The impact of Covid 19 pandemic on life satisfaction and health of Iranian bank employees.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has affected various aspects of human life. Bank employees who are more in contact with people are more likely to be infected during the pandemic situation. Moreover, mental, physical and social impacts of COVID-19 are more intense among these employees.Objective: this study aims to determine the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on bank employees' health and life satisfaction in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted during the fifth wave of COVID-19 from July to October 2021. The population included all the employees of Tejarat Bank in 20 provinces of Iran, 350 of whom were selected using the multi-stage cluster sampling method. The data were collected by demographic questionnaire, 12-item short-form (SF-12) personal health assessment survey and satisfaction with life scale (SWLS). The objective of the study was examined by the structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: The results showed the two default models of health function (CFI = 0.95) and life satisfaction (CFI = 0.99) had acceptable fit. Assessing the bank employees with COVID-19 revealed this disease had no direct impact on life satisfaction (ß = -0.05, P = 0.28) and health function (ß = 0.04, P = 0.48). However, it had a direct impact on physical function (ß = -0.18, P = 0.001) and, consequently, an indirect impact on life satisfaction. Moreover, low mental function reduced life satisfaction. Conclusion: COVID-19 infection had no direct impact on life satisfaction. However, it had an indirect and positive impact on it. Considering gender showed COVID-19 infection had a direct and positive impact on life satisfaction among women. The employees who recovered from COVID-19 infection reported higher life satisfaction after returning to work for various reasons than those who never got it.

Effect of resilience training on stress coping strategies among employees engaged in hard jobs during COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: In recent years, the stress caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic has increased on the stress of working in difficult jobs, in this research resilience and coping styles focus on responding to stress. The present study aimed to examine the effect of resilience training on coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic by holding resilience-training sessions. METHOD: This is a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design. The statistical population included all married personnel of Kavir Steel Complex, Aran and Bidgol County. In total, 30 couples were randomly selected and divided into case and control groups (n = 15 couples per group). In this study, Henderson and Milstein's resilience training package was used for resilience training; two basic assumptions of variance homogeneity of posttest error of coping strategies and homogeneity of regression line slope between pretests and posttests were examined. For data analyzing, we used SPSS Version 25. RESULTS: The results showed resilience training increased application of problem-oriented coping strategies (p < .01, SE = 1.88, Δx̄ = 10.19) and decreased application of emotion-oriented (p < .01, SE = 1.69, Δx̄ = 8.65) and avoidance (p < .01, SE = 1.86, Δx̄ = 4.15) coping strategies among the personnel. Moreover, the interaction effect of group and gender was only significant on emotion-oriented strategies at .05 (p < .05, F = 6.51). CONCLUSIONS: Analyzing the results showed that problem-oriented coping strategies, in contrast to avoidant and emotion-oriented strategies, positively controlled stress. The ability to deal with stressors is critical to daily functioning, adaptation, and mental and physical health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The long-term impact of the earthquake on substance use.

Earthquake is associated with several health conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and cardiovascular disease. However, the association between earthquakes and substance use has been less studied to date. We conducted a historical cohort study 17 years after the Bam earthquake by enrolling 818 households using multi-stage cluster sampling. The sample consisted of earthquake-exposed and non-exposed citizens. The ASSIST screening test was used to determine substance use. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association of variables of interest with substance use. Nearly 60% of the study subjects were female and the mean ± SD age of the sample was 46.6 ± 11.5 years. The prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use in the exposed group was 19.5%, 24.9%, and 21.6%, respectively. The corresponding figures in the non-exposed group were 15.6%, 19.3%, and 20.1%, respectively (P > 0.05). The logistic regression model found no association between the history of earthquake exposure and the risk of any current drug use. Our results showed those 17 years after the Bam earthquake, there was no relationship between earthquake exposure and substance use.

Response capability of hospitals to an incident caused by mass gatherings in southeast Iran.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hospitals are expected to provide a safe environment for patients, visitors, and employees during emergencies and disasters, as well as provide health care to disaster survivors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response capability of hospitals to an incident caused by mass gatherings (MG) in Kerman province. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed among hospitals of Kerman city in 2021. To collect data, the emergency response checklist-WHO (2011) was utilized with 90 questions prepared in nine domains. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 20 with descriptive tests. RESULTS: In this incident, 438 people were injured and 61 killed (31 women and 30 men). Of the 438 injured taken to hospitals, 193 were treated on an outpatient basis, 146 were hospitalized and 99 were treated at Advanced Medical Post (AMP) and mobile hospital in the scene. Results showed a moderate response level of hospitals to an incidence (151.50±18.28). Among the components of hospitals' response to incidence, the command and control component had the highest mean score (159.16 ± 22.39) while the surge capacity component had the lowest mean score (129.78 ± 25.21). CONCLUSION: Our hospitals faced new challenges in this incident; therefore, policymakers and executives managers of the health system in Iran should develop a comprehensive strategic plan to promote hospitals' preparedness for suitable and timely response to MG incidences and improve risk perception of mass gathering participants and hospitals personnel through training and implementing discussion and operation-based exercises.

Does workplace spirituality enhance motivation of hospitals social workers? The scrutiny in Iran.

BACKGROUND: In today's world as the globe of organizations, employees tend to show endeavor and more involvement in organizational goals and mission by creating workplace spirituality. AIM: The present study aimed to investigate the role of workplace spirituality in improving hospital social worker's motivation. METHODS: The study employed a cross-sectional design and was conducted in 19 private and governmental hospitals in Karaj city, Alborz province, north Iran in 2019. The statistical population included all 302 hospital social workers who were selected as the sample population according to Cochran's formula. Using two standard questionnaires of workplace spirituality and employee motivation, we assessed the role of workplace spirituality in improving the hospital' social workers' motivation. RESULTS: According to research findings, there were significant relationships between workplace spirituality, meaningful working, sense of community, forgiveness, and honesty with hospital social workers motivation p ⩽ .05. There was a significant difference between age group, gender, level of education and workplace spirituality, and motivation of hospital social workers p ⩽ .05. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that health planners and authorities may need to examine factors that contribute to the promotion of workplace spirituality to increase the motivation of hospital social workers for improved performance of health organizations.

Latent Profiles of Posttraumatic Growth: 17 years After the Bam Earthquake in Iran.

OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is a positive psychological change after challenging life events. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of positive and long-term psychological changes in people who experienced the Bam earthquake. METHODS: A total of 916 adolescents were surveyed 17 years after the earthquake. Self-report questionnaires were administered to participants. A latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to extract the subgroups of adults. RESULTS: The LPA identified 5 meaningfully profiles that were characterized based on the pattern of PTG dimensions. The common profile was profile, which perceived very low "relating to others" dimension and medium for other PTG dimensions. Also, the results showed significant differences among gender and age and nonsignificant differences in marital status and education level among the profiles of PTG. CONCLUSIONS: For stressful situations, the different dimensions of PTG change indirectly in every person. In Bam, some patterns are seen according to PTG after 17 y. Among these dimensions, the part of "relating to others", has the greatest change. Another conclusion is that according to a relatively high profile for 5 clusters, it seems the impact of 17 y should be less on PTG as the number of extractive patterns is approximately high for the case.

Patterns of traumatic events and its relations with posttraumatic growth and religiosity in Iranian college students.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic events and psychological damage are common. Identifying different types of traumatic events contributes to the development of psychopathology and can be very helpful in macroeducational and treatment planners. The current study extracted the patterns (overlap) of different traumatic events that Iranian college students commonly experience, with the aim of understanding their association with posttraumatic growth (PTG) and religiosity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four hundred and sixty-six students from Kerman universities completed a cross-sectional survey about religion, and questions about PTG and traumatic events have experienced in the past 5 years. The latent class analysis (LCA) was used for extracting patterns of traumatic events, and the one-way ANOVA test was used to compare PTG and religiosity across these classes in Iranian college students. RESULTS: The LCA revealed that a three-class solution had an adequate relative and absolute fit. The three classes were labeled and characterized as multiple-traumatic events (2.9%), intermediate-traumatic events (31.1%), and low-traumatic events (66.0%). In ANOVA results for PTG and Duke University Religion Index (DUREL) domains across classes, individuals in the multiple-traumatic classes had the lowest score of PTG and DUREL domains. CONCLUSION: Although the current study showed the relative frequency of multiple-traumatic events in Iranian students is low, individuals categorized in this class had the lowest PTG, and these findings reveal the necessitation of planning and interventions for PTG.

Posttraumatic growth after earthquake: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic growth (PTG) represents a positive personal change after adverse events, such as natural disasters, including earthquake. However, the association between exposure to earthquake and level of PTG is still unknown. Thus, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analyses (MA) is to assess the level of PTG in people exposed to earthquake. METHODS: Studies were identified via Scopus, PsycInfo, Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, ProQuest, Cochran Library, Ovid, Google Scholar, OpenGrey, congress, and conferences research papers. The level of PTG was presented as mean and standard deviation. Subgroup analyses were conducted to control for the amount of time that had passed since stressor onset and age of the study population. The meta-regression was used to explore the sources of between-study heterogeneity, including sample size and age. RESULTS: The MA of all 21 studies using no restrictions related to age and time of the PTG measurement since traumatic event showed low level of PTG (41.71; 95%CI = 34.26; 49.16, I2: 62.44%, p: .000). Subgroup analyses controlled for the age demonstrated that level of PTG was higher in adults (49.47; 95% CI = 42.35; 56.58, I2: 0%, p = .466) when compared to children and adolescents (35.38; 95% CI = 23.65; 47.11, I2: 69.09%, p < .00). Moreover, the pooled weight mean of PTG measured 1 year and less than 1 year since the earthquake varied between medium (46.04; 95%CI = 34.45; 57.63, I2:51.2%, p: .037) and high (59.03; 95%CI = 41.46; 76.41, I2: 0%, p: .990) levels, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results of our MA showed low level of PTG in earthquake survivors. However, the mean value of PTG in adults was higher when compared to children and adolescents. In addition, the mean PTG was found to decrease over time since traumatic events.