Modeling the recurrent failure to thrive in less than two-year children: recurrent events survival analysis

This study aimed to evaluate the failure to thrive [FTT] recurrent event over time. This longitudinal study was conducted during February 2007 to July 2009. The pri-mary outcome was growth failure. The analysis was done using 1283 children who had experi-enced FTT several times, based on recurrent events analysis. Fifty-nine percent of the children had experienced the FTT at least one time and 5.3% of them had experienced it up to four times. The Prentice-Williams-Peterson [PWP] model revealed significant relationship between diarrhea [HR=1.26], respiratory infections [HR=1.25], urinary tract infections [HR=1.51], discontinuation of breast-feeding [HR=1.96], teething [HR=1.18], initiation age of complementary feeding [HR=1.11] and hazard rate of the first FTT event. Recurrence nature of the FTT is a main problem, which taking it into account increases the accuracy in analysis of FTT event process and can lead to identify different risk factors for each FTT recurrences.

[Effectiveness of an educational program on mothers' knowledge about iron deficiency anemia]

Iron deficiency anemia[IDA] is the most common type of malnutrition in the world and more than 30 percent of Iranian women suffering from that. Increasing of knowledge with education of population can be an effective program to preventing this problem. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of education on mother's knowledge about preventive methods of iron deficiency anemia. In this quasi-experimental study as before and after study, 336 students' mothers from 8 schools of Tehran participated in 2011 year. The knowledge about IDA before and after education was gathered by a researcher made questionnaire. The educational contents were presented as a lecture in 45 minutes. The knowledge score of participants increased after education in all of understudy subjects and the significant difference was seen between the mean knowledge score before and after study [p<0.0001]. There was significant and positive correlation between mothers' educational level and the program effect [r=0.169, P<0.002] and negative correlation between number of children with program effect [r= -0.140, P<0.007]. There weren't any significant association between educational program effectiveness with mother's age and her occupation, father's age and his occupation and children educational level. This study indicated that educational program even a short-term training is an effective knowledge strategy to promoting mothers' knowledge about IDA.

[Application of random effect model for determining factors affecting FTT in less than 2 years children in east of Tehran]

Failure To Thrive [FTT] is the delay or suspension in child growth; not dealing with this disorder may lead to more serious consequences like increased death rate, appearance of other relevant diseases, reduced learning, and mental, emotional, or physical disabilities. Given the serious symptoms of failure to thrive in children's future, this paper tries to identify and investigate factors affected in FTT. The study population included children below 2 years old visiting the Health Center of East Tehran from which 1660 infants using two-stage cluster sampling method were selected according to the input criteria [not suffering from any particular disease at birth, and having regular visit to health centers]. After gathering data from the first two years of the infants' lives, factors associated with FTT using SAS software and Random Effect Regression Model were analyzed. Mean age [ +/- SD] of mothers at birth time was 27.3 +/- 5.46 years and 46% [764] of the mothers had an education lower than high school diploma but there was no significant relationship between mothers' education and FTT [p = 0.290]. Mean weight [ +/- SD] of children at birth was 3202 +/- 463.03 g and 5.1% [85] of them were born with underweight [2500g] and 68.1% [1130] of the children were affected by FTT at least in one period. Factors associated with diarrhea, infection, teething, nourishment, weaning, and other diseases had significant role in causing FTT [p < 0.05], out of which the cause of diarrhea was the most likely factor. In addition, the model's random section became significant [p < 0.05]. Given the abundance and graveness of the symptoms of this disorder in child's future and the high likelihood of occurrence of this disorder among infants below 2 years, a strong need is felt to deal with this impairment. Given the significance of the random effect, the known causes alone are not enough for prediction of FTT among infants and genetic and environmental factors play a role in occurrence of FTT as well

[Studying knowledge of medical students of Tehran universities toward avian influenza]

Avian influenza, a viral disease in poultry, is an important infectious disease among human beings, because of easy spreading, no immunity and antigenic shift of virus. It has been occurred outbreak of avian influenza in some neighbor countries of Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge of medical students toward avian influenza. In this cross- sectional study, the knowledge of 403 medical students was gathered using a questionnaire in 2008. A pilot study verified the validity and reliability of questionnaire. The students completed the questionnaire, and then data were analyzed by SPSS software. The mean age of the participants was 23.68 +/- 2.8 years. Male to female ratio was 208 to 194. Mean score of students knowledge was 39.33 +/- 7.4. There was significant relationship between educational level and knowledge score [p=0.001] However, no significant relationship was found between knowledge score and other variables [NS]. This study suggests that educational programs can positively influence the knowledge about infectious diseases, especially avian influenza