Road traffic injuries and associated mortality in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Background:Road traffic accidents are a major public health problem globally, causing millions of injuries, deaths and disabilities, and a huge loss of financial resources, especially in low- and middle-income countries.Aim:To determine the incidence of road traffic injuries and associated mortality from 1997 to 2020 in the Islamic Republic of Iran.Methods:This retrospective study used data from the Legal Medicine Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran to estimate the annual rates of road traffic injuries and associated mortality from 21 March 1997 to 20 March 2020. The data were analysed using STATA version 14 and the annual rates are reported per 100 000 population.Results:During the study period, 5 760 835 road traffic injuries and 472 193 deaths were recorded in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The mortality rate increased from 22.4 per 100 000 in 1997 to 40 per 100 000 in 2005 and decreased to 18.4 per 100 000 in 2020. The injury rate increased from 111.1 per 100 000 in 1997 to 394.9 per 100 000 in 2005. It decreased in 2006 and 2007 and increased from then until 2010, finally reaching 331.8 per 100 000 in 2020. The male to female ratio for road traffic mortality was 3.9 in 1997 and 4.6 in 2020. The case fatality rate was highest (20.1%) in 1997 and decreased to 5.6% in 2020.Conclusion:Continuous interventions are needed to reduce the burden of road traffic injuries and associated mortality in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

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.

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.