Aliyar Ahmadi
Abstract
Context: Social relations have been found to affect different aspects of people’s life. This article is a systematic review of attempts to consider the social support as a major determinant of health during life span.
Evidence Acquisition: For our research we retrieved data from the J Store, Springer, ...
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Context: Social relations have been found to affect different aspects of people’s life. This article is a systematic review of attempts to consider the social support as a major determinant of health during life span.
Evidence Acquisition: For our research we retrieved data from the J Store, Springer, Wiley Online Library, Elsevier, Science Direct, PubMed database as well-known sources of scientific studies. The study comprised all studies considering social ties and relationships and health outcomes of both genders in different aspects of medical sociology and social epidemiology, with particular emphasis on comprehensive studies to identify the implications of and the effect of social support on women’s health.
Results: The results obtained from this review are presented in three main sections. These include perceived versus received social support, main effect versus buffering effect of social support, and finally the consideration of women’s health. Overall, empirical studies confirm the importance of social relationship to health and longevity and its different implications in women’s health.
Conclusions: To be healthier and more usefully active in the society, women need to have different kinds of support from social relationships. Women are required to be better informed about the significance of enjoying positive social relationships which provide potential health benefits, by social support, from both relatives and other people.
Yasamin Dianat; Mitra Amini; Shirin Ghanavati; Parisa Nabeiei; Mohammad Jafari; Farnaz Takmil
Abstract
Background: Women comprise more than half of the world's population. In different societies, because of different views and attitudes, women are affected by various factors such as culture, customs, religion, economy and etc. Objectives: The present research attempts to determine why medical students ...
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Background: Women comprise more than half of the world's population. In different societies, because of different views and attitudes, women are affected by various factors such as culture, customs, religion, economy and etc. Objectives: The present research attempts to determine why medical students are interested in general medicine and how they seek job satisfaction. In this connection, it is also important to know about the existing problems and barriers and to propose approaches to prevent them. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study is comprised of female medical students of whom 100 were randomly selected using random numbers table. Data gathering tool was a researcher-made questionnaire including 20 questions. Validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by the medical education academics and its reliability was checked by a pilot study of 20 medical students which was considered 86% according to Cronbachs’ Alpha. The data analysis was done using SPSS version 14. Results: With respect to marital status, 22% and 78% of the participants were married and single 78% were, with their average age being 26 ± 0.98 SD years. Respectively also their job satisfaction mean score was 4.19 ± 1.51 out of 7 which showed no significant association between job satisfaction and marriage and they exhibited positive attitude toward General Medicine (P = 0.639, 0.002). There was a significant association between job satisfaction and attitude of women toward their husbands who were practicing physician (P = 0.018). Conclusions: According to the results of this study, as the majority of the target population comprised women with family responsibilities, stakeholders and other program designers are recommended to provide special facilities in order to increase job and education opportunities for women.
Aliyar Ahmadi; Fatemeh Roosta
Abstract
Background: Health promotion is receiving an ever increasing attention regarding its prominent role in health of population. Health promoting lifestyle could be due, in some part, to enhancing knowledge about healthy behaviors.
Objectives: Due to the importance of healthy lifestyle in current situation ...
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Background: Health promotion is receiving an ever increasing attention regarding its prominent role in health of population. Health promoting lifestyle could be due, in some part, to enhancing knowledge about healthy behaviors.
Objectives: Due to the importance of healthy lifestyle in current situation of chronic diseases in Iranian society, the aim of this study was to determine the correlates of health promoting life style with a special emphasis on the role of health knowledge among women of reproductive age.
Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 392 women of child bearing age (15 - 49 years) in 2013 in the city of Shiraz, southern Iran. The participants were selected through random cluster sampling. The scale for health promotion lifestyle was Walker’s Health Promoting lifestyle Profile (HPLP), which encompasses six healthy lifestyle dimensions including health self-responsibility, nutrition, physical activity, stress management, interpersonal relationships and spiritual growth.
Results: The results of the study indicated a significant association between health knowledge (r = 0.225, P = 0.000), rate of study in health matters (r = 0.341, P = 0.000), women’s education (r = 0.109, P = 0.035), husbands’ education (r = 0.182, P = 0.005), and socio-economic class (Spearman’ rho = 0.154, P = 0.000) and Health Promoting lifestyle (HPLS). In addition, age and education affected HPLS through health knowledge. There was no significant association between age, age at marriage, family size, marital status, experience of abortion and occupation with Health Promoting lifestyle.
Conclusions: Knowledge automatically creates the desired changes in behavior. Health professionals and health education programs have to increase awareness of healthy lifestyle behaviors that enables people to apply this knowledge in their everyday lives. Therefore, the goal of health policy should be promoting the health knowledge of the population.
Zahra Kochaki Nejad; Alireza Mohajjel Aghdam; Hadi Hassankhani; Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi; Zohreh Sanaat
Abstract
Background: Self-efficacy refers to an individual’s belief in his or her capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific achievement. Past studies have shown probable increases in self-efficacy with growing age. Iranian women with breast cancer are one decade younger than their western ...
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Background: Self-efficacy refers to an individual’s belief in his or her capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific achievement. Past studies have shown probable increases in self-efficacy with growing age. Iranian women with breast cancer are one decade younger than their western counterparts.
Objectives: The present study aims to investigate the level of cancer-related self-efficacy in Iranian women, and its demographic and medical predictors.
Patients and Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study comprised of 91 breast cancer patients referring for chemotherapy to one of the largest oncology centers in northwest of Iran. The patients’ demographic and medical characteristics were determined and their cancer related self-efficacy was assessed using cancer behavior inventory containing 33 items. Data analysis was completed using SPSS software version 13. Descriptive and Regression analysis were used to describe demographic and medical characteristics of the patients and their predictors of cancer-related self-efficacy.
Results: The sustained cancer-related positive attitude had, in total, the highest mean score of 7 subscales of cancer behavior inventory and the seeking of social support had the least mean score. Only Patient’s education and the time of cancer diagnosis were associated with self-efficacy of Iranian women in relation to cancer.
Conclusions: According to the results obtained, it is necessary to consider the level of education, social support, and the time of cancer diagnosis in order to assess the self-efficacy in Iranian women with breast cancer.
Fahimeh Haghighatdoost; Leila Azadbakht
Khatereh Anbari; Seyed Mohammad Mostafavi; Kourosh Ghanadi
Abstract
Background: Health promotion is a process, which enables people to control and improve their health.
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate health promoting behaviors in women of Khorramabad City.
Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 500 women aged between 15 to 49, referring ...
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Background: Health promotion is a process, which enables people to control and improve their health.
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate health promoting behaviors in women of Khorramabad City.
Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 500 women aged between 15 to 49, referring to Khorramabad health centers were studied by consecutive sampling method, using the standardized HPLPII questionnaire. t-test, one-way analysis of variance and multi-variable analysis (linear regression) were used for data analysis.
Results: Regarding health promoting behavior, 77.8% of women were in average condition, 14.4 % considered desirable, while 7.8 % found to have undesirable status. The mean score was 129.2 ± 20.9. Therefore, the physical activity and health care responsible were of lowest quality, where associability and spiritual growth proved to be in best condition. In linear regression test, the most important factors predictive of health promoting behaviors included the level of education (β = 0.15, P = 0.004), the number of children (β = 0.13, P = 0.002), and the marital status of the participants (β = 0.1, P = 0.021).
Conclusions: The health system of any society should pave the way for providing facilities, offering proper trainings, according with intersectoral coordination and following the principle of social justice, encouraging women to perform health-promoting behaviors.
Parvin Mirmiran; Arefeh Fallah Ghohroudy; Somayeh Hosseinpour Niazi; Batol Ahmadi; Fatemeh Nayeri; Fereidoun Azizi
Abstract
Context: Diet is an important component of life and plays a key role in the prevention or development of non-communicable diseases. The aim of this systematic review was to determine different dietary patterns and their association with non-communicable diseases in Iranian women.
Evidence Acquisition: ...
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Context: Diet is an important component of life and plays a key role in the prevention or development of non-communicable diseases. The aim of this systematic review was to determine different dietary patterns and their association with non-communicable diseases in Iranian women.
Evidence Acquisition: Sources of Information: an electronic literature search was conducted on websites such as Pubmed, Science direct, Google scholar, Sid, and Iranmedex to identify original human studies, published in English and Persian up to August 2013 that included keywords or phrases relevant to the aim of this study.
Results: Studies were classified into eight groups according to their objectives and outcomes, including the relationship between dietary patterns and aspects such as bone mineral density, metabolic syndrome, obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, markers of inflammation, hypertension, coagulation abnormalities, life style and factor analysis. Compared to healthy dietary patterns, the western and Iranian patterns were positively associated with conditions related to non-communicable diseases. The dietary approach to stop hypertension (DASH) is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and is low in saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol, refined grains, and sweets. This diet is associated with greater high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and lower body weight, waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and systolic and diastolic blood pressures.
Conclusions: Adherence to a healthy dietary pattern is expected to secure a protective effect against non-communicable disease.
Zamzam Paknahad; Azam Ahmadi Vasmehjani; Mohammad Reza Maracy
Abstract
Background: Epidemiological studies showed that vitamin D deficiency is associated with components of metabolic syndrome.
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the association between serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D concentration and components of metabolic syndrome in Iranian adult women.
Patients ...
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Background: Epidemiological studies showed that vitamin D deficiency is associated with components of metabolic syndrome.
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the association between serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D concentration and components of metabolic syndrome in Iranian adult women.
Patients and Methods: This study was comprised of 156 women aged ≥ 30 years with at least three of the five criteria of metabolic syndromes. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 (OH)D) levels and components of the metabolic syndrome were determined. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to NCEP/ATP III criteria. The subjects were classified into three groups according to their serum concentration of 25 (OH)D.
Results: Mean of serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D was 20.5 ± 10.8 ng/mL with %54.5, 23.1% and 22.4% of subjects were deficient, insufficient and sufficient in vitamin D, respectively. After adjustment for age, BMI, physical activity, and ANCOVA, fasting blood sugar concentration was shown to be inversely associated with serum 25 (OH)D (P = 0.004). On the other hand HDL-C showed significant correlation across different groups of vitamin D status (P = 0.014). Waist Circumference had favorable changes, without any statistically significant correlation. Also no significant association was observed between other components of metabolic syndrome and 25 (OH)D in different groups.
Conclusions: The components of metabolic syndrome are influenced by serum 25 (OH)D concentrations. The finding of this investigation revealed that FBS and HDL-C concentrations related to serum 25 (OH)D. Therefore, further longitudinal studies and randomized clinical trials are necessary to determine the possible role of vitamin D in prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Zinat Mohebbi; Shahla Najafi; Zahra Molazem; Giti Setoodeh
Abstract
Background: Burns are among the most prevalent mortality causes in developing countries, particularly Iran. In addition to large treatment expenses, burn victims suffer from long-term physical and psychological injuries.
Objectives: This study intends to recognize the epidemiologic factors, causes and ...
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Background: Burns are among the most prevalent mortality causes in developing countries, particularly Iran. In addition to large treatment expenses, burn victims suffer from long-term physical and psychological injuries.
Objectives: This study intends to recognize the epidemiologic factors, causes and outcome of burns among hospitalized women in the Burn Wards of Ghotbeddin Hospital in Shiraz, Iran.
Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out for a period of 2.5 years. The population consisted of all women hospitalized in the Burn Wards of Ghotbeddin Hospital from March 2009 until September 2011. Patients' information was entered in a checklist using old records and documents after which the collected data were analyzed by SPSS software version 15.
Results: A total of 619 women were hospitalized over a 2.5 year period due to burns. Their mean age was 25.78 ± 17 years with a range of 3 months to 103 years. Approximately half of the burns (45.4%) occurred at home, most of which (35.0%) occurred during the spring season. Kerosene was the most prevalent cause of burns (30.0%). Of these, 210 (33.92%) women were referred due to self-immolation; familial disputes were the main cause (46.6%) for these referrals. There were 232 (37.48%) cases whose deaths were attributed to burns and its complications during this period.
Conclusions: Annually, many women have been admitted and treated in burn hospitals, which result in tremendous financial expenses, physical deformities, psychological disabilities and mortality. Therefore, public education of burn prevention measures seems to be necessary.
Iran Jahanbin; Elham Aflaki; Haleh Ghaem
Abstract
Background: Osteoporosis is a serious problem worldwide, mainly because of the consequences of the diagnosis. However, many osteoporotic fractures can be prevented and treated.
Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between lifestyle and bone mineral density (BMD) in women ...
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Background: Osteoporosis is a serious problem worldwide, mainly because of the consequences of the diagnosis. However, many osteoporotic fractures can be prevented and treated.
Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between lifestyle and bone mineral density (BMD) in women referring to bone densitometry Research center.
Materials and Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1170 Pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women. Demographic, anthropometric, lifestyle data including physical activities, smoking habits, dairy intake and its consumption pattern, calcium intake, as well as, history of steroid intake was asked.. Lumbar and femoral bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Based on the WHO definition the T-score value was considered for analysis.
Results: Participants' mean age was 52.77 (± 9.8) years. Adjusted for age, the BMD significantly correlated to body weight for women. A lower body weight was a risk factor for the osteoporotic process in our participants (P < 0.001). The BMD of women who had more than four pregnancies showed a positive relationship with the osteoporosis of femoral neck and lumbar spine (P < 0.001). Physical activities were positively associated with BMD. This effect was stronger with hip than with spine BMD. Weakly positive associations were found between consumption of dairy products and BMD at the two measurement sites. Low dietary calcium intake and poor physical activity together with advancing age since menopause were independent risk factors for low BMD.
Conclusions: Bone densitometry should be used to assess the severity of bone loss, and to identify those in need of therapy. The follow up and early diagnosis of osteopenia should be carried out in order to institute proper therapy and prevent further osteoporosis.
Negar Darvish; Negin Hadi
Abstract
Background: The relationship between nutritional pattern and non-communicable diseases such as coronary artery diseases, diabetes, and obesity has already been established.
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between nutritional pattern and education level of rural women ...
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Background: The relationship between nutritional pattern and non-communicable diseases such as coronary artery diseases, diabetes, and obesity has already been established.
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between nutritional pattern and education level of rural women in Iran.
Materials and Methods: The present research was conducted on 209 randomly selected women who consented to take part in the study, and lived in kaftarak area of Shiraz during the past year. A questionnaire used in the study was prepared in collaboration with all residents of the department Community Medicine of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Chi-square and t-tests were used for statistical analysis.
Results: Among participants, 45% were in the low educated group and 55% were literate. According to our findings, the participants used five major groups of food in appropriate amounts. Of these, 49% consumed fruits, 54.3%, vegetables, 69.5% protein, 57.6%, dairy products, and 5.7% bread and cereals. Our study showed a significant relationship between education level of the participants and the appropriate consumption of fruits, vegetables, protein and dairy products. However, there was no significant association between education level and consumption of fat and carbohydrates. The participants became overweight or obese when deriving most of their calories from carbohydrates. The mean BMI of the subjects was 26.68 ± 5.8 which was consistent with their inappropriate use of fats and carbohydrates.
Conclusions: The women in rural areas became prone to overweight and obesity by inappropriate consumption of some foods.
