ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Given the substantial role of information systems in planning and simplifying the decision-making process for the government, organizations, health centers, and facilitators, in order to attract medical tourists from less developed and neighboring countries, the comprehensive Iranian Medical Tourism Information System can be used. The objective of this study was to designing a conceptual model for Iranian medical tourism information system. METHODOLOGY: This study was carried out in a three-step applied and combined method. In the first step, a systematic review was done on the studies and then the reliability of the results was checked during a semi-structured in-depth interview with 11 experts in medical tourism through open questions. In the third step, the Delphi method was conducted quantitatively to get the ideas of 26 experts. SPSS software version 22 was used for factor analysis. RESULTS: The proposed conceptual model for Iranian Medical Tourism Information System includes a variety of services from the first moment of decision to travel until the moment of returning from a medical journey, following up the treatment, and sharing the patients' experiences. CONCLUSION: It could be concluded that considering the commercial importance and financial benefits of medical tourism, it should provide the necessary facilities to expedite the provision of services to these foreign patients; consequently, an appropriate basis for attracting more medical tourists from neighboring countries, developing countries, and even developed countries will be provided.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: A considerable group of internet users consists of university users; however, despite internet benefits and capabilities, internet overuse is a threat to societies especially to young people and students. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the predictive role of information literacy in internet addiction among students of Iran University of Medical Sciences during 2016. METHODS: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in Iran University of Medical Sciences in 2016. Using stratified random sampling method, 365 students from different disciplines were selected. Measuring tools included the Information Literacy Questionnaire, the Yang Online Drug Addiction Scale and the General Health Questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed by Pearson product-moment correlation, independent samples t-test and multiple linear regression using SPSS version 22. RESULTS: According to this study, 31.2% of students had internet addiction (29.9% were mildly addicted and 1.3% had severe addiction). There was a significant and inverse relationship between higher information literacy and internet addiction (R= -0.45) and (p<0.001). The predictor variable "Information literacy" explained 20% of the variation in the outcome variable "Internet addiction". CONCLUSION: Students play a substantial role in promoting the cultural and scientific level of knowledge in society; the higher their information literacy, the lower the level of Internet addiction, and consequently the general health of society will improve. It seems that wise planning by authorities of Iran's universities to prevent internet addiction and to increase information literacy among students is needed.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Due to the high costs of conventional mental health care, there has been a rise in the application of web-based technologies in recent years, i.e., telemental health care. We conducted this systematic review in 2017, using high quality research articles on the applications, technologies, advantages and challenges associated with telemental health care published since year 2000. METHODS: We used a combination of relevant key words to search four major databases, such as "Web of Sciences, Embase, PubMed and Science Direct". From among 156 articles, which had been published since 2000, twenty five articles met all of the inclusion criteria and were selected for the final review. The information extracted from these articles were used to construct Tables 1 and 2. Also, the materials derived from 55 credible articles were used as further support and complementary facts to substantiate the information presented in the Discussion section. RESULTS: The findings revealed that telemental health care is an extended domain supportive of conventional mental health services. Currently, telemental health care has multiple capabilities and technologies for providing effective interventions to patients with various mental illnesses. It provides clinicians with a wide variety of innovative choices and strategies for mental interventions, in addition to significant future potentials. CONCLUSIONS: Telemental health care can provide effective and adaptable solutions to the care of mental illnesses universally. While being comparable to in-person services, telemental health care is particularly advantageous and inexpensive through the use of current technologies and adaptable designs, especially in isolated communities.
ABSTRACT
Chronic gastritis is defined as the presence of chronic mucosal inflammatory changes leading eventually to mucosal atrophy and epithelial metaplasia. It is notable for distinct causal subgroups and for patterns of histological alterations that vary in different parts of the world. By far the most important aetiological association is chronic infection by the bacillus Helicobacter pylori (Hp). The organism is a worldwide pathogen that has the highest infection rates in developing countries including Iran. In this study, samples confirmed for the diagnosis of chronic gastritis from 100 Hp-positive and 36 Hp-negative patients, were reevaluated histopathologically to determine the severity of inflammation, the presence of active gastritis, lymphoid follicle(s), glandular atrophy and intestinal metaplasia. Seventy-five percent of the samples showed mild inflammation, whilst moderate and severe inflammation was seen respectively in 24% and about 1% of the cases. Among the evaluated variables, only activity and intestinal metaplasia had statistically significant associations with Hp (p < 0.05) in this survey.
