Successful implementation of general health policies in the Islamic Republic of Iran: barriers and mechanisms.

BACKGROUND: The general health policies for the Islamic Republic of Iran were approved in April 2014. AIMS: This study examined the barriers currently faced by general health policies and the mechanisms required for the successful implementation of these polices. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted as a two-phase project based on standard CAN-IMPLEMENT guidelines. A set of qualitative methods, including face-to-face in-depth interviews, focus groups, and in-person consensus meetings, were used to clarify mechanisms and barriers. RESULTS: Twenty-one mechanisms and 13 barriers were identified. The majority of mechanisms were related to the development of health infrastructures and appropriate allocation of resources. The most significant barriers to implementation of general health policies were lack of formulated strategies, poor management, lack of a comprehensive national action plan, minimal information infrastructures, and inadequate funding. CONCLUSIONS: A thorough understanding of barriers and mechanisms for implementation of general health policies can provide the necessary background to ensure successful health promotion in the country.

Evaluation of personnel blood pressure and its risk factors in university affiliated medical centers: Iran's Health Day 2013.

UNLABELLED: Background Hypertension is a risk factor for life threatening diseases such as cerebrovascular accidents, coronary artery diseases, congestive heart failure and chronic renal failure. The prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes including obesity has increased over the past few years in Iran. The first step for modification of cardiovascular diseases in a defined population is to assess the prevalence of their risk factors. This study was conduceted to assess personnel blood pressure and its risk factors in one of the medical universities of Tehran in the Health Day of 2013. METHODS: This cross sectional study was performed from May 19, 2013 to May 24, 2013 (I.R. of Iran's Health Weak) in one of the medical universities of Tehran. Participants completed voluntarily a researcher-made questionnaire which composed of demographic characteristics and variables about risk factors and preventive factors of cardiovascular diseases such as smoking, history of diabetes, history of hypertension, physical exercise status and so on. Blood pressure was measured by mercury sphygmomanometer and weight and height were measured by a ground analogue scale. RESULTS: Of 195 persons participated in this study, 180 persons (92.3%) were male. The mean age of participants was 33.75 (±9.87) yr. The mean of systolic and diastolic blood pressure was 114.44 (±8.67) mmHg and 73.06 (±8.45) mmHg, respectively. The prevalence of overweight, obesity, prehypertension and hypertension was 41.7%, 17.8%, 40.4% and 11.7% respectively. Only 8 persons (5.6%) were cigarette smokers. CONCLUSION: Despite the low prevalence of hypertension in our samples, the high prevalence of prehypertension and overweight need great attention. Interventions like life style modification could be effective in prevention of hypertension.

Faunal data and envenomation emergency first aid of cone snails (Conus spp.) in Qeshm Island, the Persian Gulf.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the fauna of a highly venomous marine species group, the cone snails (Family Conidae), in the shores of Qeshm Island, of evaluating the possibility of envenomation in the area and summarize recommendations for emergency first aid. METHODS: Shores surrounding Qeshm Island were surveyed to collect cone snails during cold (February and March) and warm (May and June) seasons of 2017. Collected snails were identified to the species level. Abundance and species richness were estimated in shores of different structures, including muddy and sandy-rocky shores. Also, the most updated medical literature was reviewed to summarize related emergency first aid. RESULTS: Three cone snail species were recorded from southern sandy-rocky shores of the Island, in decreasing order of abundance, included crowned cone (Conus coronatus) (65%), feathered cone (Conus pennaceus) (28%), and frigid cone (Conus frigidus) (7%). Abundance of these species were significantly higher in cold season compared to the warm season (P < 0.05). No cone snails were recorded along the northern muddy shores of the Island. CONCLUSIONS: Envenomation can cause various symptoms ranging from minor local pain to systemic paralysis and death due to respiratory failure. We recommend an awareness programme for the seashore visiting public.

Knowledge of healthy lifestyle in Iran: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Lifestyle is a set of goals, plans, values, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs manifested in the personal and family life of the individual and in her or his social interactions. It is an interdisciplinary concept that involves a health-oriented view of the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual domains of life. Despite their great importance, there is not much knowledge in Iran about healthy lifestyles. The present study is an attempt to address the knowledge of healthy lifestyle in Iran through a review of the literature on the subject. METHODS: The present systematic review searched Elsevier, SID, Pub Med, Magiran, IranMedex, and Google Scholar databases for relevant articles published between 2000 and 2014. We used various keywords for the searches, including knowledge, lifestyle, health, and Iran. As a result, 62 articles were included in the study. RESULTS: There has been a dramatic increase in the publication of articles on lifestyle in Iran over the past 10 years. The results obtained showed that 64% of the articles addressed physical health, 14% addressed psychological health, 10% addressed social health, and 12% addressed spiritual health. Most lifestyle studies conducted in Iran have focused on physical health, and a few have examined the psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of lifestyle. None of the studies has examined the knowledge map of healthy lifestyles in Iran. CONCLUSION: Given the changes in the causes of mortality from infectious and chronic diseases that impose greater medication and treatment costs on the society, and since diseases caused by unhealthy lifestyles have become the leading cause of death, it is essential for health researchers to focus on the root cause of these diseases, i.e., lifestyle and human behaviors.

Does the health of individuals have a mathematical code?

The definition of health of individuals is well described by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other International Health Organizations. Many studies have also been carried out in order to survey the health conditions in different countries based on this definition, therefore, the health condition of every country analyzed by the WHO. In this hypothesis, I would like to explain "whether the health of individuals has a mathematical code or not? If so, the discovery is on the way to examine each individual based on a health profile as well as every nation in the world to find out, what must be carried out on an individual, national, and international level to increase the health rank? The aim of this hypothesis is to bring to your attention and all of the WHO directors and specialist to ask" whether the health of individuals has a mathematical code or not?" If so, the new view must be considered in regard with the health of the world population, which will be discussed in this hypothesis.