[Factors affecting preoprative anxiety]

Tens of milion people undergoing surgery each year in the world. Surgery is a stress that creates physiological responses [endocrine] and psychologic stress [fear, anxiety]. Prolonged anxiety, if unrecognized, creates stress which may subsequently harm the patient and delay recovery. This study was intended to assess factors affecting peroprative anxiey of the patients. This descriptive-analytical study involved 100 patients who admited on the general surgery wards in the hospitals of Mashhad. The patients were selected by objective-bused sampling method and a state- trait Anxiety inventory questionnair was filled for each patient in the evening and morning [immediatelly pre-oprative] prior to surgery. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software. Our result indicated that a significant differnce between the mean evening anxiety [40.6] and mean morning anxiety [43.2][p < 0/001]. In addition, the following factors were found to be affecting preoprative morning anxiety: sex, asleep night prior surgery, waiting more than 2 hours, finacial problems, occupation and companion [R = 0/456]. Given the factors that have influence on preoprative anxiety, and some these factors are preventable, it is suggested that a systematic planning for recognition these factors in order to minimize their effects are prepared in surgery wards

Cotton dust exposure, respiratory symptoms and PEFR in textile workers

The purposes of this study was to measurement cotton dust levels in air workplace, Prevalence of respiratory symptoms and determine of changes in Peak Expiratory Flow Rate [PEFR] before and after during workday among textile workers. This study was done among 31 workers carding and blowing rooms. Using a short questionnaire for demographic characteristics, medical record were collected in a modified questionnaire of Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA] and 12 air samples were collected of work area. The PEFR was measured with a peak flow meter. The mean cotton dust levels in carding and blowing rooms were 0.39 +/- 0.03 and 0.20 +/- 0.01 mg m 3, respectively. The mean age and year's employment were 45 +/- 7.97 and 12.5 +/- 6.28, respectively. Thirty three percent of the workers were smoking. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms increased with age and employment years and there were found significantly between age and employment years with cough, phlegm, dyspnea [p<0.05, 0.05, 0.05, respectively]. The mean PEFR before and after during workday were 362.9 +/- 147.8 and 305.8 +/- 147.5, respectively and subjects had found significantly [p<0.0001]. The decline in PEFR was significantly associated with years employment [p<0.05], whereas with age and cotton dust levels were found to be non significant. One explanation for thelack of age and cotton dust levels effects in workers may be due to the low number of subjects and samples, respectively. Technological improvement has resulted in reduction of cotton dust exposure levels and respiratory symptoms