The relationship between self-regulation, cognitive flexibility, and resilience among students: a structural equation modeling.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive flexibility is an important construct that contributes to one's own thoughts, behaviors, and feelings to achieve his or her goals. Thus, it could play an essential role in students' educational achievements. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of cognitive flexibility in the relationship between self-regulation and resilience among students. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on a sample of students during the 2022 and 2023 academic years. Students were selected from Tehran and Karaj universities (two metropolitans in central Iran). Data collection instruments included the Bouffard's Self-Regulation Scale, the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RSC). Subsequently, the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling via SPSS and AMOS software to examine the relationships among variables. RESULTS: In all 302 students participated in the study. The mean age of students was 25.8 (SD = 4.05) years. The findings indicated that self-regulation had a marked positive direct effect on cognitive flexibility (ß = 0.23, p < 0.001), and resilience (ß = 0.88, t = 19.50, p < 0.001). Similarly, cognitive flexibility displayed a strong positive influence on resilience (ß = 0.1, p < 0.001) it showed an indirect mediating role between self-regulation and resilience (0.02), while resilience demonstrated a negative indirect effect on self-regulation and cognitive flexibility (-0.23). The goodness of fit indices validated the proposed model. Furthermore, the analysis revealed the significance of the final model's direct path coefficients, underscoring the mediating role of cognitive flexibility between self-regulation and resilience among students. CONCLUSION: The findings indicated a pivotal interrelationship among self-regulation, cognitive flexibility, and resilience in students. The significant positive relationship among these constructs underscores the importance of fostering cognitive flexibility practices and self-regulation in educational settings.

Health literacy and mental health: a national cross-sectional inquiry.

Health literacy and mental health are among the most important issues in the modern health and era of public health. This study aimed to investigate the association between health literacy and mental health status. This was a national cross-sectional study that was conducted in Iran. A sample of literate individuals aged 18-65 was entered into the study using multistage sampling. The data were collected by the Health Literacy Instrument for Adults (HELIA) and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Logistic regression and path analysis were used for data analysis. A total of 20,571 individuals completed the questionnaires. The mean(± SD) age of participants was 34.9(± 11.8) years old, 51% were female, and 38.1% had higher education. The mean(± SD) health literacy score was 68.3(± 15.2), and 29.8% of the respondents reported some mental health problems. Logistic regression analysis showed that limited health literacy was associated with poor mental health status (OR 2.560, 95% CI 2.396-2.735, P = 0.001). The path analysis showed that an increase in health literacy could reduce psychological and social dysfunction (the effect of health literacy on reducing psychological distress is more profound). It is recommended to carry out interventions that strengthen adult's cognitive and communication skills to improve their ability to access and use health information to make healthy choices.

The effectiveness of multidisciplinary interventions based on health belief model on musculoskeletal pain in the elderly living in nursing homes: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Due to the burden of musculoskeletal diseases in the elderly and the multifactorial nature of such conditions, controlling the pain caused by these disorders requires multidisciplinary approach. This approach requires the participation of the elderly in applying effective prevention measures. This study aims to design a multidisciplinary educational intervention based on health belief model (HBM) for elderly residents of nursing homes. METHODS: This is a parallel randomized clinical trial among elderly people aged 60 years and over living in a nursing home who suffer from musculoskeletal pain. Eligible participants will be divided into two groups including the intervention group who will receive a multidisciplinary intervention (vitamin D consumption, psycho-social stress management, and physiotherapy) and the control group who will receive usual care. Data collection instruments will include demographic data, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS), the visual analogue scale (VAS), and a self-designed questionnaire containing the HBM constructs. The interventions will be carried out by the educational team (general practitioner, psychologist, physiotherapist, and health education specialist). Interventions include changing the wrong beliefs of the elderly, taking 800 units of vitamin D daily, daily walking exercise by the elderly for at least 30 min and maintaining proper body posture during daily activities, muscle relaxation, relaxation techniques, regular exercise, examining their diet and eliminating stimulants (such as smoking and coffee), regular visits with friends and family, and deep breathing techniques. All questionnaires will be completed by the elderly before, after, 3, and 6 months after the intervention. DISCUSSION: The present study will evaluate the effect of an educational intervention based on a multifaceted pain control approach for elderly people who reside in nursing homes in order to reduce musculoskeletal pain in the elderly living in nursing homes. One of the features of this study is its focus on improving the health of elderly residents in nursing homes. Given the increase in the elderly population worldwide, the findings from the current trial might benefit elderly populations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT20220904055881N1 . Registered on 11 February 2023.

Correlates of sexual function in women with acute lumbar disc herniation in Iran: a cross-sectional study.

Evidence suggests that lumbar disc herniation (LDH) influences sexual function to a great deal. However, most existing studies have been conducted on men. Thus, the current study aimed to assess sexual function and its correlates in women with acute LDH. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 350 women of reproductive age with acute LDH in Fasa, Iran in 2023. The mean score of female sexual function was 21.33 (3.38). Almost 80% of women had sexual dysfunction. Women scored lower on sexual desire and the higher on lubrication. As the severity of LDH increased, arousal, lubrication and sexual pain score decreased and low back pain (LBP) score increased (p < 0.05). The number of sexual activities after disc herniation was significantly lower in the women with sexual dysfunction (p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed a significant association between sexual dysfunction and LBP intensity (OR = 1.13, CI 1.02-1.26, p = 0.01) and lumbar disc herniation intensity (OR = 2.22, CI 1.07-4.62, p = 0.03). Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) may significantly affect women's sexual function. Severity of low back pain and severity of lumbar disc herniation were found to be risk factors for sexual dysfunction in this population.

Relationship between human papillomavirus and serum vitamin D levels: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. The present review was conducted to accumulate evidence on the relationship between cervicovaginal human papillomavirus infection and serum vitamin D status. METHODS: Electronic databases including Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and PubMed were searched by different combinations of keywords related to "human papillomavirus" and "vitamin D", obtained from Mesh and Emtree with AND, and OR operators without any time restriction until December 24, 2022. Selection of articles was based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for quality assessment. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist was applied for reporting. RESULTS: In total, 276 citations were retrieved. After removing duplicates, and non-related articles, the full texts of 7 articles were reviewed including 11168 participants. Three studies reported that there was a positive relationship between vitamin D deficiency and cervicovaginal human papillomavirus while three studies did not. One study showed a significant positive association between higher vitamin D stores and short-term high-risk human papillomavirus persistence. CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed no firm evidence for any association between serum vitamin D level and cervicovaginal human papillomavirus infection, although the possible association could not be discarded. Further investigations are needed to reach sound evidence.

Preliminary guideline for reporting bibliometric reviews of the biomedical literature (BIBLIO): a minimum requirements.

BACKGROUND: A bibliometric review of the biomedical literature could be essential in synthesizing evidence if thoroughly conducted and documented. Although very similar to review papers in nature, it slightly differs in synthesizing the data when it comes to providing a pile of evidence from different studies into a single document. This paper provides a preliminary guideline for reporting bibliometric reviews of the biomedical literature (BIBLIO). METHODS: The BIBLIO was developed through two major processes: literature review and the consensus process. The BIBLIO started with a comprehensive review of publications on the conduct and reporting of bibliometric studies. The databases searched included PubMed, Scopus, Web of Sciences, and Cochrane Library. The process followed the general recommendations of the EQUATOR Network on how to develop a reporting guideline, of which one fundamental part is a consensus process. A panel of experts was invited to identify additional items and was asked to choose preferred options or suggest another item that should be included in the checklist. Finally, the checklist was completed based on the comments and responses of the panel members in four rounds. RESULTS: The BIBLIO includes 20 items as follows: title (2 items), abstract (1 item), introduction/background (2 items), methods (7 items), results (4 items), discussion (4 items). These should be described as a minimum requirements in reporting a bibliometric review. CONCLUSIONS: The BIBLIO for the first time provides a preliminary guideline of its own kind. It is hoped that it could contribute to the transparent reporting of bibliometric reviews. The quality and utility of BIBILO remain to be investigated further.

Celebrating the Power of Community Kindness: A Reflection on World Mental Health Day 2023.

This short communication reflects on this year's mental health day. The theme for this year is 'Mental health is a universal human right'. However, here the focus is on simple instances (politeness, and the culture of apology) to highlight how these could contribute to improved psychological well-being and mental health. It is hoped that by insisting on such deeds we could spread kindness in our community to make it a safer place for living and make life more enjoyable regardless of its all difficulties and limitations.

Development and validation of the short form domestic elder abuse assessment questionnaire (SF-DEAQ).

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to design and determine the psychometric properties of a short-form questionnaire to investigate the domestic elder abuse. METHODS: This study consisted of two phases: in phase 1 we employed a modified Delphi approach with 18 participants. Consequently, content and face validity, and item analysis were applied. In Phase 2 we evaluated structural validity and convergent validity. Reliability was assessed by looking at internal consistency, stability, and absolute reliability. RESULTS: The findings led to the development of a 27-items short form of domestic elder abuse in four domains that jointly accounted for 74.14% of the variance observed. The short form showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93) and significantly correlated (r = 0.91; p < 0.001 for both scales) with the comprehensive (49-item) domestic elder abuse. CONCLUSION: The short form of domestic elder abuse was found to be reliable and valid as the longer version. The short form of domestic elder abuse could lessen the burden on respondents.

Exposure to the COVID-19 news on social media and consequent psychological distress and potential behavioral change.

Exposure to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) news pandemic is inevitable. This study aimed to explore the association between exposure to COVID-19 news on social media and feeling of anxiety, fear, and potential opportunities for behavioral change among Iranians. A telephone-based survey was carried out in 2020. Adults aged 18 years and above were randomly selected. A self-designed questionnaire was administered to collect information on demographic variables and questions to address exposure to news and psychological and behavioral responses regarding COVID-19. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between anxiety, fear, behavioral responses, and independent variables, including exposure to news. In all, 1563 adults participated in the study. The mean age of respondents was 39.17 ± 13.5 years. Almost 55% of participants reported moderate to high-level anxiety, while fear of being affected by COVID-19 was reported 54.1%. Overall 88% reported that they had changed their behaviors to some extent. Exposure to the COVID-19 news on social media was the most influencing variable on anxiety (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.62-3.04; P < 0.0001), fear (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.49-2.56; P < 0.0001), and change in health behaviors (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.28-3.19; P = 0.003) in the regression model. The fear of being infected by the COVID19 was associated with the female gender and some socioeconomic characteristics. Although exposure to the COVID-19 news on social media seemed to be associated with excess anxiety and fear, it also, to some extent, had positively changed people's health behaviors towards preventive measures.

Translation and psychometric evaluation of the Persian version of Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale (KOS-ADLS).

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to translate and validate the Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale (KOS-ADLS) in Iran. METHODS: Following standard forward and backward translation procedure, content and face validity were tested by specialists and a sample of 32 patients. Then, in a cross sectional study, a sample of patients with knee disorders, recruited through simple sampling, completed the KOS-ADLS and the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) in their first visit to physiotherapy clinics in Tehran. Regarding construct validity, the Spearman's correlation (rs) and one-way ANOVA were employed to evaluate the correlations between the Persian KOS-ADLS and SF-36 subscales (convergent validity) and known groups comparison, respectively. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the Cronbach's α coefficient. RESULTS: In total 101 patients were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 42.39 (SD = 9.2). The finding indicated that the KOS-ADLS had strong correlations with SF-36 physical functioning, bodily pain subscales, and also physical component summary while it had lower correlations with other subscales of the SF-36 as expected. The KOS-ADLS was able to differentiate between the subgroups of patients who differed in BMI. The acceptable level of intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC = 0.91) and Cronbach's α coefficient (α = 0.91) was obtained for the Persian KOS-ADLS. Also no floor and ceiling effects were observed for the questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: The Persian version of KOS-ADLS was found to be a reliable and valid outcome measure for assessing daily living activities in patients who suffer from knee pathological conditions.

Spiritual Well-Being and Death Anxiety: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Iranian Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients experience a tremendous psychological burden, typically in the form of death worry due to acute medical conditions and the possibility of mortality. The unfavourable conditions of ACS patients cause them to reconsider the meaning of life and their spiritual well-being. This study evaluated the association between death anxiety and spiritual well-being in a total of 241 ACS patients in Shahroud, northeast of Iran. The data were collected using the Templer Death Anxiety Scale, and the Spiritual Well-being Scale by convenience sampling method. All patients indicated a high degree of death anxiety, and roughly half reported a moderate level of spiritual well-being. There was a significant and direct correlation between death anxiety and spiritual well-being levels. Older age, single status, and non-smoking were other predictors of good spiritual well-being. A multidisciplinary health team should identify and implement approaches to promote spiritual well-being and reduce mental suffering.

A novel AI-based approach for modelling the fate, transportation and prediction of chromium in rivers and agricultural crops: A case study in Iran.

Chromium (Cr) pollution caused by the discharge of industrial wastewater into rivers poses a significant threat to the environment, aquatic and human life, as well as agricultural crops irrigated by these rivers. This paper employs artificial intelligence (AI) to introduce a new framework for modeling the fate, transport, and estimation of Cr from its point of discharge into the river until it is absorbed by agricultural products. The framework is demonstrated through its application to the case study River, which serves as the primary water resource for tomato production irrigation in Mashhad city, Iran. Measurements of Cr concentration are taken at three different river depths and in tomato leaves from agricultural lands irrigated by the river, allowing for the identification of bioaccumulation effects. By employing boundary conditions and smart algorithms, various aspects of control systems are evaluated. The concentration of Cr in crops exhibits an accumulative trend, reaching up to 1.29 µg/g by the time of harvest. Using data collected from the case study and exploring different scenarios, AI models are developed to estimate the Cr concentration in tomato leaves. The tested AI models include linear regression (LR), neural network (NN) classifier, and NN regressor, yielding goodness-of-fit values (R2) of 0.931, 0.874, and 0.946, respectively. These results indicate that the NN regressor is the most accurate model, followed by the LR, for estimating Cr levels in tomato leaves.

Effect of folic acid on the sexual function of postmenopausal women: a triple-blind randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: There are reports of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women, and several treatment recommendations are available. AIM: To investigate the effect of folic acid on postmenopausal women's sexual function. METHODS: This triple-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in Tehran, Iran, in 2020. A sample of 100 postmenopausal women was recruited from comprehensive health centers affiliated with the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Eligible women were randomly assigned to receive folic acid (5 mg) or placebo on an empty stomach every day for 8 weeks. Women were assessed at 3 time points: baseline and 4 and 8 weeks after the intervention. OUTCOME: Sexual function was the main outcome, as measured by the Female Sexual Function Index. RESULTS: The mean ± SD age of participants in the folic acid and placebo groups was 53.2 ± 3.84 and 54.4 ± 4.05 years, respectively (P = .609). The results obtained from mixed effects analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant difference between baseline and posttreatment scores and the interaction between time and group for desire, orgasm, satisfaction, arousal, pain, and total sexual function score, with the folic acid group improving more than control group. Lubrication was the only domain that showed no significant difference for the interaction between time and group. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Folic acid may beneficially affect sexual function in postmenopausal women. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: Strengths include the novelty of the subject, the triple-blind design, the block randomization, the administration of a standard scale for sexual function (Female Sexual Function Index), and the affordability and availability of folic acid. This study was conducted with a small sample size and short follow-up time; therefore, interpretation of the results requires great caution. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that folic acid possibly improves sexual function in postmenopausal women. Larger studies are needed to confirm the findings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT20150128020854N8; August 2, 2020. Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials; https://en.irct.ir/user/trial/48920/view.

Estimation of global rating changes in quality of life and marital satisfaction among reproductive age women in Iran and Afghanistan before and after COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Quality of life and marital satisfaction are important components of reproductive-age women's health. This study aimed to compare the quality of life and marital satisfaction in women of reproductive age in Iran and Afghanistan before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study on a sample of Iranian and Afghan women of reproductive age. To collect the data, the 12-item short-form health survey (SF-12) and the Enrich marital satisfaction scale were used to assess the quality of life and marital satisfaction, respectively. In addition, the Global Rating of Change (GRC) was used in order to evaluate the quality of life and marital satisfaction compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were evaluated descriptively through statistics including sing t-test, and chi-square, Logistic regression was performed to assess the relationship between outcome variables and independent variables. RESULTS: In all 599 reproductive-age women (300 Iranian, and 299 Afghan) were studied. After adjusting for demographic variables, no significant difference was observed between the two groups for the physical component (P = 0.05) and mental component summary scores of quality of life (P = 0.166) as measured by the SF-12. The majority of Iranian women reported that their quality of life was worsened compared to before the pandemic (57.2%), while in the Afghan group, a higher percentage declared that it was unchanged (58.9%). The mental component of quality of life had no significant relationship with any of the independent variables including nationality. In contrast, the physical component quality of life had a significant relationship with nationality (P = 0.01). Iranian women had more marital satisfaction than Afghan women (P<0.001) and marital satisfaction had a significant relationship with nationality (P<0.001). Most women in both groups (70% of Iranian and 60% of Afghan women) declared that their marital satisfaction unchanged compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the quality of life of Iranian and Afghan women of reproductive age was almost the same before and after the pandemic. However, Iranians scored lower on the mental component summary and Afghans reported lower scores on the physical component summary. Marital satisfaction of Afghan women was much lower than that of Iranian women. The findings suggest the need for serious attention by health care authorities. Providing a supportive environment might be considered a primary step towards a better quality of life for these populations.

The Effect of Sexual Counseling Based on EX­PLISSIT Model on Improving the Sexual Function of Married Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Systemic Lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease. This disease triggers sexual dysfunction due to physiological, cognitive and mental effects. Since sexual function is often ignored in these patients, this study aimed to investigate the effect of sexual counseling based on EX­PLISSIT model on improving the sexual function of married women with SLE. This clinical trial was conducted on 101 married women suffering from SLE (18-49 years) residing in Tehran. Randomization was performed by random block allocation with six blocks in a rheumatology clinic. A demographic questionnaire, the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales-21 Items (DASS-21), and the female sexual function index were used to collect the data. The intervention group received counselling sessions every week while the control group (n = 55) received routine care for the disease. Eight and twelve weeks after completion of counselling sessions, outcomes compared between the intervention and control groups, using independent ttest, paired t-test, repeated measures and Chi-squared test. The scores of sexual function in both groups did not differ significantly before the intervention (p > 0.05). At the first follow-up session, the score of all sexual function domains except sexual pain increased significantly in the intervention group while a significant reduction was observed in all domains of sexual function in the control group (p < 0.05). In the second follow-up, sexual function significantly increased in the intervention group whereas it significantly decreased in the control group (p < 0.05). According to the findings of this study, counseling based on EX-PLISSIT model positively affected the sexual function of women with SLE. Therefore, this model can be used as a cost-effective and simple counseling method to improve the sexual functions.

The relationship between coping strategies with sexual satisfaction and sexual intimacy in women with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis profoundly affects the sexual aspects of patients' life, especially in women. Various coping strategies are used by women with multiple sclerosis to overcome, tolerate, or minimize these sexual effects. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between sexual satisfaction, sexual intimacy, and coping strategies in women with multiple sclerosis. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of 122 married women who were members of Iran's MS society in Tehran, Iran. The study was conducted from December 2018 to September 2019. Data were collected using the Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS), the Sexual Intimacy Questionnaire (SIQ), and the Folkman and Lazarus Coping Strategies Questionnaire. Frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were used to explore the observations. Independent t-test and logistic regression were applied to analyze the data using the SPSS-23. RESULTS: The majority (n = 71, 58.2%) used an emotion-focused coping strategy with the highest score for the escape-avoidance subscale [mean (SD): 13.29 (5.40)]. However, 41.8% of the patients (n = 51) used a problem-focused coping strategy with the highest score for the positive reappraisal strategy subscale [mean (SD): 10.50 (4.96)]. The sexual satisfaction in women with problem-focused coping strategies was significantly higher than women who used emotion-focused coping strategies (95.6 vs. 84.71, P-value = 0.001). There was a negative association between sexual intimacy and higher emotion-focused coping strategy (OR = 0.919, 95% CI 0.872-0.968, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Problem-focused coping strategy in women with multiple sclerosis increases sexual satisfaction, while the emotion-focused coping strategy has a significant negative relationship with sexual intimacy.

Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review of the Qualitative Studies.

OBJECTIVE: Quality of life (QoL) in breast cancer patients is still an important topic. Despite numerous quantitative scales, qualitative studies can help to in-depth understand the QoL of breast cancer patients. The purpose of this systematic review was to integrate qualitative studies on the QoL of women with breast cancer. METHODS: A literature search was performed in electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from January 1, 2010 until June 28, 2022 to find out qualitative studies assessing breast cancer patient's QoL. Two authors independently evaluated methodological quality according to the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist. Data were extracted and reported by themes for cancer-free women and patients with metastatic cancer separately. RESULTS: In all, 1565 citations were retrieved. After removing 1387 duplicate and irrelevant papers, the full texts of 27 articles were reviewed and finally, 9 were eligible for evaluation. In quality checking of the citations, all articles gained the required quality score. After examining and merging similar topics, nine major themes were extracted. Physical, spiritual, and psychological aspects of QoL were the common issues in cancer-free women (before and after the COVID-19 pandemic) and patients with metastatic cancer. Perception of cancer and social life were the other main concerns in cancer-free women, whereas, in metastatic patients' overall survival and planning for the future and their children's life was the focus of interest. Women with metastatic disease showed more vulnerability in coping compared to cancer-free women. CONCLUSION: This review provides an opportunity to have a closer look into the several domains of QoL in women with breast cancer. In-depth information provided by this review might help to develop interventions for patients and their families to support women to cope much better with their life challenges.