Factors associated with mental health of high-school students in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Background: Mental disorders of adulthood can be traced to childhood and adolescent disorders so attention to the mental health of young people is important.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the mental health status of high-school students in Khorramabad and the factors that may affect it.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1 202 high-school students in Khorramabad in the 2015–2016 academic year. Students were selected using stratified and multistage cluster random sampling. Data were collected on sociodemographic characteristics of the students, and the General Health Questionnaire [GHQ-28] was used to assess symptoms of mental disorders. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the presence of symptoms of mental disorder and sociodemographic characteristics.

Results: The mean age of the students was 16.1 [SD 0.9] years and 52.7% were girls. Overall, 481 [40%] students [34% of males, 46% of females] had symptoms of mental disorders. Most had mild symptoms; 5% had severe symptoms. Symptoms of anxiety, depression and social impairment were seen in 40%, 33% and 32% of the students respectively; significantly more girls had these symptoms [P < 0.05]. Female students, those in higher school grades, and those whose fathers were unemployed and mothers were housewives were significantly more likely to have symptoms of mental disorders [P < 0.05].

Conclusions: This study found a high prevalence of symptoms associated with mental disorders in the adolescents in Khorramabad. Counselling centres in schools are needed to offer psychiatric counselling services to students and to implement regular mental health training programmes

Treatment efficacy of children with acute otitis media by otoacoustic emissions

It is well documented that children exhibit a high prevalence and incidence of otitis media. Otoacoustic emissions [OAEs] offer great potential for clinical testing of cochlear function in children. The aim of the present study was to determine the applicability of OAEs to assess hearing acuity in children with acute otitis media who were scheduled for middle ear treatment. In a analytic cross-sectional design, 54 children with acute otitis media were evaluated by pure tone audiometry [PTA], tympanometry and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions [DPOAEs]. PTA thresholds and, DPOAE amplitudes and signal to noise ratios were compared before and after treatment course. The data were analyzed by SPSS 16 software. Air conduction thresholds were significantly different from post-treatment thresholds [p<0.05] We found significant differences between pre treatment and post- treatment DPOAE amplitude and signal to noise ratios at 500 Hz - 5000 Hz [p<0.05]. Although we found any air-bone gap in 10 patients after treatment course, but DPOAEs were seriously affected in these patients. Acute otitis media can be monitored by DPOAE measurement pre- and post-treatment. In addition, DPOAE is more sensitive than pure tone audiometry for assessment of these subjects

[Survey of saccadic parameters using videonystagmography in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and normal subjects]

Patients with Parkinson's disease manifest oculomotor abnormalities. This is the consequence of basal ganglia impairment. The most common abnormalities include increased saccade latency, hypometric saccades and decreased saccade velocity. The purpose of this study was comparison of saccadic parameters using videonystagmography in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and normal subjects. In this cross sectional study, saccadic movements were investigated in thirty patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and thirty age matched subjects were 35-70 years old. Saccade latency, velocity and accuracy were quantitatively analyzed. Results of this study indicated increased saccade latency, reduction of saccade velocity and accuracy in patients with Parkinson's disease [P<0.001]. This study showed that patients with Parkinson's disease manifest saccadic deficits. This suggests dopaminergic control of these ocular movements