What factors influence couples' decisions to have children? Evidence from a systematic scoping review.

BACKGROUND: One of the most significant demographic challenges over the past three decades has been the substantial reduction in fertility rates, worldwidely. As a developing country, Iran has also experienced a rapid decline in fertility over the past decades. Understanding factors influencing fertility is essential for development programs. Moreover, it's crucial to study the parameters that affect the intention for childbearing in any society. Therefore, through a systematic scoping review, the present study investigates the factors influencing couples' decisions toward childbearing. METHODS: This study was a systematic scoping review conducted in 2023. To design and conduct this scoping review, Joanna Briggs Institute's Protocol (Institute TJB, The Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers ' manual 2015; methodology for JBI scoping reviews, 2015) was used and the framework presented by Levac et al. (2010) was also used as a guide for conducting this review. Studies were searched in three main databases including ISI Web of Sciences, PubMed, and Scopus, using a predefined search strategy. Google Scholar was also used for complementary search. The search period was from 2002 to 2022. RESULTS: A total of 18,454 studies were identified across three primary databases. After evaluating articles in three distinct phases based on title, abstract, and full-text, 46 articles were deemed eligible for inclusion in the scoping review. The qualitative analysis of the collected data from the selected studies through the scoping review led to classifying factors influencing households' desire for childbearing into eight main themes and 101 sub-themes. The main themes associated with factors impacting households' intention for childbearing encompass individual determinants, demographic and familial influencing factors, cultural elements, social factors, health-related aspects, economic considerations, insurance-related variables, and government support/incentive policies. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive and holistic attention from governments and officials toward the various factors affecting households' intention and behavior regarding childbearing appears beneficial and effective. Furthermore, given the relative ineffectiveness of some of the current government's supportive/incentive policies to increase couples' desire for childbearing, it seems necessary to review and amend these policies. This review should address the most significant challenges and factors contributing to couples' reluctance to childbearing or strengthen factors that can play a substantial role in fostering fertility and childbearing desires.

Development and validation of a questionnaire based on the protection motivation theory to predict cigarette smoking preventive behavior in the Iranian university students.

BACKGROUND: Prevention of smoking is very important at a young age and during the student period. Because of the lack of a questionnaire based on the prevention of smoking behavior, this study was conducted to design and standardize a tool according to the protection motivation theory (PMT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an analytical cross-sectional study where information and opinions of experts and then designing tools and assessing the face validity in the first phase and content validity, construct validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency of questions in the second phase were examined. The initial themes and structures were determined based on the literature Review and the opinion of experts. Three hundred students of Yazd Universities were selected by cluster sampling and included in the study. All analyses were performed in SPSS and AMOS software version 24 with a significance level of less than 5%. RESULTS: The final version of the scale had 39 questions in eight dimensions. The overall Cronbach's alpha value was 0.89, and for each dimension, it was more than 0.7. The content validity ratio and content validity index for the whole tool were 0.87 and 0.94, respectively. The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the latent construct model had good fit (X2/df = 4.31; RMSEA = 0.07; CFI = 0.94; NFI = 0.92; TLI = 0.91, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this study, a valid and reliable tool based on PMT to predict smoking behavior in students was introduced. This tool can be used in interventional and etiological studies. It also has questions related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid 19) virus and can be used in the coronavirus pandemic.

Impact of social and cultural factors on incidence, transmission and control of Coronavirus disease in Iran: a qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 pandemic has had mixed reactions from nations, people and governments about ways to cope with, prevent and control the disease. The current study identifies social, cultural and policy factors affecting the incidence and control of Coronavirus disease in Iran. METHODS: A qualitative study consists of content analysis as well as the views of 20 experienced and knowledgeable subjects specialized in social and cultural health management. The data were gathered using three semi-structured interviews and then continued by 17 semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was done using Graneheim approach. After each interview, the recorded audio files transcript and reviewed. Then codes extracted and divided to categories and sub-categories. RESULTS: There are distinct social and cultural factors in coping with Coronavirus disease. These consisted of three categories of governance, individual and community related factors. A total of 17 subcategories and 215 primary codes that were extracted from the text of interviews as variables of the study and in relation to the research question. Ten subdomains of governance including vaccination, political issues, knowledge, support services, administrative services, transportation, health and treatment, culturalization, legislation and, managerial and financial policies impacted the spread and mitigation of the pandemic at various levels. CONCLUSION: The management of pandemics requires a comprehensive capacity for identifying and determining social and cultural criteria. A healthy partnership between governments and the community may be required to remove unnecessary obstacles that hinder public health attempt to alleviate the risk. The obtained criteria and indicators from this study may be utilized by policy makers in an attempt to strengthen protocols for mitigating pandemics. Further studies may be warranted to confirm these findings.

Evaluation of Complications of Short-term and Long-term Drainage Following Mastectomy with Removal of Axillary Lymph Nodes: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in Iran and round the globe. Seroma formation is the most common primary complication after mastectomy (partial/radical). Nowadays, drainage is used as a routine method to reduce seroma formation after mastectomy, although there is no consensus about the appropriate time to perform drainage after this surgery. This study evaluated the effects of short-term and long-term drainage after mastectomy along with removal of axillary lymph nodes. METHODS: This randomized clinical trial was performed on 88 women who underwent mastectomy with ALND in hospitals in Yazd (were randomly divided into two groups). Suction drains were inserted for all patients at completion of surgery. The data collection tool was a researcher-made form based on variables. In the first group, the drain was removed 24 hours after surgery and the patients were discharged, but the second group was discharged with the drain in place after 24 hours and the drain was removed 5 days after surgery. Data were analyzed with SPSS18 using T-Test, Chi square, and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The results showed that 28 (31.8%) participants had formed seroma, of whom 22 (50%) were in the 1-day drainage group and 6 (13.6%) were in the 5-day drainage group. There was a statistically significant correlation among seroma frequency, mean aspiration volume, mean number of aspirations, mean seroma volume in sonography one week after surgery, and mean seroma volume in sonography between the two groups three weeks after surgery (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Based on the results, it can be concluded that long-term drainage reduces the risk of seroma formation after mastectomy with removal of axillary lymph nodes compared to short-term drainage. Complementary study be performed by considering other underlying factors such as comorbidities to obtain the best drain removal time in breast cancer patients.

Social vulnerability indicators in pandemics focusing on COVID-19: A systematic literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Social factors can affect the vulnerability of disaster-prone communities. This review aimed to identify and categorize social vulnerability indicators in the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted in February 2021. Bibliographies, citation databases, and other available records were investigated based on the aim of the study. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools were applied for assessing the included articles retrieved through the comprehensive and systematic literature search. Descriptive and thematic analyses were done to extract the indicators affecting social vulnerability in the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Thirty-one eligible articles were included and 85 indicators of social vulnerability were extracted. The indicators were categorized in seven main categories, including; Household, community composition; Race, minority status and language; Socioeconomic status; Community health status; Public health infra-structures; Education; Information, technology and communication. CONCLUSION: Regions with higher social vulnerability experienced greater mortality rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional research is needed to measure the social vulnerability index in pandemics to prioritize distribution of scarce resources and ensure effectiveness and equity for all regions of countries.

Designing an educational campaign intervention on smoking preventive behaviors in students: A protocol.

BACKGROUND: Todays, human lifestyle has faced significant changes, and this lifestyle has caused health problems. The increase of smoking, among young people, is one of the risk factors and incorrect lifestyle factors. The present study will design an educational campaign intervention based on the protection motivation theory (PMT) on smoking preventive behaviors in students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In designing this study, five phases are considered. (1) needs assessment and determination of the current situation are considered. In this phase, the required communication is established to form a planning team with key and influential people and experts, (2) tool design, (3) educational intervention (educational campaign) is designed. Some individuals will be selected and trained as facilitators to start entering the target population, have a better access to the target group, and implement the interventions in the target group. (4) the implementation of the educational plan, in which the designed educational intervention (educational campaign) will be implemented on the students of the studied universities. (5) the educational evaluation, which will be conducted 2 months after the intervention of the educational campaign. The posttest will be based on before and after the implementation of the educational campaign. In the prevention of the second type in smoking students, the salivary cotinine levels of smoking students will be measured and comparisons will be made before and after educational using appropriate statistical tests. RESULTS: The present study addresses the needs and strategies for smoking prevention using a training campaign based on the PMT and web . CONCLUSION: Designing a campaign which will lead to smoking preventive behaviors causes lifestyle changes, prevent health problems such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and other chronic diseases, reduce treatment costs, and increase life expectancy.

Relationship of pupils' quality of life and academic achievement with the employment status of their mothers.

INTRODUCTION: One of the most important environmental factors affecting academic achievement and performance is the family especially mothers. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between quality of life (QOL) and the academic achievement of pupils with the employment status of their mothers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 9th-grade students in Shiraz. A sample of 400 individuals was selected through a multi-stage sampling method from among the 9th-grade students and a questionnaire on academic achievement and quality of life was completed for them. Then data was entered into spss23 software and analyzed. The value of P < 0.05 was considered a significant statistical level. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between students who have employed and Housewife mothers about the student's academic achievements ant QOL score (P > 0.05). According to the results of multivariate analysis, none of the variables was a significant predictor of the QOL and academic achievement in the students. CONCLUSION: In spite of lack of association between the quality of life and academic achievement of students with their mothers' occupation but it should be regarded that more attention to students and spent more time by students can be very helpful in the academic achievement of students.

Decomposing socioeconomic inequality in dental caries in Iran: cross-sectional results from the PERSIAN cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The current study aimed to measure and decompose socioeconomic-related inequalities in DMFT (decayed, missing, and filled teeth) index among adults in Iran. METHODS: The study data were extracted from the adult component of Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in IrAN (PERSIAN) from 17 centers in 14 different provinces of Iran. DMFT score was used as a measure of dental caries among adults in Iran. The concentration curve and relative concentration index (RC) was used to quantify and decompose socioeconomic-related inequalities in DMFT. RESULTS: A total of 128,813 adults aged 35 and older were included in the study. The mean (Standard Deviation [SD]) score of D, M, F and DMFT of the adults was 3.3 (4.6), 12.6 (10.5), 2.1 (3.4) and 18.0 (9.5), respectively. The findings suggested that DMFT was mainly concentrated among the socioeconomically disadvantaged adults (RC = - 0.064; 95% confidence interval [CI), - 0.066 to - 0.063). Socioeconomic status, being male, older age and being a widow or divorced were identified as the main factors contributing to the concentration of DMFT among the worse-off adults. CONCLUSIONS: It is recommended to focus on the dental caries status of socioeconomically disadvantaged groups in order to reduce socioeconomic-related inequality in oral health among Iranian adults. Reducing socioeconomic-related inequalities in dental caries should be accompanied by appropriate health promotion policies that focus actions on the fundamental socioeconomic causes of dental disease.

Dietary Insulin Index and Dietary Insulin Load in Relation to Metabolic Syndrome: The Shahedieh Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia are involved in the etiology of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components. OBJECTIVE: The current study assessed the association of dietary insulin load (DIL) and dietary insulin index (DII) with the odds of having MetS among a large population of Iranian adults. DESIGN: This study was a cross-sectional analysis of the Shahedieh cohort study, which began in 2015-2016 and continues to the present day. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: A total of 5,954 Iranian adults, aged 35 to 70 years, were included in the current analysis. To collect dietary data, the validated block-format 120-item semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire was used. MetS was defined using the criteria belonging to the Iranian-modified National Cholesterol Education Program for Adults. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Enzymatic colorimetric tests were used to measure fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations; blood pressure and waist circumference were measured using the standard protocols. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Binary logistic regression with adjusted models was used to examine the association of DIL and DII with MetS. RESULTS: After taking potential confounders into account, moderate DIL was associated with increased odds of MetS in men, meaning that men in the third quartile of DIL had 61% greater odds for having MetS compared with those in the first quartile (odds ratio [OR]: 1.61, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-2.54). Such a significant association was not seen for DII. In women, DIL was significantly associated with increased odds of developing MetS. After controlling for potential confounders, women in the top quartile of DIL had 77% greater odds for having MetS compared with women in the bottom quartile (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.08-2.91). This significant positive association was also seen for DII, such that a higher score of DII was associated with 41% greater odds of MetS (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.08-1.83). CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to a diet with a high DIL and DII is associated with greater odds of having MetS in women. Also, moderate DIL was associated with increased odds of MetS in men.

Association of food groups intake and physical activity with gestational diabetes mellitus in Iranian women.

Background: It is suggested that combining a healthy diet with physical activity during and before pregnancy have a significant effect on insulin sensitivity. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between physical activity and diet before and during pregnancy with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Methods: A case-control study was conducted on 173 women with GDM diagnosed during the pregnancy as the case group and 168 women with a negative test for GDM as controls. Weight and height were measured and BMI was calculated. Dietary intake and physical activity data during pregnancy were collected using 24-hour food recall questionnaire and international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ).Results: Body mass index and the intake of refined sugars, high fat dairy products, and fried foods were significantly higher and the intake of fruit and animal oil intake were significantly lower in the case group compared to the control group (All p < .05). However, there was not any significant association between the level of physical activity, vegetable intake, and total energy intake with the risk of GDM.Conclusions: According to the results of this study, dietary intake before and during the pregnancy have a critical effect on the risk of GDM. Appropriate dietary planning for pregnant women can reduce the risk of GDM.

Development and multi-cohort validation of a clinical score for predicting type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Many countries lack resources to identify patients at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes mellitus (diabetes). We aimed to develop and validate a diabetes risk score based on easily accessible clinical data. METHODS: Prospective study including 5277 participants (55.0% women, 51.8±10.5 years) free of diabetes at baseline. Comparison with two other published diabetes risk scores (Balkau and Kahn clinical, respectively 5 and 8 variables) and validation on three cohorts (Europe, Iran and Mexico) was performed. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 10.9 years, 405 participants (7.7%) developed diabetes. Our score was based on age, gender, waist circumference, diabetes family history, hypertension and physical activity. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.772 for our score, vs. 0.748 (p<0.001) and 0.774 (p = 0.668) for the other two. Using a 13-point threshold, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (95% CI) of our score were 60.5 (55.5-65.3), 77.1 (75.8-78.2), 18.0 (16.0-20.1) and 95.9 (95.2-96.5) percent, respectively. Our score performed equally well or better than the other two in the Iranian [AUC 0.542 vs. 0.564 (p = 0.476) and 0.513 (p = 0.300)] and Mexican [AUC 0.791 vs. 0.672 (p<0.001) and 0.778 (p = 0.575)] cohorts. In the European cohort, it performed similarly to the Balkau score but worse than the Kahn clinical [AUC 0.788 vs. 0.793 (p = 0.091) and 0.816 (p<0.001)]. Diagnostic capacity of our score was better than the Balkau score and comparable to the Kahn clinical one. CONCLUSION: Our clinically-based score shows encouraging results compared to other scores and can be used in populations with differing diabetes prevalence.

The role of clinical factors in the association of gestational diabetes amongst women aged 15-49 years residing in Yazd-Iran.

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has occurred in Fourteen percent of all pregnancies in the world. Epidemiological evidences about risk factors of GDM may be different from region to region and are unknown, exactly. This study examines the role of clinical factors in the association of gestational diabetes in Yazd, Iran. METHODS: This study was carried out on 168 women with gestational diabetes and 168 women as controls after matching for age and place of residence. Each participant was interviewed about her pregnancy history and tobacco consumption. Information including BMI, weight before pregnancy and background of underlying diseases were recorded from information system in Health Centers. Finally, data were analyzed by using chi-square test, logistic regression and multiple correspondence analyze(MCA). RESULTS: History of gestational diabetes in past pregnancy OR = 3.2[95%CI:1.1, 9.7], a family history of gestational diabetes OR = 3.7 [95%CI:1.1, 11.5], a history of hookah smoking OR = 3.6 [95%CI:1.06, 12.3], being obese before pregnancy OR = 1.9[95%CI:1.01, 3.5], and weight gain during pregnancy OR = 0.5[95%CI:0.2, 0.9], were the most important determinants of gestational diabetes. There were not significant relation between GDM and underlying diseases, history of stillbirth, abortion, twinning, cigarette smoking, alcohol and drug abuse. CONCLUSIONS: In this research modifiable risk factors for gestational diabetes were high BMI before pregnancy, weight gain during pregnancy and history of hookah consumption. We advise that appropriate education, avoiding sedentary lifestyle, diet improvement and advertising which focus on tobacco consumption is playing as an important role in developing the chronic diseases, including GDM.