[ study of health, cultural and social conditions of the Chaharmahal va Bakhtiary province's, rural population in 2007, Iran]

Identifying the problems and difficulties related to rural areas can be useful and effective in future planning. Since looking into the current situation is the first step in planning economical, social and cultural development, this study was carried out with the aim of investigating aspects of health, cultural and social conditions of the rural population of Chaharmahal va Bakhtiary province. In this descriptive-cross sectional study 1638 family guardians were chosen through simple sampling. Around 90 villages were chosen for this research [the same area in which the Tarhe Hejrat was carried out in the year 2008]. The data was gathered using multi-sectional questionnaires [Cronbach's Alpha 89%] with 47 questions including demographic information, state of education, employment, financial state, family planning, diet, hypertension, smoking and personal hygiene and was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Unemployment in the rural areas was 31.6%. 86% had their own homes, 30% had a personal car and 87% had bathrooms in their homes. 43.22% wished to emigrate. The awareness of problems arising from not paying attention to family planning was 75.74% and the most practiced method was using oral contraceptive pills [45.1%]. The biggest amount of red meat [46.09%], chicken [36.23%] and fish [62.56%] intake was 1 to 5 times a month. The amount of people suffering from hypertension was 26.25%. Knowledge of the side effects of smoking was 91.81% and the average age of smokers was 57.81 +/- 14.51. Families with a child aged fewer than 10 who had been in an accident were 16.65% and males had the most accidents [70%]. The social, cultural and health status of the people living in the country-side in the province is not at its optimal level in certain aspects. Finding the causes however, requires more research

[Effect of progressive muscle relaxation program on self-efficacy and quality of life in caregivers of patients with multiple sclerosis]

MS is a disease of the central nervous system affecting all economic, financial, social, and emotional aspects of individual, family, and community. Performing continuous care leads to chronic stress in caregivers of patients and this in turn threatens their self-efficacy and quality of life. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of progressive muscle relaxation on self-efficacy and quality of life in caregivers of patients with multiple sclerosis. This was a controlled clinical trial in which 70 family caregivers of MS patients were investigated. The study population was divided into two age- and sex-matched case and control groups. Progressive muscle relaxation techniques were employed for the case group for three months [90 sessions] and its application was followed using a self-report checklist. After three months, self-efficacy and quality of life questionnaires were re-filled by members of both groups. Data were analyzed using descriptive and presumption statistical tests while a p /= 0.05]. Several interventions such as progressive muscle relaxation program with low cost, good safety and effect can help reduce the stress of family caregivers of patients in particular those with chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis and thus leading to an increase in their self-efficacy, care quality, and quality of life

[ effects of group therapy on mental health condition in mothers of thalassemic patients]

Thalassemia is the most common hereditary chronic anemia in human. It causes terrible effects on psychological health condition of family members, especially mothers. Due to the advantages and a very few side effects of group therapy, the current study aimed at determining the effects of group therapy on mental health condition of the thalassemic patients' mothers. A clinical trial was conducted on 60 mothers of thalassemic patients in Hajar hospital of Shahrekord medical university and Seieed Al Shohada hospital in Farsan. At the beginning of the study all mothers were administered a demographic and mental health questionnaire [GHQ28] and among those who scored higher than 23, were randomly designated to the experimental and control groups. In the treatment period of the study the participants in the experimental group attended 8 weekly sessions of group therapy. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, t-test, paired t-test, and Pearson Correlation. Before the experiment there was no significant difference between the two groups of subjects in both questionnaires in all dimensions [P>0.05]. After the treatment period a significant difference was observed between the two groups in all dimensions of mental health [P<0.05]. The results also showed that there was no correlation between demographic variables and mental health conditions. The results of this study showed that group therapy has a considerable positive effect on recovery and improvement of mental health of mothers of the chronic patients, like thalassemia in all dimensions

[Reasons for irregular use of ferrous sulfate tablet in women referred to health centers in Bourojen city, 2005-2006]

Both the pregnant and breast feeding women are of the groups who are predisposed to iron deficiency anemia [IDA]. Although there is a regular program about consumption of ferrous sulfate tablet by these women, about 67 percent of them do not use their tablet regularly. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the reasons for irregular use of ferrous sulfate tablet in women referred to health centers in bourojen city. In this descriptive and analytical study which conducted in health centers of boroujen in 1384-85, 270 pregnant women with 16[th] week of pregnancy to two mounts after delivery were selected and interviewed. A questionnaire, including their demographic information, tablet consumption, attitude and behavior was filled in. Data were analyzed using Chai-square, Mann Whitney, Wilkakson, and Cruscal-Valis. The results showed that%33.1 of the women used their tablet regularly,%56.8 of them consumed it irregularly and%10.2 did not take it at a1. There was no relationship between regular consumption of the tablet and familial level of socio-economical statues. Some of the reasons for irregular consumption of this tablets were forgetting of time interval of consumption [48.4%], nausea and vomiting during pregnancy [%12.4], and lack of knowledge and attitude toward necessity of consumption [%16.4]. There were no significant relationship between number of delivery or pregnancy and age, employment, knowledge and attitude of the women [P<0.05]. Our results showed that in mothers increasing knowledge and information by educational methods such as class and booklet, intermittent consumption of tablet can decrease forgotten dose of tablet and improve level of information

effect of Amirkabiria odoratissima extract on gastric acid and pepsin secretion level in rat

Amirkabiria odoratissima is widely used as an odorant in east south provinces. Many people believe that this plant is useful in treatment of some gastrointestinal disorders. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of the plant extract on the secretion rate of acid and pepsin in the stomach of the rats studied. This is an experimental study involving 3 groups of rats, 8 in each group. The control group received placebo and case groups were received 100 mg/kg and 16.2 mg/kg of Amirkabiria odoratissima by gastrodeodenostomy canola. After anesthesia with nesdonal, 50 mg/kg IP, rats were gone under surgical process, tracheotomy. Subsequently, stomach secretion obtained using Wash Out method included in the first and the second base and measured acid by titrimetry method and pepsin by Anson method. Data were analyzed using t and ANOVA methods. The amount of acid significantly decreased in both Amirkabiria odoratissima groups compared to control group [p<0.001]. However, there was no significant change in pepsin secretion [p>0.05]. Using of Amirkabiria odoratissima decreases gastric acid secretion and may be useful in patients with gastro intestinal disorders

[ effect of group discussion method on the self-image of teenaged thalassaemic patients]

Major thalassaemia, which is a chronic, and everlasting illness may has permanent effect on self-image of these patients, which most of them in our country are under 18 years old. These effect in self-image of may cause psychosocial problems such as unpleasant image for threat, isolation, etc. Therefore this study was carried out to investigate the effect of group discussion on intellectual image of 11-18 year old patient with major thalassemia in the city of Shahrekord. In a quasi experiment, 35 teenagers [13-19 years old] with major thalassaemia referred to thalassaemia ward of Hajar Shahrekord hospital were selected none-randomly. Their intellectual images of selected patients were collected with questionairs. The patients were first divided into groups of 8-12 individuals, and participated in-group discussion sessions twice a week, for 8 weeks. The collected questionairs were analyzed using x[2] and ANOVA tests just and one month after intervention. Our results showed that self-image marks were 180.1 +/- 7.66 and 187.9 +/- 5.9 before and after intervention, respectively. This was equal to 187.83 +/- 5.6 [p<0.001], after one month of intervention. There were significant relationship before and after intervention in psychological self and adaptation self of both male and female groups, but there were no significant relationship in scope of social self, sexual self as well as familial self [p<0.001]. Using of group discussion method causes intellectual image improvement in thalassaemic teenagers, and is suggested as a health measures for chronic mentally ill patients such as people with thalassaemia