The effect of Crocus sativus L. (saffron) herbal tea on happiness in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that menopause can be associated with a variety of negative psychological changes such as depression and anxiety, and improving the mental health status of women during menopause is one of the important priorities and challenges of the health system. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of saffron (Crocus sativus L., Iridaceae) herbal tea on happiness in postmenopausal women. METHODS: In this randomized clinical trial which was conducted in 2021, 72 postmenopausal women were enrolled and divided into intervention and control groups. The randomization blocks method was used for random allocation, and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire was utilized to measure the scores. The intervention included the use of 30 mg of dried stigmas of the saffron plant, which was boiled once (in the morning, in 300 ml of boiling water for 10-15 min) and consumed with white rock candy as one cup of saffron tea daily. To compare the trend of changes and after removing the effect of other variables, generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups in any of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics (p > 0.05). The results of paired samples t-test showed that the happiness mean score in the intervention group increased significantly (p < 0.001) from 42.93 ± 8.54 to 61.58 ± 8.24, while in the control group, there was no significant difference between the happiness mean score at the beginning and end of the study (p = 0.861). Also, after applying the treatment program in the intervention group, there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the happiness mean scores (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Saffron herbal tea had a positive effect on reducing depression and increasing the happiness score; thus, it is recommended that it should be used as a complementary treatment in consultation with the treating physician. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The present study was registered with the code of IRCT20210403050818N1 (Registration date: 09/04/2021) in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials. It was also approved by the Ethics Committee of Larestan University of Medical Sciences (Approval ID: IR.LARUMS.REC.1399.017).

Changes in incidence and mortality trend due to COVID-19 in southern Iran, from 2020 to 2021: based on Cochran-Armitage trend test.

Background: In 2020, COVID-19 spread rapidly in Iran and other parts of the world. Some of the epidemiological aspects of this disease remain unknown; therefore, the present study was designed with the aim of determining the trend of incidence and mortality of COVID-19 from February 2020 to July 2021 in southern Iran. Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional analytical study that included all people who had COVID-19 in the period from February 2020 to July 2021 and whose information had been registered in the Infectious Diseases Center of Larestan city and MCMC unit. The study area included the cities of Larestan, Evaz, and Khonj, located in the south of Fars province in southern Iran. Results: Since the emergence of COVID-19 until July 2021, a total of 23,246 new cases of infection were reported in the southern region of Fars province. The average age of patients was 39.90±18.30 years and the range of ages varied from 1 to 103 years. The results of the Cochran-Armitage trend test showed that the trend of the disease in 2020 was completely upward. The first positive case of COVID-19 was recorded on February 27, 2020. The incidence curve in 2021 is sinusoidal, but in general, the results of the Cochran-Armitage trend test showed that the incidence of the disease increased significantly (P-trend < 0.001). Most cases were reported in July, April, and the end of March. Conclusion: In general, the incidence rate of COVID-19 has varied sinusoidally from 2020 to mid-2021. Although the incidence of the disease increased, the number of deaths has fallen. It seems that the increase in the number of diagnostic tests and the implementation of the national COVID-19 immunization program have been effective in changing the trend of the disease.