Reliability and validity of persian version of job content questionnaire in health care workers in Iran

The effect of poor psychosocial work conditions on health status has widely been discussed in occupational literature. Job Content Questionnaire [JCQ] is a widely accepted instrument for evaluation of psychosocial work conditions. To determine the reliability and validity of Persian version of JCQ. The questionnaire was translated into Persian and back translated. 490 Iranian health care workers completed the questionnaire. After 4 weeks, 196 participants completed the questionnaire once again. Factor analyses revealed an acceptable level of structure validity for the questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha was more than 0.75 for all scales except for psychological demand [alpha =0.60] and job insecurity [alpha =0.27]. Reassessment of participants after 4 weeks revealed an acceptable level of reliability for all scales except depression. The Persian version of JCQ is reliable and valid for assessing work conditions among Iranian health care workers, although revision is needed for job insecurity and depression scales

Reliability and validity of Persian version of world health organization health and work performance questionnaire in Iranian health care workers

The effect of health status on productivity has widely been studied and discussed in literature. Valid and reliable tools are needed to evaluate the levels of health and productivity and provide detailed information, before any intervention is implemented. World Health Organization Health and Work Performance Questionnaire [HPQ] is a widely used instrument in estimating the workplace costs of health problems in terms of reduced job performance, sickness absence, and work-related accidents and injuries. To assess the reliability and validity of Persian version of HPQ in Iranian health care workers. The questionnaire was translated to Persian and back translated. 102 health care workers completed the questionnaire. Absence and sick-leave data was extracted from administrative records. Factor analysis revealed acceptable validity for the questionnaire in part A [health]. Cronbach's alpha was >0.73 for all scales of Parts B [work] and C [demographic]. Questions targeting days of absence and sick-leave had acceptable correlation with administrative records [Pearson's r>0.75], while questions on total hours worked showed lower correlation. Persian version of HPQ can be considered a reliable and valid tool in Iranian health workers

Comparison of the effect of dynamic and static splints on wrist spasticity in post-stroke patients

Among several methods which are accessible for manageing wrist spasticity after stroke, wrist splinting is commonly used as an adjacent treatment, but there are many controversies surrounding its efficacy. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of the Dynamic and Static splints on wrist spasticity after stroke. In this mterntional study, 31 stroke patients were selected and randomly divided into three groups including: Dynamic splint, Static splint and control group. Participants in the intervention groups wore their own splints for three months, five days per week and on average, six hours per day. Wrist spasticity was measured by both Modified Ashworth Scale [MAS] and electromyography [EMG] tests at the baseline and after third month. Kroskal-Wallis and one-way ANOVA were used to statistically analyze MAS and Hmax/Mmax ratio scores respectively. Statistical analysis of data showed no significant reduction of spasticity during study period according to either MAS or EMG data in any of the groups [p>0/05]. Based on these findings, use of the splint as a method for reducing wrist spasticity could not be beneficial in the selected patients

[Prevalence of refractive errors in different ages and gender, in patients examined in optometry clinic of rehabilitation of Shahid Beheshti Medical University in 2008/2009]

Since no study on the prevalence of refractive errors had been performed in this optometry clinic, this study was designed to determine the prevalence rate of refractive errors among the patients examined in this clinic in 2008/2009. In this cross-sectional study, the files of the patients examined in optometry clinic in 2008/2009 were reviewed. Variables included age, sex, rate and type of refractive errors and health of anterior and posterior eye segments. The prevalence rates of myopia, hypermetriopa, astigmatism and emmetropia were 11.83%, 15/38%, 45%, 27/34% respectively. The respective prevalence rates of refractive errors in men and women were: 10.3% and 13.1% for myopia, 16.7%, 15.1% for hypermetropia, 45.6% and 44.5% for astigmatism, and 27.4% and 27.3% for emmetropia. The mean ages of the patients with myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism were 36.1 +/- 19.36, 41.27 +/- 22.06 and 32.16 +/- 20.98. Respectively Difference of the ratios of the patients with different ages suffering from refractive errors was significant [P<0.0001]. There was no significant difference in the male to female ratio in the patients with refractive errors [P<0.741]. This study showed that the prevalence rate of myopia increased up to the age of 20-30 years but that of hypermetropia decreased, and prevalence rates of myopia and hypermetropia in some age groups increased after the age of 40. In addition, the prevalence rates of refractive errors in different age groups were not similar and gender had no effect on the prevalence of refractive errors. These results are compatible with the results of other studies

[ prevalence of smoking and its related personal and environmental factors in Tabrizi adolescents]

Cigarette smoking continues to be a major public health problem that specifically affects the adolescent population. The aim of this study was to ascertain the prevalence of smoking and to examine personal and environmental factors related to smoking among adolescents [15-19 years old] in the city of Tabriz. A school-based study was conducted using a random sample of 1785 students from 30 schools in five regions of Tabriz. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire inquired about smoking status, demographic characteristics, and personal and environmental factors, such as parental and friends' smoking status, and group membership. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between independent variables and smoking status using SPSS software. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. About 23% of participants reported ever smoking. 77.4%, 18.2%, and 4.4% were never smoker, experimenter and regular smoker, respectively. Group membership, having smoking friends, and being offered cigarette by others, were strongly associated with smoking status in adolescents. The prevalence of smoking in Tabrizi adolescents is considerable, and having smoker friends is strongly related with adolescent smoking

[Evaluation of easy and difficult behavior and some related factors in one hundred 3-6 year old children visited in Mashhad Dental School]

Prediction of a child behavior and interaction with the practitioner, particularly a dentist, is an important factor in successful diagnosis and treatment specially at the first and generally at subsequent appointments. In this study, the major contributing factors which are important for the prediction of a child behavior and way of preparation of the practitioner were studied. In this descriptive-cross sectional study which was done during the second semester of 2001-2002 at Mashhad dental school, one hundred 3-6 year old children [50 girls and 50 boys] with normal physical, psychological and intelligence stata were selected randomly and classified according to a history through interviewing with parents and state behavior, comparing with franckles behavioral rating scale during three different dental visits. The result revealed that 10.4% of children had difficult behavioral characteristics, 40.1% had easy behavioral characteristics and the remaining were placed in difficult-easy interval. These results were consistent with other studies according to franckles behavioral rating scale, but there were no relationships between easy-difficult behaviors and any of the factors age, occupation of parents or birth order of children. According to signs and factors achieved through observation, examination and interview with parents and children. it is possible to predict the childs' behavior during examination and treatment [specially dental treatments which are stressful for most of patients] and take appropriate actions according to childs' behavior without reaching the irritation threshold of child as well as the practitioner