Electronic cigarette, effective or harmful for quitting smoking and respiratory health: A quantitative review papers.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, electronic cigarettes (ECs) have been heavily advertised as an alternative smoking device as well as a possible cessation method. We aimed to review all published scientific literature pertaining to ECs and to present a simple conclusion about their effects for quitting smoking and respiratory health. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study with a search of PubMed, limited to English publications upto September 2014. The total number of papers which had ECs in its title and their conclusions positive or negative regarding ECs effects were computed. The number of negative papers was subtracted from the number of positive ones to make a score. RESULTS: Of the 149 articles, 137 (91.9%) were accessible, of which 68 did not have inclusion criteria. In the 69 remaining articles, 24 studies supported ECs and 45 considered these to be harmful. Finally, based on this evidence, the score of ECs (computed result with positive minus negative) was -21. CONCLUSION: Evidence to suggest that ECs may be effective and advisable for quitting smoking or a safe alternative for smoking is lacking and may instead harm the respiratory system. However, further studies are needed.

Assessment of Different Quit Smoking Methods Selected by Patients in Tobacco Cessation Centers in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Health systems play key roles in identifying tobacco users and providing evidence-based care to help them quit. This treatment includes different methods such as simple medical consultation, medication, and telephone counseling. To assess different quit smoking methods selected by patients in tobacco cessation centers in Iran in order to identify those that are most appropriate for the country health system. METHODS: In this cross-sectional and descriptive study, a random sample of all quit centers at the country level was used to obtain a representative sample. Patients completed the self-administered questionnaire which contained 10 questions regarding the quality, cost, effect, side effects and the results of quitting methods using a 5-point Likert-type scale. Percentages, frequencies, mean, T-test, and variance analyses were computed for all study variables. RESULTS: A total of 1063 smokers returned completed survey questionnaires. The most frequently used methods were Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and combination therapy (NRT and Counseling) with 228 and 163 individuals reporting these respectively. The least used methods were hypnotism (n = 8) and the quit and win (n = 17). The methods which gained the maximum scores were respectively the combined method, personal and Champix with means of 21.4, 20.4 and 18.4. The minimum scores were for e-cigarettes, hypnotism and education with means of 12.8, 11 and 10.8, respectively. There were significant differences in mean scores based on different cities and different methods. CONCLUSIONS: According to smokers' selection the combined therapy, personal methods and Champix are the most effective methods for quit smoking and these methods could be much more considered in the country health system.

A comparative study on tobacco cessation methods: a quantitative systematic review.

BACKGROUND: During recent years, there have been many advances in different types of pharmacological and non-pharmacological tobacco control treatments. In this study, we aimed to identify the most effective smoking cessation methods used in quit based upon a review of the literature. METHODS: We did a search of PubMed, limited to English publications from 2000 to 2012. Two trained reviewers independently assessed titles, abstracts and full texts of articles after a pilot inter-rater reliability assessment which was conducted by the author (GH). The total number of papers and their conclusions including recommendation of that method (positive) or not supporting (negative) was computed for each method. The number of negative papers was subtracted from the number of positive ones for each method. In cases of inconsistency between the two reviewers, these were adjudicated by author. RESULTS: Of the 932 articles that were critically assessed, 780 studies supported quit smoking methods. In 90 studies, the methods were not supported or rejected and in 62 cases the methods were not supported. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), Champix and Zyban with 352, 117 and 71 studies respectively were the most supported methods and e-cigarettes and non-Nicotine medications with one case were the least supported methods. Finally, NRT with 39 and Champix and education with 36 scores were the most supported methods. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this review indicate that the scientific papers in the most recent decade recommend the use of NRT and Champix in combination with educational interventions. Additional research is needed to compare qualitative and quantitative studies for smoking cessation.

Evaluation of orthodontic treatment need by patient-based methods compared with normative method.

BACKGROUND: A comprehensive system of assessing orthodontic need requires the integration of normative clinical measures with patient-based indicators. This study sought to discover weather an oral health-related quality of life measure or Aesthetic Component of Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (AC-IOTN) could be used as a predictor of orthodontic treatment need. Factors affecting the judgment of patient and dentist about this need are discussed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Oral examination on 597 Iranian students between 13 years and 18 years was done to reach the grade of Dental Health Component (DHC). The Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP) and AC-IOTN were recorded. The diagnostic values of subjective tests were assessed. Multiple logistic regressions were applied to investigate the role of variables in the persons' perceptions. RESULTS: Half of the 570 eligible students did not need orthodontic treatment either on professional or self-assessment; 60% of patients with definite need had a distinct impact on their quality of life. The specificity of AC to detect the healthy persons was excellent (0.99) but its sensitivity was low (0.08). COHIP score gave a better sensitivity but its specificity was 50%. Caries experience, quality of life, father's education, and brushing habits were the factors relating to the same judgment of persons and dentists (P > 0.02). CONCLUSION: Regarding the discrepancies between two assessment methods, present instruments did not meet the predictor's competencies. The patient-based methods could not substitute the professional assessment, but by identification, the persons with higher impacts would benefit the prioritization process.

Development of a socioeconomic status index to interpret inequalities in oral health in developing countries.

PURPOSE: To develop an instrument to measure socioeconomic status (SES) in order to assess SES-related inequalities in oral health in a developing country. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In order to develop a SES measurement tool, an expert panel generated a primary item pool from which the items were revised after validity and reliability testing. The final instrument was used in a 1100-sample survey in Tehran. SES was calculated using the weights produced by both principal component analysis (PCA) and expert panel two-stage paired comparisons (TSPC) methods. RESULTS: The final instrument contained 10 items. Standardised SES scores derived from TSPC and PCA methods were significantly correlated (r = 0.749, P < 0.001). Five-level SES stratification by the two methods revealed a correlation coefficient of 0.701 (P < 0.001) for SES class. CONCLUSION: The newly developed SES index was appropriate to be used in exploring oral health inequalities in the studied sample of the Iranian population. When formulating SES, domestic experts' opinions could help the researchers explore and weight sub-construct factors.

Assessing the oral health-related quality of life in Iranian adolescents: validity of the Persian version of the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP).

PURPOSE: To evaluate the psychometric properties of an oral-health related quality of life (OHRQoL) instrument for application in the population of Iranian adolescents and to assess the discriminate and convergent validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP) in a representative sample of this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using multistage stratified sampling, 597 schoolchildren aged from 13 to 18 years living in the city of Isfahan were recruited to complete the Persian COHIP questionnaire. They were also examined for dental caries and malocclusion by two trained, calibrated examiners. RESULTS: Overall COHIP scores ranged from 15 to 135 (mean ± SD: 103.6 ± 18). Sixty-six percent of the students experienced at least one frequent oral health-related impact over the past three months. The Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.89 for the overall score. Discriminate validity was supported by the significant difference between COHIP scores in the caries-free group and the others (P = 0.01). In addition, the questionnaire was able to differentiate among the groups by various degrees of need for orthodontic treatment (P < 0.01). Convergent validity was confirmed by significant association between the quality of life scores, the self-perceived health and oral health ratings and the self-perceived treatment need (r = 0.36, 0.57, -0.40). CONCLUSION: The Persian COHIP demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties for the descriptive purposes. Some discrepancies observed between the clinical data and quality of life status were confirmed by the perceptual identity of such indices influenced by several overt and covert variables.

Psychometric properties of a Farsi version of the authentic assessment perception questionnaire.

The term 'authentic assessment' has recently gained widespread use in education. A five-dimensional questionnaire for authentic assessment was translated into Farsi. The questionnaire which comprises 29 items, divided into 5 subscales (task, physical context, social context, result/form and criteria) was developed in English by Dr. Gulikers and her colleagues in the Netherlands. The questionnaire was translated using a forward-backward method and was pilot tested in terms of translation clarity and applicability. The psychometric properties of the Persian version of the questionnaire were evaluated in terms of face, content, and construct validity in addition to test-retest reliability. A convenience sample of 230 dental students (70 males and 160 females) studying in four dental schools in Tehran city was recruited to evaluate the reliability and construct validity of the Persian version. The quality rating of the translations was favorable, suggesting a high quality of both forward and backward translations. The Content Validity Index (CVI) and Ratio (CVR) for the final Farsi version of the questionnaire were found to be acceptable. Cronbach alpha coefficients for all subscales ranged from 0.78-0.91. These preliminary results suggest that a five dimensional questionnaire in its Farsi version may be a valuable tool in dental education assessment and studies.

Tobacco cessation practices of senior dental students in Iran.

OBJECTIVE: Tobacco use is prevalent in Iran, especially among men. The aim was to assess cessation practices and identify perceived barriers to delivery of tobacco cessation services by Iranian senior dental students. DESIGN: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. SETTING: Iran, Schools of Dentistry, 2009-2010. PARTICIPANTS: 370 (response rate 82%) officially registered senior dental students selected through stratified random sampling. INTERVENTION: Students at 11 dental schools throughout the country completed the survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Students' practice of the US Clinical Practice Guideline 5 As (ask, advise, assess, assist, arrange); interest in training; intention and barriers addressing tobacco use in dental settings. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Respondents were primarily female (67.8%). The students were far more likely to be actively involved in asking, advising and assessing patients to quit than in assisting and arranging. Most respondents (68.5%) agreed that it is within the scope of dental practice to help smokers quit. The most important barriers to providing cessation services included perceived patient resistance (44%) and lack of a supportive organisation (36%). This was the first assessment of approaches to tobacco users by dental students in Iran. Although there clearly is room for improvement, the interest of the students toward tobacco cessation is encouraging.