Socio-economic inequalities in health-related quality of life among Iranian young people in the middle stage of adolescence: application of Health Equity Assessment Toolkit.

BACKGROUND: One of the main concerns of public health is the increasing inequality of health status, which has an adverse effect on people's life. PURPOSE: The current study aims to analyze the role of socioeconomic inequalities in health-related quality of life (QoL) among Iranian young people in the middle stage of adolescence. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 576 young people in the middle stage of adolescence. The samples were selected using the Multi-stage sampling method. Data were collected by a demographic checklist, and KIDSCREEN-52 questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS ver.16. The Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT) Version 4.0 (beta) was used to assess adolescents' QoL inequalities in terms of socio-economic subgroups. RESULTS: The results show that 27.2 adolescents had low quality of life. The score of physical and autonomy components of QoL was significantly more in male versus school environment in female adolescents. Also, the asset index, father's, and mother's education, and family income in female adolescents, and the assets and family income in male adolescents were significantly related to the quality of life (p < 0.05). The risk of lower QOL in the poorest quintile was 1.12 times more than in the richest quintile. The consideration index of Asset in terms of sex was 4.5 and the modified Gini index was more than 0.5 in females and males. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the significant effects of socioeconomic inequality on the HRQL of Iranian adolescents. Requires a targeted policy approach to reach the poorest quintile for improving the quality of life of adolescents.

Influential factors of general anxiety disorder among Iranian pregnant women during the second peak of COVID-19 pandemic.

The aim of the study was to determine the rate and related factors of prenatal general anxiety disorder in the second peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 2336 pregnant women who referred to health centers of Zanjan province in Iran from June to September 2020. The samples were selected using a multi-stage sampling method. Data were collected by telephone using a General Anxiety Disorder questionnaire (GAD) and analyzed with descriptive statistics and the logistic regression model at a 95% confidence level. Results show that, during the pandemic of COVID-19 more than 78% of Iranian pregnant women had severe anxiety. The odds of having general anxiety disorder in urban residency was 1.80 times more than the rural residence and getting information about preventive and self-care guidelines of COVID-19 were 1.24 times more than the other information (P < 0.05). Our findings show a higher level of anxiety disorder in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic, and also the place of residence and type of information received about COVID-19 are the main predictors of anxiety level. Therefore, the continuous monitoring of pregnant women for evaluating anxiety disorder during the outbreaks is recommended as a routine schedule.

Influential factors on quality of life in married Iranian women during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020: a path analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between quality of life (QoL) with anxiety, depression, corona disease anxiety, sexual function (SF), and marital satisfaction (MS) in married women during the Covid-19 pandemic. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study involving n = 296 married women. We used the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), Marital Satisfaction Scale (MSS), Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and coronary disease anxiety questionnaire, as determinants of QoL for data collection. Data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis. RESULTS: There was a relationship between the components of QoL with SF, anxiety, depression, MS, general health, and contamination obsessions. The results of path analysis also showed that that SF, MS, anxiety, general health, and corona-related anxiety have a direct effect on women's QoL. General health has a more direct effect on QoL. CONCLUSION: The results of this study could help in a plan to improve the QoL of women during the coronavirus epidemic.

The Effect of Psychological Factors on the Quality of Life in Iranian Lactating Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Path Analysis (preprint)

Background: breastfeeding women are susceptible to mental disorders particularly during outbreaks of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. In this study we develop a conceptual model considering the interrelated role of anxiety, depression, general health, breastfeeding, education, income, and corona disease anxiety on the QoL of breastfeeding women.   Method: In a descriptive-analytical study, 279 breastfeeding women were recruited from March to April 2020. Data were collected using a socio-demographic checklist, short Form of Health Survey (SF_12), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS).Results: The overall goodness-of-fit statistics showed that the conceptual model was acceptable (GFI =0.99, RMSEA =0.06). Results showed that breast-feeding, GHQ, anxiety, depression, and education have a direct effect on women’s QoL. We found significant total mediating effects of GH and breastfeeding and moderating effects of education and income on quality of life. Income had indirectly effect on QOL through the education.Conclusion: Our results give support for a hypothetical model in which improvement in breastfeeding, anxiety, depression, general health, education, and income led to higher levels of QoL in breastfeeding women. It seems that the predictors proposed by this model are greatly important and should be considered when designing optimal psychological care interventions.

Influential Factors on Quality of Life in Married Iranian Women During The Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020: A Path Analysis (preprint)

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between quality of life (QoL) with anxiety, depression, corona disease anxiety, sexual function (SF), and marital satisfaction (MS) in married women during the Covid-19 pandemic.Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study involving n= 296 married women. We used the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), Marital Satisfaction Scale (MSS), Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and coronary disease anxiety questionnaire, as determinants of QoL for data collection. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis.Results: There was a relationship between the components of QoL with SF, anxiety, depression, MS, general health and contamination obsessions. The results of path analysis also showed that that SF, MS, anxiety, general health and corona-related anxiety have a direct effect on women’s QoL. General health has a more direct effect on QoL.Conclusion: The results of this study could help to planning to improve the QoL of women during the corona virus epidemic.

Influence of psycho-sexual factors on the quality of life in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: A Path Analysis (preprint)

Introduction: COVID-19 has spread rapidly around the world. This epidemic has created stress and anxiety for pregnant women in different parts of the world. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between quality of life (QoL) with anxiety, depression, coronavirus induced anxiety, sexual function (SF), and marital satisfaction (MS) in pregnant women during the Covid-19 pandemic.Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional study involving 261 pregnant women, administered through an online survey.Outcomes: The Short-Form Health Survey (SF_12), Marital Satisfaction Scale (MSS), Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and  coronavirus induced anxiety questionnaire, Padua Obsession Questionnaire, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) are used for data collection. Data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis.Results: The overall goodness-of-fit statistics revealed that the predictors of QoL had excellent fitness indices (RMSEA=0.02; AGFI=0.99). The results show that coronavirus induced anxiety, marital satisfaction (MS), sexual function (SF), depression, and anxiety have a direct effect on women’s QoL. Among the variables, GHQ has a more direct effect on women’s QoL. General health (GH) is considered as a mediator variable; variables such as anxiety, depression, and coronavirus induced anxiety with effect on GH can impress QoL. Anxiety as a main predictor of QoL, with direct and indirect effects through GH, depression, SF, and MS can impress QoL.Conclusion: Since the QoL in pregnant women is associated with coronavirus epidemics, these results can be used to plan to improve the health and QoL of these people.

Influential Factors on quality of life in married Iranian women during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020: A Path Analysis (preprint)

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between quality of life (QoL) with anxiety, depression, corona disease anxiety, sexual function (SF), and marital satisfaction (MS) in married women during the Covid-19 pandemic.Methods We performed a cross-sectional study involving n = 296 married women. We used the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), Marital Satisfaction Scale (MSS), Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and coronary disease anxiety questionnaire, as determinants of QoL for data collection. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis.Results There was a relationship between the components of QoL with SF, anxiety, depression, MS, general health and contamination obsessions. The results of path analysis also showed that that SF, MS, anxiety, general health and corona-related anxiety have a direct effect on women’s QoL. General health has a more direct effect on QoL.Conclusion The results of this study could help to planning to improve the QoL of women during the coronavirus epidemic.