Analyzing the trend of mortality due to traffic and nontraffic accidents: a study in the north of Iran.

Background: Examining the raw and standardized mortality rates is the primary strategy for improving life expectancy and human health in society through identifying risk factors and dealing with the factors that cause them. Objectives: This study examined the trend of mortalities due to traffic and nontraffic accidents. Methods: This cross-sectional study examines the registered mortalities during the years 2016-2022 in the form of a census in the health department's death registration and classification system. Mortality was analyzed as raw and standardized mortality in each 100 000 population. Results: Out of 18 265 deaths during 2016-2022, 1305 (7.15%) were related to accidents and incidents. The age-standardized total mortality rate in the first year was 32.9, and in the final year of the study, it was 33.3 per 100 000 people; although there are fluctuations, this trend is upward (P.trend=0.021). Also, the age-standardized traffic death rate in the first year is 19, and in the final year is 12 per 100 000 people; this decreasing trend was not statistically significant (P.trend=0.061). The incidence of age-standardized intentional nontraffic deaths was 1.7 in the first year of the study interval and 9.8 in the last year in 100 000 people, which showed an upward trend (P.trend<0.001). Conclusion: In light of the generally increasing trend of accidents, especially nontraffic accidents, universal and well-rounded measures are necessary for safety matters and reducing mortality.

Determining the challenges and opportunities of virtual teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed method study in the north of Iran.

The aim of this study was to determine the challenges and opportunities of virtual education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted in 2022-2023 with a mixed method. During the quantitative phase, we chose 507 students from Mazandaran Province medical universities (both governmental and non-governmental) by stratified random sampling and during the qualitative phase 16 experts were collected by purposive sampling until we reached data saturation. Data collecting tools consisted of questionnaires during the quantitative phase and semi-structured interview during the qualitative phase. Data was analyzed using SPSS21 and MAXQDA10. Mean scores of the total score was 122.28±23.96. We found a significant association between interaction dimension and background variables (P < 0.001). The most important privilege of virtual education is uploading the teaching material in the system so that students can access the material constantly and the most important challenge regarding virtual education is lack of proper network connection and limited bandwidth. Virtual education proved to be a suitable alternate to traditional methods of medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic in theoretical topics, we recommend that educational policymakers would take the necessary actions to provide the requirements and facilities needed to improve the quality of virtual education.

Development and psychometric evaluation of uncertainty about disease and treatment scale in hemodialysis patients: a sequential-exploratory mixed-method study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The need for long-term treatment and frequent visits to treatment centers for hemodialysis can lead to psychological problems such as Uncertainty about Disease and Treatment (UC about D&T) in patients with chronic kidney failure. In order to understand uncertainty about disease and treatment and to plan for preventive measures and care interventions in various dimensions, there is a need for reliable and valid tools. The present study was conducted to design and psychometrically evaluate the Uncertainty about Disease and Treatment Scale (UC about D&TS) in patients undergoing hemodialysis. METHODS: This study is of a methodological type and conducted in two stages. The first stage included a deductive (literature review) and an inductive approach (face-to-face interviews). In the second stage, psychometric indices of the UC about D&TS, including face validity (qualitative-quantitative), content validity (qualitative-quantitative), construct validity (exploratory factor analysis), and reliability (using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega) were examined. RESULTS: In the literature review stage, 66 items were extracted, and in the qualitative stage, 48 items were extracted. After merging similar items, 29 items were entered into the psychometric process. No items were removed in the face and content validity stages. In the construct validity stage, five factors were extracted, including self-uncertainty, uncertain situation, uncertain future, uncertainty of treatment outcomes, and information uncertainty, which constituted a total of 82.16% of the total variance. In this stage, five items were removed from the study due to a corrected item-total correlation below 0.32, and four items were removed due to cross-loading. The α and Ω were calculated as 0.828 and 0.818, respectively. The measurement stability and standard error of measurement were estimated at 0.977 and 2.019, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the UC about D&TS is a valid and reliable measure for patients undergoing hemodialysis. This scale is specifically designed to measure UC about D&T in hemodialysis patients, and it is recommended that healthcare providers (Hcps) use this scale in follow-up visits.

Impact of Ramadan fasting on lipid profile, uric acid, and HbA1c in CKD: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Studies have shown that fasting during Ramadan has different effects on circulating levels of several biochemical markers. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of studies related to the effect of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan on lipid profile, uric acid, and HbA1c in CKD patients. Studies were systematically searched and collected from three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science). After screening, the quality and risk of bias assessment of the selected articles were evaluated. Study heterogeneity was assessed using the Cochrane test and I² statistic. In case of any heterogeneity random effects model with the inverse-variance method was applied. All analyses were performed using STATA software version 16. Four observational studies were included in this study. The results of this meta-analysis were that cholesterol (Weighted mean differences (WMD):0.21 with 95% CI:-0.09-0.51 (P-value=:0.18)), LDL (WMD:0.06 with 95% CI -0.24-0.36 (P-value:0.69)), triglyceride (WMD:0.05 with 95% CI:-0.25-0.35 (P-value:0.73)) had not-significant increase. Uric acid (WMD: -0.11 with 95% CI: -0.42-0.21 (P-value:0.51)) and HbA1c (WMD: -0.22 with 95% CI: -0.79-0.36 (P-value: 0.46)) show a non-significant decrease. The results of the analyses did not report significant changes in the lipid profile, uric acid, and HbA1c in CKD patients after Ramadan fasting.

Investigating the mortality trend of gastrointestinal cancers in Babol, North Iran (2013-2021).

BACKGROUND AND AIM: This study aims to examine the mortality rate and trend of gastrointestinal cancers, particularly gastric cancer, as the leading cause of death among cancers in northern Iran over a 9-year period. In light of the changing incidence and mortality rates of cancer in Iran and around the world, the importance of these diseases in people's lives, and the necessity of updating and monitoring the trend of cancer mortality, we have decided to report on the mortality trend of gastrointestinal cancers, based on crude and age-standardized rates. METHOD: This study is a cross-sectional examination of deaths caused by gastrointestinal cancers in Babol city, Iran, between 2013 and 2021. Data was collected from the cause of death registration and classification system of Babol University of Medical Sciences. Population estimation was obtained from the latest census reports. The crude and age-standardized mortality rates and trends of the cancers were calculated. RESULTS: Overall, there were 1345 deaths from gastrointestinal cancers with an average age of 69.11 ± 14.25 years. The crude and age-standardized rates of these cancers rose from 24.1 to 20.1 per hundred thousand people in 2012 to 29.5 and 25.5 per hundred thousand people, respectively. This trend became more prevalent significantly with the increase of each decade of age for both men (P-value Trend = 0.002) and women (P-value Trend = 0.012). An analysis of gastrointestinal cancers revealed a decreasing trend for cancers of the small intestine, an increasing trend for cancers of the colon, pancreas, and gallbladder, and a stable trend for the remaining cancers over the study period. CONCLUSION: The age-standardized rate and the number of gastrointestinal cancers is rising, highlighting the importance of preventative measures such as screening, increasing public awareness, and appropriate diagnostic methods.

Burden of upper gastrointestinal cancers in the east of Golestan province (Golestan cohort study).

BACKGROUND: Cancers, especially Upper Gastrointestinal Cancers (UGCs), pose a substantial burden on society, particularly in developing nations. Golestan province, Iran, is known for its high UGC rates globally. AIMS: This study delves into the disease burden of UGCs in the eastern part of Golestan province. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study was conducted using the results of the Golestan cohort study. 2711 patients participating in this cohort, who visited Atrak Clinic during 2001-2020, participated in this study. After excluding patients with incomplete records, 2481 patients were included in the study. To compute the metrics of years of life lost (YLL), years of life lived with disability (YLD), and disability-adjusted life years (DALY), we utilized the World Health Organization's standard life table, stratified by age and gender. The majority of UGC patients in our study were married (81.8%), had limited formal education (82.6%), and were predominantly male (61.1%). A substantial proportion resided in suburban areas (85.8%), and over half of the patients (52%) reported a history of drug addiction. The mean age at diagnosis for men was 65.76 years with a standard deviation of 11.34, while for women, it was 64.38 years with a standard deviation of 11.66. Regarding disease impact, YLL, YLD, and DALY for men were 21 240, 1956, and 23 196 (307.8 per 100 000), respectively. For women, these figures were 15 609 for YLL, 1367 for YLD, and 16 976 (223.1 per 100 000) for DALY. CONCLUSION: After the increasing trend of the burden of UGCs in Golestan province in the early years of the study, this rate has been decreasing in recent years. Effective strategies necessitate collaborative efforts across various sectors to alleviate this burden, focusing on preventive measures, timely diagnosis, and well-coordinated therapeutic interventions.

Effective factors of severity of traffic accident traumas based on the Haddon matrix: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the factors affecting the severity of trauma caused by traffic accidents based on martrix Haddon; a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: In this study searched five international databases in this study, including Medline/PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, and Google Scholar, for published articles by the end of 2022. Data were entered into the statistical program and analyses were performed using STATA 17.0 software. Odds ratio (OR) values were computed for severity accidents. Results: Results of study showed that among the risk factors related to the host, not using helmet increased the risk of injury severity by 3.44 times compared to people who have used helmets (OR Not using helmet/Using helmet = 3.44, 95% CI: 2.27-5.00, P=0.001, I2=0.00%). Also, crossing over a centre divider has a protective role for the risk of injury severity compared to undertaking (OR crossing over a centre divider/undertaking=0.39, 95% CI: 0.20-0.75, P=0.01, I2=25.79%). in terms of the type of accident, accident of car-car reduces the risk of injury severity by 23% compared to accident of car-pedestrian (OR accident of car-car/accident of car-pedestrian=0.77, 95% CI: 0.61-0.96, P=0.02, I2=0.00%). Conclusions: It is necessary to pay attention to the intersection of human, vehicle and environmental risks and their contribution and how they interact. Based on the Haddon matrix approach, special strategies can be designed to prevent road damage. Safety standards for vehicles should also be addressed through stricter legal requirements and inspections.

Psychometric properties of the COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale: Post-Covid-19 syndrome in Iranian elderly population.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the construct validity and reliability of the Iranian version of the COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale (C19-YRS) among the elderly population. METHOD: A cohort of 230 elderly individuals who tested positive for Covid-19 via PCR were administered a health and demographic information questionnaire along with the C19-YRS. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted, and Cronbach's alpha was calculated. RESULTS: Findings from the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the C19-YRS revealed alterations compared to the original version, resulting in an adapted version with three factors achieved by redistributing the questions. These factors accounted for 57.46% of the total variance. Despite a relatively lower factor loading in the 6th question, it was retained due to its significance among the elderly. The Cronbach's alpha for the C19-YRS subscales ranged from 0.730 to 0.890, indicating acceptable reliability. CONCLUSION: The validation results indicated a well-adjusted factor structure and internal consistency, affirming the utility of this tool among the elderly population. Consequently, the C19-YRS in Iran can serve as a valuable resource in healthcare settings, aiding in the assessment of chronic complications arising from Covid-19 in the elderly. It can be utilized as an initial screening or triage test and to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.

Cervical Multifidus and Longus Colli Ultrasound Differences among Patients with Cervical Disc Bulging, Protrusion and Extrusion and Asymptomatic Controls: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The aim of this study was to analyze the differences in morphological and histological features of the cervical multifidus (CM) and longus colli (LC) muscles among patients with cervical disc bulging, protrusion, or extrusion. Fifteen patients with cervical disc bulging (20% male, mean age: 48.5, standard deviation (SD) 7.5 years), fifteen with cervical disc protrusion (6% male, mean age: 43, SD 7.8 years), and fifteen with cervical disc extrusion (40% male, mean age: 44, SD 8 years) diagnosed via clinical and imaging findings participated in this study. Additionally, fifteen asymptomatic controls (40% male, mean age: 40.4, SD 9.7 years) were also included. The following ultrasound measurements, cross-sectional area (CSA), anterior-posterior distance (APD), lateral dimension (LD), and mean echo-intensity (EI) of the CM and LC at C5-C6 level were examined by an assessor blinded to the subject's condition. The results revealed no group ×side significant differences among the groups (p > 0. 00625). However, group effects were found for APD and MEI of the CM (p = 0.006 and p < 0.001, respectively) and CSA, APD and MEI of the LC (all, p < 0.001). The LD of the LC muscle and the APD and LD of the CM were negatively associated with related disability (p < 0.01; p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively), and pain intensity was negatively associated with LC APD and LD (both p < 0.05). These results suggest that US can be used to detect bilateral morphological changes in deep cervical flexors and extensors to discriminate patients with cervical disc alterations.

Survival rate of cervical cancer in Asian countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Cancer is one of the main causes of death, and cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the fourth leading cause of death from malignancy among women. Knowing the survival rate is used to evaluate the success of current treatments and care. This study was conducted to assess the survival rate of cervical cancer in Asia. METHODS: This systematic survey was conducted on four international databases, including Medline/PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Knowledge, and includes manuscripts that were published until the end of August 2021. Selected keywords were searched for international databases including cervical neoplasms [mesh], survival analysis or survival or survival rate, Asian countries (name of countries). The Newcastle-Ottawa Qualitative Evaluation Form was used for cohort studies to evaluate the quality of the articles. The analysis process was performed to evaluate the heterogeneity of the studies using the Cochran test and I2 statistics. Additionally, a meta-regression analysis was performed based on the year of the study. RESULTS: A total of 1956 articles were selected and reviewed based on their title. The results showed that 110 articles met the inclusion criteria. According to the randomized model, the 1, 3, 5, and 10-year survival rates of cervical cancer were 76.62% (95% Confidence Interval (CI), 72.91_80.34), 68.77% (95% CI, 64.32_73.21), 62.34% (95% CI, 58.10_66.59), and 61.60% (95% CI, 52.31_70.89), respectively. Additionally, based on the results of meta-regression analysis, there was an association between the year of the study and the survival rate, elucidating that the survival rate of cervical cancer has increased over the years. CONCLUSIONS: Results can provide the basic information needed for effective policy making, and development of public health programs for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cervical cancer.

Survival rate of vaginal cancer in Asian countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Vaginal cancer is one of the major causes of mortality in women, which mostly takes place in low- and middle-income countries. Assessing the survival rate of vaginal cancer is essential to investigate the success rate of current treatments and screening tools. This study aims to determine the survival rate of vaginal cancer in Asia. Methods: This systematic review was carried out using four international databases, including Medline/Pubmed, ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, and also Google Scholar. Articles were investigated up to the end of August 2021. The authors utilized the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to evaluate the quality of the articles. Evaluating the papers for heterogeneity was performed using the Cochrane test and I² statistic. Meta-regression analysis was also applied based on the year of the study. Results: Three articles (13 records) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Based on the random model, the overall 5-year survival rate was 74.63%. Also, the rates of survival in relation to the type of treatment including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or other modalities, were 78.53, 78.44, and 68.54%, respectively. According to meta-regression analysis, no correlation was found between the survival rate and the year of the study. Conclusion: The vaginal cancer survival rate is lower in Asian countries compared to that of developed countries. Increasing patient survival rates in such countries is crucial by implementing newer diagnostic tools, advanced surgical techniques, and goal-oriented treatments. Early diagnosis in lower stages and educating the populations about risk factors and preventative measures are also necessary for raising the rate of survival.

The 30-year incremental pattern of breast cancer: A study in the northern of Iran.

Background: Rapid economic progress and cultural-social changes have led to lifestyle changes and increased risk of breast cancer all around the world, including Iran. This study aims to investigate the 30-year incremental pattern of breast cancer in patients of Shahid Rajaei Radiation Therapy Center in Babolsar, North of Iran.||. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the data were retrospectively extracted from the physical and electronic files of patients diagnosed with breast cancer from 1992 to 2021 every 5 year by census method, during the study, overall, 1326 patients' information out of 6199 patients was analyzed using SPSSV.22 software at the level of p-value ≤ 0.05. Results: The average age of patients was 49.84 ± 11.26 years, which has been increasing over the years of study. 6143(99.13%) patients were women, the mean and standard deviation of their BMI was 29.63 ± 6.00, the number of patients with stage 1 is increasing, and patients with stage 3 is decreasing. 871(65.70%) people went through Radical Mastectomy (MRM), 261(19.68%) people experienced metastasis. There was a statistically significant relation between the type of surgery, stage of cancer, metastasis, and local recurrence within the years of study (p<0.001). Conclusion: Breast cancer and the age of getting it have increased in recent years. However, advanced stages as well as metastasis and local recurrence have decreased during the investigated years. Therefore, it is recommended to continuously warn women about the risk factors and develop suitable disease screening programs and implement them effectively.

Prevalence of hypertension in Iran: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of community-based studies.

Background: Hypertension (HTN) is one of the primary risk factors for heart disease and stroke worldwide. The present meta-analysis was aimed to systematically review and statistically estimate the prevalence rate of pre-hypertension (PHTN) and HTN in the Iranian child/adolescent and adult age groups. Methods: In this study, four International databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane, as well as three Iranian databases, including SID, Magiran, and IranMedex, were separately investigated for articles published before January 2021. Also, we estimated the pooled effect size for the prevalence of PHTN and HTN in children/adolescent and adult age groups. Stata software (version 14.0) was used for all statistical analyses. Results: From a total of 1185 articles found in database searches, fifty-one were included in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of HTN in the Iranian adult population was 26.26% (25.11 % and 26.22 % for women and men, respectively). Meanwhile, the prevalence of PHTN and HTN in the child/adolescent age group was 8.97% (95% CI 7.33 - 10.61) and 8.98% (95% CI 7.59 - 10.36), respectively. Conclusions: This study provides information which can be used for various purposes, including study designing. Further nationwide surveys should be carried out to obtain accurate information on the HTN prevalence rate, particularly based on the American College of Cardiology /American Heart Association guidelines in the Iranian population.

Reference value of testicular temperature measured by finite element analysis after first staged inguinal orchidopexy in children with abdominal testis and short spermatic cord.

PURPOSE: This study aims to build a 3D reconstruction computed simulation model and to establish a regression equation for detecting the testis's temperature by its location after first staged open orchidopexy in children with abdominal undescended testis (UDT) and short spermatic cords. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 31 children with abdominal UDT and short spermatic cords who underwent first staged orchiopexy between 2017 and 2020. Using ultrasonography to obtain the testis's location distance from the skin surface (X1), external iliac vessel (X2), and internal inguinal ring (X3), we input the data into a 3D reconstruction computed simulation along with COMSOL to calculate the testicular temperature. We also used multivariate regression to establish the testicular temperature regression equation from the gathered data. RESULT: The mean age of the participants was 4.47 ± 1.21 years. The mean size of the operated testis was 0.39 ± 0.13 cc. The mean distance of the testis from X1, X2, and X3 was 3.27 ± 1.25 mm, 21.06 ± 6.42 mm, and 27.19 ± 10.09 mm, respectively. The testicular temperature regression equation derived from testis location was calculated by the formula: 34.57 + 0.0236 X12 - 0.0105 X2 - 0.0018 X3. The concordance for testis temperature calculated via the computational method and regression equation was 83%. CONCLUSIONS: The current study provided a reference value for the testicular temperature of children with abdominal UDT and short spermatic cords after the first stage of orchiopexy. A testicular temperature regression equation can be established based on the testis location, which will provide relevant information for the testicular development assessment, disease diagnosis, and follow-up, and possibly determination of the time of the second stage of orchiopexy.

Strengthening E-learning strategies for active learning in crisis situations: a mixed-method study in the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Medical universities are responsible for educating and training healthcare workers. One of the fields significantly impacted by the pandemic is medical education. The aim of this study is to identify strategies for enhancing e-learning for active learning and finding solutions for improving its quality. METHODS: This mixed-method (quantitative-qualitative) research was conducted in 2023 at three selected universities in Mazandaran Province. In the quantitative phase, 507 students participated via stratified random sampling using a standard questionnaire. In the qualitative phase, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 16 experts until data saturation was achieved. SPSS 21 and MAXQDA 10 software were used for data analysis. RESULTS: In the multivariate regression analysis, an increase of one point in the dimensions of student-teacher interaction, active time, immediate feedback, and active learning corresponded to an average increase in learning scores of 0.11, 0.17, 0.16, and 1.42 respectively (p≤0.001). After the final analysis in the qualitative phase, four main domains (infrastructure, resources, quantity of education, and quality of education) and 16 sub-domains with 84 items were identified. CONCLUSIONS: The greatest challenge in e-learning is the interaction and cooperation between students and teachers. The implementation of the identified strategies in this research could provide useful evidence for policymakers and educational administrators to implement interventions aimed at addressing deficiencies and enhancing e-learning.

Qualitative analysis of the coding of pathological data of cancer registry centers: A study in North of Iran.

BACKGROUND: The cancer registry system is an important part of the cancer control program. Improper coding of cancers leads to misclassification and incorrect statistical information about cancer. Therefore, in this study, the main objective of the qualitative analysis was the accuracy in assigning the codes to the pathological reports in the centers responsible for cancer registry. METHODS: This study was descriptive, retrospective and applied. The data source in this study included 15,659 pathology reports received during the years 2017-2019 in the population-based cancer registry centers of Mazandaran province. Out of 1800 reports, 1765 samples of reports were selected and analysis was done on them by stratified random sampling method. A researcher-made checklist was used to collect data, and the Kappa agreement coefficient and Cohen's agreement percentage were presented to check the accuracy of the reports. STATA13 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: 1150 of 1765 pathology reports (65.0%), did not have a topographic, morphological and behavioral codes and 410 (23.2%) had grade codes. The Kappa coefficient in reports with a topography code was 0.916 and with a morphology code it was 0.929, respectively. In behavior coding, the highest agreement is in the category of benign cancers at 65.2% and in grade coding in the category without grade is 100%. CONCLUSION: The most reports were on carcinoma morphology, and the Kappa coefficient in morphology codes has almost complete reliability. In terms of behavior coding, there was the most agreement in the category of benign cancers. The Kappa coefficient in given behavior codes has low reliability.

Physical activity and metabolic syndrome: A population base study (forest and tree model algorithms).

BACKGROUND & AIM: Lifestyle changes, prominently low mobility in recent years, have increased the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and cardiovascular disease risk. This study aimed to determine the relationship between physical activity and MetS using modern statistical methods in a population-based study. METHODS: The target population included 10,663 people aged 40-70 years in phase 1 of the Persian Kharameh cohort study conducted in 2017. The data used in this study had questions about physical activity, demographic, anthropometrics, blood pressure, and biochemical data. RESULTS: Participants who their activity was within the fourth quarter were 36% less likely to develop MetS than the participants in the first quarter. In the decision-Tree algorithm with all variables, physical activity was significant after gender and comorbidity. With a lack of comorbidities and physical activity less than 2338 Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) and age greater than 53 years, the probability was 26.7% for the male population. For the female population, if associated with comorbidities, a history of diabetes in first-degree relatives, or both, the chance of developing MetS was estimated to be 70.4%. In the decision-tree algorithm, 56.0% of the predictions for MetS were due to gender. After gender, the presence of comorbidities, age, occupation, family history of diabetes, place of residence, and physical activity was discovered as the essential variables in predicting and identifying factors associated with MetS, respectively. CONCLUSION: Modern statistical methods can be used in similar research due to better presentation of results in applied clinical laws. An essential approach for treating the syndrome and preventing its complications is a lifestyle change, including educating about physical activity and promoting it.

Survival rate of ovarian cancer in Asian countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is amongst one of the most commonly occurring cancers affecting women, and the leading cause of gynecologic related cancer death. Its poor prognosis and high mortality rates can be attributed to the absence of specific signs and symptoms until advance stages, which frequently leads to late diagnosis. Survival rate of patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer can be used in order to better assess current standard of care; the aim of this study is to evaluate the survival rate of ovarian cancer patients in Asia. METHODS: Systematic review was performed on articles that were published by the end of August 2021 in five international databases, including Medline / PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, and Google Scholar. The Newcastle-Ottawa quality evaluation form was used for cohort studies to evaluate the quality of the articles. The Cochran-Q and I2 tests were used to calculate the heterogeneity of the studies. The Meta-regression analysis was also done according to when the study was published. RESULTS: A total of 667 articles were reviewed, from which 108 were included in this study because they passed the criteria. Based on a randomized model, the survival rates of ovarian cancer after 1, 3 and 5 years were respectively 73.65% (95% CI, 68.66-78.64), 61.31% (95% CI, 55.39-67.23) and 59.60% (95% CI, 56.06-63.13). Additionally, based on meta-regression analysis, there was no relationship between the year of study and survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: The 1-year survival rate was higher than that of 3- and 5-year for ovarian cancer. This study provides invaluable information that can not only help establish better standard of care for treatment of ovarian cancer, but also assist in development of superior health interventions for prevention and treatment of the disease.

The Relationship between Air Pollution and Brain Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: There is very little epidemiological evidence on the effects of ambient air pollution on brain tumor risk. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between exposure to air pollution and the incidence of brain tumors. Methods: A comprehensive literature search in five international databases, including PubMed/Medline, ProQuest, Scopus, Embase, and ISI/WOS on April 15, 2019, was conducted. The methodology of the present study was based on the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) statement. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Form was used to evaluate the quality of the selected papers. Results: Five studies that measured adult brain tumors as well as their long-term exposure to at least one of the pollutants criteria for air pollution, PM2.5 absorbance, and proximity to traffic (Trafnear) were reviewed. The results showed that the pooled relative risk (RR) for incidence of brain tumor and long term exposure to Trafnear, PM2.5, PM2.5 absorbance, O3 and NOx were RR = 1.07, (95% CI 0.99-1.16), P = 0.079, for Trafnear; RR = 0.90, (95% CI 0.80-1.00), P = 0.064 for PM2.5; RR = 1.63, (95% CI 1.04-2.55), P = 0.031 for PM2.5 absorbance; RR = 1.3, (95% CI 1.03-1.6), P = 0.023 for O3; and RR = 1.16, (95% CI 0.93-1.45), P = 0.173 for NOx. Exposure to other air pollutants had no statistically significant association with brain tumor incidence. Conclusion: The results showed that exposure to air pollutants, such as O3 and PM2.5 absorbance, had the highest correlation with brain tumor incidence. They also showed an absence of correlation between exposure to certain pollutants (SO2, CO, NO2, PM10, PM2.5) and brain tumor incidence.

Domestic Violence Against Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Relationship to Demographic and Family Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Iran.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed increased complaints from third parties about violent conditions through social media. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of domestic violence (DV) against women following exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic and its relevance to some related factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted from July 2020 to May 2021 on married women of Babol, Iran. Eligible women entered into the study in a multi-stage cluster random sampling method. Data collection tools included demographic and family data, questionnaire HITS (Hurt, Insult, Threaten and Scream). Relationships were estimated using the Univariate and multivariate regression models.  Results: The mean age of 488 women and their spouses was 34.62 ± 9.14 and 38.74 ± 9.07, respectively. Of the total female participants, 37 (7.6%), 68 (13.9%), and 21 (4.3%) were victims of total violence, verbal abuse, and physical violence, respectively. Ninety-five women (19.5) had a history of coronavirus infection. Women who were satisfied with their income and husbands were university educated, their chances of DV were reduced by 72% (95% CI (0.09-0.85), OR = 0.28) and 67% (95% CI (0.11-0.92), OR = 0.33) respectively. Drug abuse by husbands increased the likelihood of DV by up to 4 times (OR = 4.00), and more contact with their husbands at home due to home quarantine was more than twice as likely to have DV (OR = 2.64).  Conclusion: Since the level of domestic violence was lower than before the coronavirus pandemic, it seems that most Iranian women were more under the support of their husbands during the coronavirus pandemic to endure the fear and panic caused by the pandemic. Women whose husbands had a university education and sufficient income had less domestic violence.