Estimating the disability adjusted life years associated with COVID-19 in Iran for the first 2 years of the pandemic.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), on 11 March 2020. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) combine the impact of morbidity and mortality, allowing for comprehensive comparisons of the population. The purpose of this study was to estimate DALYs due to COVID-19 in Iran for the first 2 years of the pandemic. Methods: DALYs were estimated as the sum of Years of Life Lost (YLLs) and Years Lived with Disability (YLDs) associated with COVID-19 in Iran from 19 February 2020 to 20 March 2022. The life expectancy for COVID-19 YLL estimations was based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study. Results: There were 15,639,243 outpatients and 1,170,602 hospitalized confirmed cases, of which 120,965 deaths were as a direct result of COVID-19. DALYs were estimated to be 2,376,552. Overall, YLL contributed to 99.34% of the DALYs, while the remaining 0.66% was attributed to YLD. Conclusion: COVID-19 had a significant impact on population health in Iran during the first 2 years of the pandemic; this study provides a comprehensive depiction of COVID-19's burden and is helpful for comparing its impact with other diseases in the population and across populations.

Health literacy and health promoting behaviors among inpatient women during COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: One of the leading health indicators during the COVID-19 crisis is health literacy and health-promoting behaviors. The present study aimed to investigate health literacy and health-promoting behaviors among women hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic in the southern part of Iran in 2020. METHODS: This descriptive-analytical study encompassed 465 women hospitalized and treated in none teaching hospitals affiliated with the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Data collection tools were the Health Literacy for Iranian Adults (HELIA) and Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. RESULTS: The mean scores of the participants' "health literacy" and "health-promoting behaviors" were 64.41 ± 11.31 and 112.23 ± 16.09, respectively, indicating the poor level of health literacy and the average level of health-promoting behaviors. Moreover, there was a significant direct correlation between health literacy and health-promoting behaviors (P < 0.001, r = 0.471). Furthermore, all health literacy dimensions of comprehension (P < 0.001), accessibility (P < 0.001), reading skills (P < 0.001), evaluation (P = 0.002), and decision making and behavior (P = 0.003) were detected as the predictors of health-promoting behaviors. Further, statistically significant relationships were noticed between the mean score of health literacy with age (r = - 0.327, P = 0.007), level of education (F = 3.119, P = 0.002), and place of residence (t = 2.416, P = 0.004) and between health-promoting behaviors with level of education (F = 3.341, P = 0.001) and marital status (F = 2.868, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: According to the findings, health policymakers should adopt national measures for educational planning to promote health literacy and support health-promoting behaviors to encourage women to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of hospital acquired infections rate in a middle east country (1995-2020).

Background: Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a global problem in hospitals and significant causes of mortality and morbidity regardless of advances in supportive care, antimicrobial therapy and prevention. The study aimed to determine a comprehensive estimate of the HAIs prevalence, influential factors, and types of these infections in Iran. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines using the online databases; Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane, SID, Magiran, and Medlib from January 1995 to September 2020 using a combination of medical subject heading terms ('Nosocomial infection [Mesh] OR '' Hospital infection [Mesh] OR Hospital Acquired Infection[Mesh] OR Healthcare-associated infection ''AND ('Iran' [Mesh]) among observational and interventional studies. SPSS version 25 and STATA version 11 were used for data analysis. Results: A total of 66 (cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control) observational studies were identified. More of the studies had been done before 2014(43 papers or 65%). Based on the random-effects model, the overall prevalence of HAIs in Iran was 0.111 [95% CI: 0.105 - 0.116] with a high, statistically significant heterogeneity (I2= 99.9%). The infection rate was 0.157 and 0.089 before and after the Iranian Health Transformation Plan (HTP), respectively. HAIs rates reported more in the South and West of Iran rather than other regions (0.231 and 0.164) (p= 0.001). Escherichia coli and klebsiella infections were reported in 53 and 52 papers (0.239 and 0.180, respectively). In addition, respiratory and urinary infections were reported 0.296 and 0.286 in 51 and 38 papers, respectively. Conclusion: The prevalence of HAIs in Iran is relatively high. Preventing and decreasing hospital nosocomial infections can considerably affect reducing mortality and health-related costs. This should be taken into consideration by health policymakers for pathology and revision of some previous programs and standards as well as the development of appropriate and evidence-based control and education programs to reduce this health problem.

The economic burden of tuberculosis in Sistan: a high-risk region in Iran.

INTRODUCTION: To estimate the economic burden of tuberculosis treatment in Sistan, the region with the highest number of tuberculosis cases in Iran. METHODS: All patients with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis who had contracted tuberculosis in 2018 and successfully completed their treatment were interviewed. RESULTS: Ninety patients with a mean age of 57 ± 18 years were interviewed. Most of them were women (58%), housewives (57%) and resided in rural areas (84%). The mean cost of treatment for tuberculosis was estimated as 6800 USD per patient. Direct costs were 87% of the total cost. Twenty-two patients lost an average income of 530 USD (8514590 rials) during treatment. The results showed the significant correlation of direct and indirect costs with sex, age, place of residence and education (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: It appears essential to improve social protection and implement interventions to promote knowledge in rural areas.

Household financial contribution to the health system after Iran's Health Transformation Plan.

INTRODUCTION: Iran's Health Transformation Plan (HTP) was implemented in 2014 to decrease household expenditures. The present study seeks to measure the household financial contribution to healthcare expenditures in Sistan-Baluchistan Province after the implementation of HTP. METHODS: A household survey was conducted in 2017 in Sistan-Baluchistan Province. The province is the most remote and poorest in the country and this poverty has extended to most of its main health indicators as well. About 2400 households were selected as the study samples using multistage sampling. Data were collected using the World Health Survey questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed by WHO in 2003 for assessing health system performance. Two main indicators of equity in health were measured: the percentage of households facing catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and the Fair Financial Contribution Index (FFCI). The multiple adjusted logistic regression model was used to study the likelihood of facing CHE and to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (OR) using the model coefficients. Data were then analyzed the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. RESULTS: The results showed that 484 (20.2%) of the households faced CHE after implementation of the HTP. The FFCI was approximately 0.7 across the province. Statistically significant relationships were observed between the chances of facing CHE and variables including place of residence (p=0.010), having members aged more than 65 years (p=0.005) and having members with disabilities and in need of care (p=0.001). There were statistically significant relationships between the chance of facing CHE and variables related to the use of health services, including the use of dental (OR=5.212), rehabilitation (OR=2.471), diagnostic and laboratory (OR=3.637), and inpatient (OR=2.511) services. CONCLUSION: Despite the implementation of HTP, a high percentage of the households faced CHE. The authorities should pay more attention to low-income and remote regions of the country; in addition, the HTP should financially cover outpatient healthcare services in an adequate manner.

Cost-effectiveness Analysis of an Aftercare Service vs Treatment-As-Usual for Patients with Severe Mental Disorders.

BACKGROUND: There have been claims that community mental health principles leads to the maintenance of better health and functioning in patients and can be more economical for patients with severe and chronic mental disorders. Economic evaluation studies have been used to assess the cost-effectiveness of national health programs, or to propose efficient strategies for health care delivery. AIMS OF THE STUDY: The current study is intended to test the cost-effectiveness of an Aftercare Service when compared with Treatment-As-Usual for patients with severe mental disorders in Iran. METHODS: This study was a parallel group randomized controlled trial. A total of 160 post-discharge eligible patients were randomized into two equal patient groups, Aftercare Service (that includes either Home Visiting Care, or Telephone Follow-up for outpatient treatment) vs Treatment-As-Usual, using stratified balanced block randomization method. All patients were followed for 12 months after discharge. The perspective of the present study was the societal perspective. The outcome measures were the rate of readmission at the hospitals after discharge, psychotic symptoms, manic symptoms, depressive symptoms, illness severity, global functioning, quality of life, and patients' satisfaction with the services. The costs included the intervention costs and the patient and family costs in the evaluation period. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in effectiveness measures between the two groups. The Aftercare Service arm was about 66,000 US$ cheaper than Treatment-As-Usual arm. The average total cost per patient in the Treatment-As-Usual group was about 4651 USD, while it was reduced to 3823 US$ in the Aftercare Service group; equivalent to a cost reduction of about 800 USD per patient per year. DISCUSSION AND LIMITATIONS: Given that there was no significant difference in effectiveness measures between the two groups (slightly in favor of the intervention), the Aftercare Service was cost-effective. The most important limitation of the study was the relatively small sample size due to limited budget for the implementation of the study. A larger sample size and longer follow-ups are warranted. IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVISION, USE AND POLICIES: Considering the limited resources and equity concerns for health systems, the importance of making decisions about healthcare interventions based on cost-effectiveness evidence is increasing. Our results suggest that the aftercare service can be recommended as an efficient service delivery mode, especially when psychiatric bed requirements are insufficient for a population. IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: Further research should continue the work done with a larger sample size and longer follow-ups to further establish the cost-effectiveness analysis of an aftercare service program compared with routine conventional care.

Medical Errors and Barriers to Reporting in Ten Hospitals in Southern Iran.

BACKGROUND: International research shows that medical errors (MEs) are a major threat to patient safety. The present study aimed to describe MEs and barriers to reporting them in Shiraz public hospitals, Iran. METHODS: A cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted in 10 Shiraz public hospitals in the south of Iran, 2013. Using the standardised checklist of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (referred to the Clinical Governance Department and recorded documentations) and Uribe questionnaire, we gathered the data in the hospitals. RESULTS: A total of 4379 MEs were recorded in 10 hospitals. The highest frequency (27.1%) was related to systematic errors. Besides, most of the errors had occurred in the largest hospital (54.9%), internal wards (36.3%), and morning shifts (55.0%). The results revealed a significant association between the MEs and wards and hospitals (p < 0.001). Moreover, individual and organisational factors were the barriers to reporting ME in the studied hospitals. Also, a significant correlation was observed between the ME reporting barriers and the participants' job experiences (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The medical errors were highly frequent in the studied hospitals especially in the larger hospitals, morning shift and in the nursing practice. Moreover, individual and organisational factors were considered as the barriers to reporting MEs.

Cost-effectiveness of Anemia Screening in Vulnerable Groups: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Anemia is the most common blood disorder observed in vulnerable groups and affects their efficiency in their everyday activities. Possible complications of the disease may be reduced or prevented by screening of patients. Screening programs impose certain costs upon the health system, which may offset their positive effects. Whether the positive impacts of screening outweigh its costs is a subject of debate among policy-makers. In this research, we have conducted a systematic review of the cost-effectiveness of anemia screening. METHODS: The Pubmed, Science Direct, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases were searched for relevant results dating between 1962-2010 using key words. The references of the related articles were gone over manually. In the end, Persian databases were also examined for results. RESULTS: Using data from the four mentioned databases, a total of 722 articles were elected, which, after evaluation, were narrowed down to 4. Of these, 3 focused on newborns and infants. Disparity existed among obtained results, such that no two articles were similar, and this made making comparisons between them cumbersome and sometimes even impossible. Only one study evaluated cost-effectiveness of anemia screening in vulnerable target groups. CONCLUSIONS: Research findings show that there is not enough evidence of cost-effectiveness of screening for decision-making. Bearing in mind the importance of the matter to health policy-makers, due to high prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia in low- and middle-income countries, conduction of research in this field seems necessary.

Cost-effectiveness of mammography screening for breast cancer in a low socioeconomic group of Iranian women.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Mammography screening has been used in many countries to reduce early deaths caused by breast cancer. It is important to ensure that screening programs are effective and efficient. We conducted a study to assess the cost-effectiveness of a national breast cancer screening program implemented in Iran. METHODS: The perspective of the present study was the health system. Over 26,000 women aged 35 and higher, of low socioeconomic background were recruited from ten cities in the program. We used case-finding as the outcome indicator for assessing effectiveness of the program. We measured the service provision costs, the coordination costs and supervision costs of the program that included the staff costs, and measured cost per detected case. We also conducted sensitivity analyses and calculated false-positive rates as a result of the screening program. RESULTS: The total cost of breast cancer screening program was estimated at $377,797. The program resulted in the identification of 24 patients with breast cancers, not different from baseline expectations without a screening program. The cost per cancer detected was calculated $15,742. The minimum and maximum cost per breast cancer detected were about $13,524 and $16,947, respectively. We observed a false-positive rate of 7.5% among the target population. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the mammography screening program was not cost-effective. Although there were technical efficiency issues in the conduct of the program, the findings do not support the implementation of national mammography screening programs in Iran in women aged less than 50 years. Careful studies of such programs for higher age groups are also recommended before they are rolled-out nationally.

Cost effectiveness of breast cancer screening using mammography; a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the leading cause of malignancy among women. Screening using mammography is proposed as an effective intervention for reducing early deaths due to breast cancer. We conducted a systematic review to assess the cost-effectiveness of such screening programs. We searched Medline, Scopus and Google Scholar and complemented it by other searches using sensitive search terms from 1993-2010. We screened the titles and abstracts, assessed the full texts of the remaining studies, and extracted data to a pre-designed data extraction sheet. Studies were categorized according to the age groups of the target population. We used narrative synthesis approaches for analyzing the data. Twenty-eight articles met the minimum inclusion criteria, mostly from high income settings. All studies used secondary data, and a variety of modeling techniques, age groups, screening intervals and outcome measures. Cost per life year gained, ranging from $1,634 (once at the age of 50 in India) to $65,000 (extending the lower age limit of screening to 40 Australian study), was the most commonly used outcome measure. Biennial screening test for those aged 50-70 years seems to be the most cost-effective option ($2685). Biennial screening for aged 50-70 years is the most cost-effective option among alternative scenarios. Screening those aged less than 50 is not recommended. Further studies in low-income and middle-income countries, and cost effectiveness studies along with randomized trials are required. To improve the comparability of the findings, future studies should include biennial screening in 50-70 age groups as an alternative strategy.