Determinants of unmet needs for mental health services amongst adolescents in Shiraz, Iran: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Mental disorders are increasingly prevalent among adolescents without appropriate response. There are a variety of reasons for unmet mental health needs, including attitudinal and structural barriers. Accordingly, we investigated perceived mental health needs, using mental health services, and their barriers in adolescents. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 in Shiraz, Iran. Demographic characteristics, the Adolescent Unmet Needs Checklist, and the Young Schema Questionnaire were administered to 348 adolescents aged 13-19 years. Adolescents were classified as having no needs, fully met needs, partially met needs, or wholly unmet needs. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with perceived unmet need and refer participants to healthcare centers. Results: 193 (55.5%) adolescents reported perceived need for mental healthcare out of whom, 21.6% reported fully and 21.6% partially unmet needs. Noticeably, only 12.4% of needy participants reported met need. "Reluctance to seek mental healthcare" and "asked but not receiving help" were common barriers to using the services. Conclusion: The present study reveals unmet mental healthcare needs as a significant public health concern among the adolescents. To address this significant concern, reorientation of primary care, removing economic barriers from mental healthcare services, and improving health literacy in the community are recommended.

Food insecurity status and its contributing factors in slums' dwellers of southwest Iran, 2021: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: One major factor causing food insecurity is believed to be poverty. Approximately 20 million Iranians live in slums with a vulnerable socioeconomic context. The outbreak of COVID-19, on top of the economic sanctions against Iran, has increased this vulnerability and made its inhabitants prone to food insecurity. The current study investigates food insecurity and its associated socioeconomic factors among slum residents of Shiraz, southwest Iran. METHODS: Random cluster sampling was used to select the participants in this cross-sectional study. The heads of the households completed the validated Household Food Insecurity Access Scale questionnaire to assess food insecurity. Univariate analysis was utilized to calculate the unadjusted associations between the study variables. Moreover, a multiple logistic regression model was employed to determine the adjusted association of each independent variable with the food insecurity risk. RESULTS: Among the 1227 households, the prevalence of food insecurity was 87.20%, with 53.87% experiencing moderate and 33.33% experiencing severe food insecurity. A significant relationship was observed between socioeconomic status and food insecurity, indicating that people with low socioeconomic status are more prone to food insecurity (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The current study revealed that food insecurity is highly prevalent in slum areas of southwest Iran. The socioeconomic status of households was the most important determinant of food insecurity among them. Noticeably, the coincidence of the COVID-19 pandemic with the economic crisis in Iran has amplified the poverty and food insecurity cycle. Hence, the government should consider equity-based interventions to reduce poverty and its related outcomes on food security. Furthermore, NGOs, charities, and governmental organizations should focus on local community-oriented programs to make basic food baskets available for the most vulnerable households.

The correlation between ART and OCRA methods used for posture assessment of repetitive tasks.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Repetitive tasks are among the causes of musculoskeletal disorders. Assessment of repetitivetasks is performed through various methods with different scores and significance given to risk factors considered in these methods. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each method can contribute to modifying the methods and improving the correlation between them. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between ART and OCRA methods in a career with repetitive movements. METHODS: After hierarchical task analysis in a vegetable grower job with repetitive movements, the subtasks were assessed by an assessor who mastered both ART and OCRA methods. The final score of each method was checked using the Pearson correlation coefficient in SPSS 18, after testing the normality of data. RESULTS: Moderate risk levels were reported for 16 out of the 14 sub-tasks analyzed using both methods. In the ART method, 3 sub-tasks and in the OCRA method, 2 sub-tasks had high-risk levels. The Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.842 indicating a moderate correlation between the two posture assessment methods. CONCLUSION: The findings of the study showed an acceptable correlation and compatibility between the two methods considering the risk levels.

Sex Differences in 28-Day Mortality of Ischemic Stroke in Iran and Its Associated Factors: A Prospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: The mortality and morbidity rates of stroke in men and women have been reported differently and its effective factors have been discussed. The purpose of this study was to investigate sex differences in 28-day mortality of ischemic stroke and its associated factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study conducted from June 2018 to September 2019 in patients with ischemic stroke referred to Firoozgar, Shariati and Sina hospitals in Tehran. Demographic data, risk factors, disease history, drug use, severity of stroke, and patient functional status were recorded in the hospital. The patients' functional status and severity of stroke were measured using the Modified Ranking Scale (MRS) and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). After 28 days, the patients' survival status was monitored. Logistic regression was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: In this study, 703 patients were enrolled; of them, 260 (37.00%) were female and 443 (63.00%) were male. After 28 days, 21 female cases (8.17%) and 26 male (6.08%) ones died (P = 0.299). Functional status (OR = 4.65; 95%CI: 2.09 to 10.38), diastolic blood pressure (OR = 0.91; 95%CI: 0.85 to 0.96), warfarin use (OR = 0.15; 95%CI: 0.04 to 0.55), and hemoglobin (OR = 1.17; 95%CI: 1.02 to 1.35) were associated with 28-day mortality. Poor functional status in men had a greater association with 28-day mortality than women (OR 4.65 vs. 1.64). High diastolic blood pressure had a negative association with the 28-day mortality of cases and this association is more in women than in men (OR 0.88 vs. 0.91). High hemoglobin is a risk factor in men and a protective factor in 28-day mortality in women (OR 1.73 vs. 0.73). Smoking also had a greater association with 28-day mortality in women than men (OR 2.67 vs. 1.2). DISCUSSION: Twenty eight-day mortality was more in women than in men, but this difference was not significant. Women were older, had more severe stroke and poorer functional status than men. Variables including functional status, diastolic blood pressure, hemoglobin level, and smoking had interaction with sex, and their association with 28-day mortality rate was different between men and women. Sex differences should be considered, so that we can better manage stroke patients.