Quality of working life on residents working in hospitals

Residents play an important role in the delivery of hospital care. They regularly work overnight, in emergency situations and with workload and stress which can affect their performance and quality of working life [QWL]. This study explores the QWL and its contributory factors in residents working at hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences [TUMS], Tehran, Iran. Medline was searched to identify questionnaires for measuring QWL in healthcare professionals and these questionnaires were used to design a comprehensive questionnaire for measuring residents QWL. Face and content validity of the questionnaire were examined by 7 experts. The questionnaire then was completed twice with one-week interval by 14 residents to assess the intera-rater reliability. Then 310 questionnaires were distributed among residents working at different specialties in 7 hospitals affiliated to TUMS including a large general hospital, two medium general hospitals and four small single specialty hospitals. Statistical analyses were performed by SPSS. Totally, 263 residents [84%] completed the questionnaire. The quality of working life was very well in 18%, well in 32%, moderate in 31%, low in 14% and very low in 5% of residents. Pediatric residents had the highest and urology and internal medicine residents had the lowest quality of working life. The QWL is high in the majority of residents, but the QWL is still not desirable in a significant proportion of them. The questionnaire used in this study is reliable and valid. The residents' QWL still need improvement

[Evaluation of microbial aerosols in dental departments of Islamic Azad University, dental Branch, Tehran in 2009]

Aerosols containing microbes from the oral cavity of the patient are created by using high-speed rotating instruments while practicing dentistry. This study aimed to evaluate the level of microbial aerosol contamination in different dental departments of Islamic Azad University Dental branch in 2009.A cross sectional study has been carried out on184 samples of 3-6 location of 11 departments from operatory and non-operatory places. The samples were cultured on blood agar plates that was placed one meter height from the floor. In each section, a control agar plates were placed in non operatory part. Anaerobic microbes were not evaluated, Prevalence of contamination was evaluated and role of related factors: traffic sector, service type, time, or the use of turbines, the volume of space and number of units were analyzed by Fisher's exact test and DOE [Design of Experiments]. Aerosol contains microbes have been observed in% 88 of the samples. The air contamination in the therapeutic section was 47.3% and in non-therapeutic section was 52.7%. Microbes found in the same sectors, including grampositive cocci%58.5, gram-negative cocci% 25.8, gram-positive bacilli%12, fungi%2.1, gram negative bacilli%1.6 Microbial air pollution levels in non-health sectors in the morning and with fewer patients had increased significantly. The results shown high degree of contamination which is striking. According to AMI standard, the results shown high contamination rate, therefore the need for developing new means for preventing microbial aerosols is mandatory

[Patients' satisfaction in first rank hospitals of Tehran university of medical sciences: a cross-sectional study in 2009]

Patients' needs should be acknowledged properly in order to enable hospitals to take responsibility for their expenses. In this study, patients' satisfaction is assessed in various fields which are key elements of hospitals assessment program. In this cross-sectional study, 120 consecutive patients which are randomly selected from Hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences [TUMS] were enrolled. A questionnaire was completed for their demographic, occupational, insurance status and their satisfaction of clinical services, nutrition, hospital environment and hospital facilities. The age range of participants were11 to 80 years old; 61.9% were females and 38.1% were males. Overall, 78.1% were satisfied in respect to hospitals general status while there were significant differences considering satisfaction in hospital environment and facilities, clinical services and nutrition among recruited hospitals. A strong correlation between the index of hospital environment and patients' satisfaction signifies further enhancements of hospital environment which could potentially increase patients' satisfaction. Also, the relationship between patients well being and satisfaction indicates health care staff role should be emphasized for patients' appreciation. Consequently, hospital administration should focus on current unsatisfied sections to improve health care quality

Designing a model of administration structure for Iranian women's health development

Women's health status and awareness of their biological, mental and social characteristic and needs planning, health system reforms and primary health care, are main priorities in strategic areas of health development. In the past two decades researchers and policymakers have paid special attention to women's health development activities and administration. This article compares the women's health development administration in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Japan as developed countries, with focus on their organizational structures. This article is based on a descriptive and comparative study. The results have been used to design and develop an appropriate and applicable model for women's health administration in Iran. The designed model has been finalized using Delphi Technique. The countries were divided in two categories. United States and Canada had a focused and advanced administration system in their women's health activities. They have strategic in women's health priority issues and special organizational structures which relatively has been successful. United Kingdom and Japan used different policies focused on the mother and children's health and their administrative policies were based on this view. An appropriate structural designed for women's health in Iran was formulated on results of this study

[Polypharmacy among older adult in Tehran]

Multiple drug use is frequently considered to be hazardous for the elderly because of their greater vulnerability to the complications. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of polypharmacy in Tehran and to assess the relative demographic characteristics of patients. In a cross-sectional study 400 persons aging 55 years and older were interviewed in order to determine the presence of polypharmacy [daily intake of three or more drugs]. The cases were randomly selected and asked to answer a questionnaire through interview at home. The questionnaire contained questions about all taking drugs, pattern of using each drug and also patients' personal, social and medical history. Chi-square and fisher exact tests and determination of odds ratios were used in order to data analysis. Medium number of drugs used was 3.4 +/- 1.9 in studied cases and%39.6 of cases were exposed to polypharmacy. The prevalence of physician prescribed drug usage was observed to be increased by increasing number of total used drugs in each case [P<0.002]. The most commonly used drugs were A.S.A, Atenolol and propranolol and these drugs were prescribed by physician in over than%90 of cases. There was a positive correlations between polypharmacy with referring to multiple physicians [OR=1.96, CI 95%, 1.28-2.98] [P<0.002] and adverse drug reactions [OR=2.44, CI 95%, 1.47-4.05] [P<0.001]. Polypharmacy was more prevalent in the age group of 65-75 years [P<0.04] and lower levels of education [P<0.004] and less prevalent in the group with moderate income [P<0.001]. Polypharmacy is common among adults aging 55 years and more in Tehran and is affected by age, education level and economic status