National Spinal Cord Injury Registry of Iran (NSCIR-IR) - a critical appraisal of its strengths and weaknesses / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

The National Spinal Cord Injury Registry of Iran (NSCIR-IR) is a not-for-profit, hospital-based, and prospective observational registry that appraises the quality of care, long-term outcomes and the personal and psychological burden of traumatic spinal cord injury in Iran. Benchmarking validity in every registry includes rigorous attention to data quality. Data quality assurance is essential for any registry to make sure that correct patients are being enrolled and that the data being collected are valid. We reviewed strengths and weaknesses of the NSCIR-IR while considering the methodological guidelines and recommendations for efficient and rational governance of patient registries. In summary, the steering committee, funded and maintained by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran, the international collaborations, continued staff training, suitable data quality, and the ethical approval are considered to be the strengths of the registry, while limited human and financial resources, poor interoperability with other health systems, and time-consuming processes are among its main weaknesses.

Psychosocial Factors and Musculoskeletal Pain Among Rural Hand-woven Carpet Weavers in Iran

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal pain (MSP) is a common and disabling problem among carpet weavers and is linked to physical and psychosocial factors of work. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of MSP, its psychosocial risk factors, and association of pain in each pair of anatomical sites among carpet weavers. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed among 546 hand-woven carpet weavers in rural small-scale workshops of Iran. Data were collected by using parts of a standardized CUPID (Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability) questionnaire focused on MSP in 10 body sites, including the low-back, neck, both right and left shoulders, elbows, wrists/hands, individual, physical and psychosocial risk factors. Statistical analysis was performed applying logistic regression models. RESULTS: Prevalence of MSP in at least one body site was 51.7% over the past month. The most common sites were low back and right shoulder pain 27.4% and 20.1%, respectively. A significant difference was found between the mean number of painful anatomical sites and the level of education, age, physical loading at work, time pressure, lack of support, and job dissatisfaction. In pairwise comparisons, strongest association was found between pain in each bilateral anatomical site (odds ratio = 11.6-35.3; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In home-based workshops of carpet weaving, psychosocial factors and physical loading were associated with MSP. This finding is consistent with studies conducted among other jobs. Considering the preventive programs, the same amount of attention should be paid to psychosocial risk factors and physical loading. Also, further longitudinal studies are needed to investigate the relationship of psychological factors.

Persistent of neck/shoulder pain among computer office workers with specific attention to pain expectation, somatization tendency, and beliefs

Neck and shoulder pains are the prevalent complaints among computer office workers. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship of Somatization tendency, expectation of pain, mental health and beliefs about causation of pain with persistence of neck/shoulder pains among computer office workers. This research is a kind of prospective cohort study with 1-year follow-up. It has done among all eligible computer office workers of Shahroud universities [n = 182] in 2008-2009 and 1-year later. Data were collected using the Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the data through SPSS [P < 0.05]. At the baseline 100 [54.9%] of participants reported neck/shoulder pains and at follow-up 34.3% of them reported persistence pains. Significant relationships were found between persistence of neck/shoulder pains and negative expectation about pain in next 1-year P = 0.002, [odds ratio [OR] =8.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.1 -32.9] and Somatization tendency P = 0.01, [OR = 6.5, 95% CI: 1.6-27.4]. Pain expectation and Somatization tendency recognized as associated risk factors of persistent neck/shoulder pain among computer operators. This confirmed some other similar studies on work-related musculoskeletal disorders in Europe countries in recent years

Do Psychological Factors Increase the Risk for Low Back Pain Among Nurses? A Comparing According to Cross-sectional and Prospective Analysis

BACKGROUND: This study assesses influences of baseline psychological risk factors on prevalence of low back pain (LBP) at baseline and follow-up among nurses. METHODS: A prospective longitudinal study was performed at two phases, baseline and 1-year follow-up among 246 nurses of university hospitals in Shahroud, Iran. A standardized Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability questionnaire was used for data collection. Logistic regression was performed for analysis. RESULTS: At the baseline of the study, 58.9% of nurses reported back pain in the previous 12 months. Age (p = 0.001), belief that work causes pain (p = 0.022), and somatization tendency (p = 0.002) significantly increased risk of LBP. At 1-year follow-up, prevalence of LBP was 45.7% and expectation of back pain at baseline (p = 0.016) significantly increased risk of LBP in this phase (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Results indicate that risk factors for prevalence of back pain at baseline and 1-year follow-up are different. At baseline, the risk factors are age, belief that work causes pain, and somatization tendency, and at follow-up, expectation of pain is the major risk factor.

Quality of life among coal miners

Health statues of workers is affected by work situation and kind of job severely very often. Meanwhile working in mines is one of health threatening occupations. This study was carried out to assess quality of life [QOL] among Shahrood coal miners in Iran. This was a descriptive-cross sectional study of quality of life among 99 workers from one of the Shahrood coal mines. Quality of life was measured by the Short Form [SF-36]. Data were analysed using tests Mann Whitney and Kruskal Wallis. The mean of age and duration of work of subjects were 36.5 +/- 6.8 and 10.9 +/- 6.4 years, respectively. The lowest and highest quality of life scores found for general health perceptions 10/2 +/- 14 and mental health 61/5 +/- 24/6. In addition, positive significant associations were found between education level, age and work duration and mean of quality of life scores. Coal miners had worse QOL score in all domains than Iranian healthy community. To improve the QOL of coal miners, control harmful factors, promote safety and health according to international standards of work environment, periodic medical examination and precise evaluation of workers health status are suggested