[Socio-economic determinants of health expenditure for low-income households in the informal sector]

Background and Aims: People`s health, life expectancy and quality of life have been affected by social determinants of health, significantly. Also, socio-economic factors may affect health expenditure, considerably. This study has evaluated the effects of socio-economic determinants on health expenditure for the low-income urban households in the informal sector of employment

Methods: In this study, the socio-economic data for the low-income urban households in the informal sector were obtained from the results of households' budget survey from the Statistical Center and the Central Bank of Iran, for the years 1986-2009. This was the first study used the record data for contingent valuation method. The ordinary least squares regression model was used for data analysis

Results: Increase in age, education level, income and family size increased health expenditure of the households in the informal sector; and increase in urban unemployment rate decreased health expenditure of the households. Besides, the mean age of the young years and the unemployment rate had the highest and lowest effects on households` health expenditure, respectively

Conclusion: In the two last decades, changes in the demand of low income households for health services mainly arise from changes in the socio-economic determinants of consumers' behavior. Social health insurance is a suitable mechanism for financing health expenditure of the low income households. Arbitrary health insurance plan in the informal sector, existence of some rules and regulations, and inappropriate premiums with respect to the minimum wage make the universal coverage of social health insurance for this group of population problematic

[Photocatalytic degradation of phenol in aqueous solutions by Fe[III]-doped TiO2/UV process]

Phenol and phenolic compounds are widely used in industry and daily liFe, and are of high interest due to stability in the environment, dissolution ability in water and health problems. In this regard, phenol removal from water is of high importance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficiency of photodegradation process for removal of phenol from aqueous system by use of Fe-doped TiO[2] nanoparticles prepared by sol-gel method. Phenol concentrations of 5, 10, 50 and 100 mg/L were prepared and exposed to UV and Fe-doped TiO[2], separately and simultaneously. Also the effect of initial phenol concentration, Fe-doped TiO[2] loading and pH were studied. Various doses of photocatalist investigated for Fe- doped TiO[2] were 0.25, 0.5 and 1 g/L. pH was studied at three ranges, acidic [pH=3], neutral [pH=7] and alkaline [pH=11]. Maximum degradation was obtained at acidic pH, 0.5 g/L of Fe-doped TiO[2] for all of phenol concentrations. With increasing initial concentration of phenol, photocatalytic degradation decreased. In comparison with Fe-doped TiO[2]/UV process, efficiency of UV radiation alone was low in phenol degradation [% 64.5 at 100 mg/l of phenol concentration]. Also the amount of phenol adsorbed on the Fe-doped TiO[2] was negligible at dark conditions. Results of this study showed that Fe[III]- doped TiO[2] nanoparticles had an important effect on photocatalytic degradation of high initial phenol concentration when Fe[III]-doped TiO[2]/ UV process applied

Quantitative comparison of NASBA-ELISA and RT-PCR-ELISA sensitivities for measurement of the BCR-ABL genes fusion transcript in CML patients

Quantitative comparison of NASBA-ELISA and RT-PCR-ELISA sensitivities for measurement of the BCR-ABL genes fusion transcript in CML patients Nazemi A1, Sadeghizadeh M2, Forouzandeh Moghaddam M3, Javadi Gh4, Hashemi M5 1 Student of PhD of Molecular Genetics, Department of Biology, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Campus, Tehran, Iran. 2Associate Professor, Department of Genetics, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran. 3 Associate Professor, Department of Medical Biotechnology, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran. 4 Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Campus, Tehran, Iran. 5 Assistant Professor,Department of Molecular Genetics, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Branch, Tehran, Iran. Chronic myeloid leukemia [CML] is characterized by neoplastic overproduction of myelocytes and neutrophils. Affected patients have a Philadelphia chromosome which arises following a translocation between long arms of chromosome 9 and 22 [q34; q11]. This results in abelson murine/breakpoint cluster region [BCR/ABL] fusion. Detection of cells carrying BCR/ABL fusion is extremely important in monitoring response to treatment, remission and relapse in CML patients. In this study, we compared RT-PCR and NASBA techniques to determine quantitatively the number of bcr/abl transcripts. Fusion transcripts were synthesized and RNA was extracted from K562 leukemic cell line. A serial dilution of both fusion transcript and RNA was prepared; then sensitivities of both techniques were determined. RT-PCR and NASBA reaction products were labeled using equal ratios of DIG-11-dUTP and DIG-11-UTP respectively. Following denaturation, hybridization reactions were carried out with specific probes. The products were incubated in streptavidin coated microplates. Then, the plates were washed, anti-DIG conjugated with peroxidase added and using ATBS as substrate, enzymatic activity was determined by absorption at 405 nm. The results showed that specificity of two techniques was equal but RT-PCR-ELISA sensitivity was about 100-fold more than NASBA-ELISA as it could detect 100 pg RNA less than NASBA-ELISA [0.006 versus 0.06 pg RNA]. Furthermore, leukemia cell detection precision by RT-PCR-ELISA and NASBA-ELISA was 4 and 400 cells, respectively. While NASBA technique does not need thermal cycler PCR but has less sensitivity than RT-PCR and is not suitable for quantitative assessment

Care management: Adherence to therapies among patients at Bu-Alicina clinic, Qazvin, Iran

Non-adherence to treatment is a problem of increasing concern for all stakeholders. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of non-adherence among the clients consulting internists or cardiologists at Bu-Alicina Clinic in Qazvin. A total number of 400 clients came to Bu-Alicina Clinic [center for internal medicine and cardiology] were randomly interviewed through a questionnaire during a two month period in 2003. Self-administered methods were used if the clients applied. The data were interpreted using statistical methods. The clients were between 14 and 78 years old [33.7+8.5] and 57.5% of them were women and 42.5% were men. Of total number, 30.7% were consulting for continuation of their therapies and of these clients, 41.5% had pooradherence to their current therapies. The more educated clients were 1.6 times [OR=1.62; 95% CI=0.71, 3.74] likely to be more adherent to the therapies.There was no significant difference between the internal diseases patients and cardiology patients in this regard [41.7%vs 40%]. Of the total number of 400 clients, 79.5% had history of consulting to medical clinics during the last three months and 37.4% of them had non-adherence to their past therapies. The more frequent factors were: forgetfulness [13.3%], not to be able to afford to pay for treatment costs [10.3%], disbelieve to the doctor and consulting another ones [8.4%], long distance [8.4%], feeling that it is not important to take medications [7.4%], side effects [7.4%], disbelieve to the diagnosis [7.1%], religious considerations [6.5%], and misunderstanding or lack of information about the prescription [5.8%]. No significant difference was found between men and women on this aspect. Patients need advice, supported information from professionals about their health and therapies. Certain studies must be done to determine the pitfalls and effective interventions address that barriers can be developed

Relation between opium smoking and pulmonary function

Background: Smoking of opium is one of the most common ways to abuse of this material in Iran

Objective: This study was planned to determine the effects of opium Smoking on pulmonary function tests

Methods: The case-control study was done on two groups of men between the ages 30-50. The case group was 25 opium addicts: 22 cigarette smokers and opium addicts, and 3 men that only were opium addicts. The control group was consisted of 25 men, 22 smokers and 3 non smokers. All of the 50 men underwent spirometery and the results compared with each other

Findings: Opium Smoking has not extra effect on reduction of pulmonary function tests in case group. Systolic blood pressure in case group was lower with meaningful results [P=0.031]. Expiratory reserve volume [ERV] was higer in case group [P=0.006]

Conclusion: Abusing opium in values mentioned in this study has no destructive effect on lung volumes