mothers' lifestyles during pregnancy with a view to the effects of social determinants on health and develop a correlation model of mothers' lifestyles with LBW

Methods: This study was conducted using methodological and case-control designs in four stages by selecting 750 mothers with infants weighing less than 4000 g using multistage sampling

The questionnaire contained 160 items. Face, content, criterion, and construct validity were used to study the psychometrics of the instrument

Results: After psychometrics, 132 items were approved in six domains. Test results indicated the utility and the high fitness of the model and reasonable relationships adjusted for variables based on conceptual models. Based on the correlation model of lifestyle, occupation [-0.263] and social relationships [0.248] had the greatest overall effect on birth weight

Conclusions: The review of lifestyle dimensions showed that all of the dimensions directly, indirectly, or both affected birth weight. Thus, given the importance and the role of lifestyle as a determinant affecting birth weight, attention, and training interventions are important to promote healthy lifestyles

association study on IL16 gene polymorphisms with the risk of sporadic alzheimer's disease

Interleukin-16 [IL-16] is an important regulator of T cell activation and was reported to act as a chemoattractant agent. There are evidences that IL16 can control the neuroinflammatory processes in Alzheimer's Disease [AD]. This study was performed to investigate the role or association of IL16 polymorphisms, rs11556218 and rs4778889 with the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease [LOAD] in Iranian population. Totally, 148 AD patients and 137 nondemented and age-matched subjects were recruited in this study. Genotyping of rs11556218 T/G and rs4778889 T/C polymorphisms was performed by PCR-RFLP method using the NdeI and AhdI restriction enzymes, respectively. Statistical analysis of rs11556218 genotypes showed a protective effect against AD in the heterozygote genotype [p=0.001, OR=0.16] as well as rs4778889 [p=0.001, OR=0.23]. Frequency of rs11556218 allele T was higher in controls than patients [p= 0.001, OR=0.32]. However, there was no significant difference in the frequencies of rs4778889 alleles between the AD patients and controls. Our results indicate that the rs11556218 and rs4778889 polymorphisms have a protective role in the development of sporadic AD in Iranian population

Assessment of living skills in schizophrenic patients by kohlman evaluation

The living skills of schizophrenic patients are disrupted due to cognitive, perceptual, sensory-motor, psychological, and psychosocial problems. Therefore, the identification of some aspects of living skills that require medical intervention is essential in these patients. Accordingly, in this study, the living skills of schizophrenic patients were investigated with the Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills. This study was conducted by using the cross-sectional descriptive and analytic approach in which 35 hospitalized and 51 outpatient schizophrenic patients and 35 healthy individuals were compared and the areas of living skills that needed help were determined. According to the Kruskal-Wallis test, there was a significant difference between the mean scores of healthy, hospitalized and outpatients subjects, whereas the difference in the means scores was not significant between the two groups of patients [p=0.693]. Schizophrenic patients showed more than 50% requirement for help in the following subscales; appearance, awareness of dangerous household situations, appropriate action for sickness and accidents, obtaining and maintaining a source of income, budgeting their monthly income, and leisure activities. Employment had a direct effect on the living skills of the subjects and the test mean scores of employed people [2.409] was better than unemployed persons [7.083]. The living skills of schizophrenic patients are damaged in some areas through the course of the disease and its symptoms. Based on the Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills, these people require most help in self-care, safety health, money management, and leisure activities.

Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the world health organization's quality of life questionnaire [WHOQOL-100]

In recent decades there has been increasing focus on developing and localizing quality of life [QOL] instruments in different societies In this study, we aim to translate WHO'S Quality of Life WHOQOL-100 questionnaire into the Persian language and assess the validity and reliability of the translated version. We used a forward-backward procedure to translate the questionnaire. A pilot sample of 60 university students was recruited to assess the repeatability and construct validity of the instrument. To assess the construct validity, 60 university students filled out both the WHOQOL-100 and WHOQOL-BREF questionnaires. Then, 500 healthy and 500 disabled individuals were randomly selected using a multistage sampling technique. The internal consistency of the Persian version of the WHOQOL-100 was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha in the sample. In addition, a multiple linear regression model was utilized for assessing the discriminant validity of this instrument, adjusting for different confounders. Test-retest analysis of data from the pilot sample showed that the Persian version of the WHOQOL-100 has acceptable repeatability [ICCs for all six domains were higher than 0.7]. In addition, computation of the correlation between the domains of WHOQOL-100 and WHOQOL-BREF showed satisfactory construct validity. Analyzing the data from 500 healthy and 500 disabled persons revealed that all domains of WHOQOL-100 met the minimum level of acceptable internal consistency. Multiple regression results showed acceptable discriminant validity for all domains of the Persian version, except for the spiritual domain. In general, the Persian version of the WHOQOL-100 had satisfactory reliability and validity for assessing QOL of Iranian people. However, we recommend further research for challenging the problem of the spiritual domain

[Family function of children with Cerebral Palsy and it's relation to the severity and type of cerebral palsy]

Treatment and rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy [CP] by a professional team take long time and impose expensive costs and human resources on the family and society. So the family undertakes a lot of difficulties and family function declines. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of family function in CP children and its relation to the type of CP and severity of disability. During this [descriptive- analytic] study, 43 mothers who had 0-8 year-old children with CP under rehabilitation services in SABA clinic, related to the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences [USWR], in Tehran, Iran, were selected as the case group. Informed consent was acquired from the mothers. Following, a data set of demographic information and Family Assessment Device were completed by them. The scores indicated the level of family function. The type of CP and the severity of disability were determined by a pediatrician and an occupational therapist respectively using GMFM, and their relation to family function were assessed. Seventy-seven mothers of normal children, serving as the control group, filled in the same questionnaires. The data was analyzed using SPSS statistical software. There were not significant differences in mean of family function scores between the two groups except in roles domain [P=0.132]. There were no significant differences in family function scores among the five types of CP [P=0.758]. It was found that there were no statistically significant differences in family function and the severity of disability rate using Pearson correlation [R= 0.099]. It seems the much time after diagnosis the more adaptation of parents in different domains of family function. In general, according to the results of this study, improvement of family function of children with CP is highly recommended, so we can improve the rehabilitation process and achieve better outcome in these children