Design and validate visual fatigue questionnaire in video display terminals operator

Background: Along with the rapid growth of technology its related tools such as computer, monitors and video display terminals [VDTs] grow as well. Based on the studies, the most common complaint reported is of the VDT users

Methods: This study attempts to design a proper tool to assess the visual fatigue of the VDT users. First draft of the questionnaire was prepared after a thorough study on the books, papers and similar questionnaires. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed using the content validity index [CVI] beside that of the Cronbach's Coefficient Alpha. Then, a cross-sectional study was carried out on 248 of the VDT users in different professions. A theoretical model with four categories of symptoms of visual fatigue was derived from the previous studies and questionnaires. Having used the AMOS16 software, the construct validity of the questionnaire was evaluated using the confirmatory factor analysis. The correlation co-efficiency of the internal domains was calculated using the SPSS 11.5 software. To assess the quality check index and determining the visual fatigue levels, visual fatigue of the VDT users was measured by the questionnaire and visual fatigue meter [VFM] device. Cut-off points were identified by receiver operating characteristic curves

Results: CVI and reliability co efficiency were both equal to 0.75. Model fit indices including root mean of squared error approximation, goodness of fit index and adjusted goodness of fit index were obtained 0.026, 0.96 and 0.92 respectfully. The correlation between the results measured with the questionnaire and VFM-90.1 device was-0.87. Cut-off points of the questionnaire were 0.65, 2.36 and 3.88. The confirmed questionnaire consists of four main areas: Eye strain [4 questions], visual impairment [5 questions] and the surface impairment of the eye [3 questions] and the out of eye problems [3 questions]

Conclusions: The visual fatigue questionnaire contains 15 questions and has a very remarkable validity and reliability. Using this questionnaire and its findings, one will be able to identify, assess and finally prevent the effective factors of VDT users' visual fatigue

Predictors of smoking cessation and duration: implication for smoking prevention

There are few articles studding the factors associated with successful smoking cessation in Iranian smokers. The aim of this study is to clarify the association between socio-demographic factors and smoking behavior, such as number of failed smoking cessation and duration of abstinence in Iranian population. A self-administered questionnaire survey of 673 participants was conducted in a local government health-care center. The questionnaire included items on socio-demographic information including, age, marital status, education, income, and job. Furthermore, information on smoking cigarettes including number of smoking per day, duration of smoking, cigarettes brand, nicotine concentration, and history of cessation was obtained. Mean +/- SD of age and daily cigarette consumption were 39.7 +/- 1.1 and 22.1 +/- 1.1 respectively. Failure rate of smoking cessation was higher in the lower age group [odds ratios [OR] 2.9; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.1, 7.7] and less than 10 numbers smoking per day [OR 2.4; 95% CI 1.3, 4.5] and duration of smoking more than 30 years [OR 3.4; 95% CI 1.2, 9.3] and foreign cigarette brand [OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.1, 2.7]. Length time of cessation was prominent in participants with lower age group [OR 5.4; 95% CI 1.3, 22.1], and less than 10 numbers smoking per day [OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.5, 4.9] and lower in smokers with duration of smoking more than 10 and 10-19 years [OR 0.32; 95% CI 0.12, 0.89], [OR 0.34; 95% CI 0.17, 0.76], respectively. The above results suggest that there are a significant association between socio-demographic factors and smoking-related behaviors in the Iranian population, consistent with previous reports world-wide. These factors should be considered to have appropriate public-health and policy response

Prenatal care service uptake by rural women in northwest of Pakistan

To determine the current use of prenatal care [PNC] service provision by pregnant rural women in northwest of Pakistan and to explore factors influencing the uptake of such health service in a rural area. In this cross-sectional survey, a random sample of 121 married women ages 15 to 41, were interviewed regarding PNC service uptake during their current or most recent last pregnancy in village Sarbund between September 1998 and February 1999. Younger women were more likely to use PNC service as compared to older women [OR= 0.03, P= <0.01]. Infant and neonatal mortality were inversely proportional to the PNC utilization as women who had not used PNC services in the past had significantly high infant and neonatal deaths than those who had used PNC [OR = 0.29, P = <0.01, and OR = 0.23, P= <0.01 respectively]. Wives of husbands having white-collar jobs were more likely to receive PNC than wives of husbands having blue-collar jobs [OR = 0.05, P = <0.01]. Women with high household income used PNC service more than women with poor household income [OR=12.9, P= <0.01]. Women living in pucca-houses were more likely to use PNC service than women living in kacha-houses [OR = 0.08, P= < 0.01]. Our study has shown a low utilization of PNC service in rural northwest of Pakistan particularly associated with low socio-economic status