Factors influencing women's willingness to volunteer in the healthcare system: evidence from the Islamic Republic of Iran

This case-control study evaluated the factors influencing volunteering in the Islamic Republic of Iran's Women's Health Volunteer [WHV] programme/which is implemented in 150 centres in Khorasan-e-Razavi Province. We recruited 145 cases [volunteers] and 146 controls [non-volunteers] from the centres. Data were collected by questionnaire. Sociodemographic variables included were: length of residence in neighbourhood, number of siblings, husband's age and education and job, family size, quality of life, self-rated health status, neighbourhood intimacy, child under 2 years, house ownership, wealth index. Social network variables included were: ego network size, type of acquaintance, intimacy with others, relationship communication, relationship duration, emotional support, advisory support, monetary support, physical support, time support. There were significant associations [P < 0.05] between women's propensity to volunteer and family size, presence of a child under 2 years in the family, neighbourhood Intimacy, social network composition, and emotional and advisory support

[Socioeconomic inequality in non-communicable disease risk factors in Shahroud, Iran]

Non-Communicable disease [NCD] is a main group of diseases which are responsible for a large proportion of the Global Burden of Disease around the world. Although disparities in the NCDs' risk factors can affect the goals of health for all, less attention has been paid so far on this topic. In this study, we investigated socio-economic inequality in the NCDs' risk factors and evaluated the causes affecting on this inequality in Shahroud, Iran. Conducting this survey, we used surveillance data for NCD of 1000 individuals who lived in Shahroud district during 2005. We determine a socio-economic variable which explained social and economic status of the people using Principal Component Analysis. We then evaluated each NCD risk factors at different levels of the socio-economic variable and calculated concentration index for the risk factors. The causes of the inequality were described by decomposition analysis of the concentration indices. Concentration indices for hypertension, smoking, insufficient physical activity, and unhealthy diet were -0.141, -0.191, -0.046 and -0.091, respectively. Differences of concentration curves of the risk factors from the line of equality were significant but not for diabetes, obesity and high blood cholestrol. Age, being a government employee, being unmarried, living in rural area and low economic status were the most important factors which influence on these inequalities. Inequality in some NCD risk factors was significant in Shahroud district. More investigations with larger sample size and more appropriate variables to measure socioeconomic status are recommended

Vitrectomy for diffuse refractory diabetic macular edema associated with a taut premacular posterior hyaloid

To evaluate the anatomic and visual results and complications of vitrectomy in eyes with diffuse refractory diabetic macular edema associated with a taut posterior hyaloid. This prospective interventional case series was conducted in 25 eyes of 22 patients with diffuse clinically significant diabetic macular edema, macular thickness greater than 250 microns on optic coherence tomography [OCT] and thickened posterior hyaloid. Best-corrected visual acuity [BCVA] and macular thickness measured by OCT were evaluated preoperatively and 3 and 6 months postoperatively. Macular perfusion was evaluated by fluorescein angiography, preoperatively. Mean BCVA was 1.14 +/- 0.51 LogMAR, preoperatively and 0.89 +/- 0.53 LogMAR 6 months postoperatively [P=0.005]. Mean preoperative macular thickness was 506 +/- 121.9 micro m which decreased to 318 +/- 90.5 micro m, postoperatively [P=0.001]. Vitrectomy with removal of the posterior hyaloid membrane appears to be beneficial in some cases of diffuse persistent diabetic macular edema with a taut premacular posterior hyaloid unresponsive to laser therapy. Careful selection of eyes with favorable preoperative clinical characteristics may improve surgical outcomes

Abdominal Pregnancy [about 4 cases]

The epidemiology, diagnosis and prognosis of abdominal pregnancy are discussed based on four cases seen from 1992 to 2000. Surgery is obligatory and its difficulty is dominated by hemostasis during the extraction of the placenta which also limits the laparoscopic surgery treatment of early abdominal pregnancies. The abdominal pregnancy is of very bad fetal prognosis and at high risk for the pregnant woman

Pages omises de l'histoire de la medecine la neurochirurgie et neurotraumatologie Arabe au moyen-age

After studied a few Arabic medical manuscripts the author finds the beginning of Neuro surgery practice since the Middle Ages with the father of Surgery ABOUL KASSEM AZAHRAOUI He talks about works of Arabic physicians [like AVICENNE'S] in Neurology and Neurosurgery. The paper memorises how the heritage of Arabic medicine was transmitted to the Occidental medicine

Apport de la microchirurgie a la neurochirurgie interet d'un protocole experimental de micro-anastomose arterielle chez le rat

After reminding us of the micro surgery indications in neurosurgery the author emphasizes the advantage of being trained on animals before passing to human extracranial intracranial by pass. He proposes an experimental protocol for arterial microanastomosis on a rat between carotid arteries