Protection Motivation Theory and Prevention of Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Breast cancer is a global health problem with a high rate of incidence and annual death. The protection motivation model (PMT) is a health psychology theory that has been introduced to motivate health behaviors using coping appraisal and threat appraisal. We aimed to systematically review the applicability of PMT to predict and improve the knowledge and intention (the patient's intent to undergo breast cancer screening with self/clinical breast exam or mammography) for protective behaviors among women. A systematic search was performed in May 2022 in electronic databases to investigate the role of PMT in the prediction of protection behaviors in addition to improving the knowledge about the prevention of breast cancer using specific keywords. The relevant studies were then included for data extraction. Seventeen articles including 7 interventional and 10 prediction studies were selected for data assessment. Findings demonstrated that PMT could be used to predict the rate of knowledge and intention about breast cancer risk among women. It was also shown that PMT could be considered as a framework for the prevention of breast cancer by changing the behaviors of individuals by training the participants. Fear arousal, response efficacy, and response cost were found as the main determinants of knowledge and intention rate. PMT can provide a useful framework to evaluate the factors associated with women's intentions about breast cancer. Periodical educational programs should be implemented to improve protection behaviors by increasing the intention of women to regular self-examination.

Therapeutic Effects of Low-Level Laser Therapy on Cognitive Symptoms of Patients with Dementia: A Double-Blinded Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective: To investigate the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) as a new nonpharmaceutical approach to improve cognitive symptoms in patients with dementia. Background: Routine pharmacological treatment of dementia patients is inefficient and has considerable adverse effects. Recent attempts to develop nonpharmaceutical approaches are considered favorable for patients with dementia. Methods: Thirty-two patients with dementia were randomly divided into the same population of LLLT and sham groups. The LLLT group underwent transcranial LLLT, and the sham group received the same protocol with a zero-intensity laser. All patients in the two groups were evaluated using the minimental state examination (MMSE) and clinical dementia rating (CDR) tests at the time of admission as baseline at 2 and 6 weeks postintervention. Results: The rate of change of MMSE scores in sham and LLLT groups was 0.13 ± 0.96 and 2.31 ± 1.81 in week 2 (p = 0.00005) and also -0.25 ± 0.86 and 2.53 ± 1.73 in week 8 (p = 0.000003). In the LLLT group, the mean scores of CDR were 1.28 ± 0.71, 1.28 ± 0.71, and 1.25 ± 0.80 at baseline, week 2, and week 8 (p = 0.605 and p = 0.742), respectively. The mean scores of CDR in the sham group were 1.69 ± 0.73, 1.75 ± 0.68, and 1.72 ± 0.82 at baseline, week 2, and week 8, respectively. Conclusions: These findings suggest that laser therapy could be a promising treatment modality and an adjunct to pharmacotherapy in dementia patients. Clinical Trial Registration: IRCT20191018045148N1 was obtained from the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT.ir).

Mobile phone electromagnetic radiation and the risk of headache: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: The effects of electromagnetic fields of mobile phones on headaches have attracted researchers during the last decades. However, contradictory results have been reported so far. METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, major databases including PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were searched using suitable search terms and PRISMA guidelines to retrieve eligible studies for the effect of mobile phone use on headache. After the abstract and full-text screening, 33 studies were retrieved and the effect size in terms of odds ratio (OR) was extracted. Between-study heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistic and Q test, while publication bias was evaluated by funnel plot and Egger's and Begg's tests. RESULTS: Among 33 eligible studies, 30 eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis. When considering all studies, the pooled effect size of OR = 1.30(95% CI 1.21-1.39) was obtained, while the heterogeneity between studies was significant. Subgroup analyses by considering the age of participants and EMF exposure duration were performed to find the source of heterogeneity. The odds ratios when the age of participants was the variable were 1.33 (95% CI 1.14-1.53) and 1.29 (95% CI 1.20-1.37), for ages > 18 and age ≤ 18 years, respectively. When EMF exposure duration was considered, subgroup analysis obtained the pooled effect size of OR = 1.41(95% CI 1.22-1.61) and 1.23(95% CI 1.12-1.34), for EMF exposure duration > 100 and ≤ 100 minutes per week, respectively. The pooled effect sizes emphasized the effect of mobile phone use on headaches for all ages and exposure durations. CONCLUSION: Results revealed that age and exposure duration (mainly call duration), both were the source of heterogeneity between studies. Furthermore, results showed that increasing call duration and mobile phone use in older individuals increased the risk of headache.

Intention to get Vaccinated against COVID-19 in Iranian Hospital Staff: Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Background: This study aimed to identify the predictors of the intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine among Iranian health care workers (HCWs) based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study that was conducted on 473 personnel working in hospitals of Hamadan, in May 2021 and before COVID-19 vaccination on hospital staff. The multi-stage sampling method was used for choosing participants. The survey included socio-demographic, questions related to TPB dimensions, and intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Qualitative and quantitative data analyses were performed using the Chi-square test and T-test, respectively. Predictors of COVID-19 vaccination intention were determined using the logistic regression model. Results: Seventy percent of 361 eligible respondents stated their willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccine. The participants with the intention to receive COVID-19 vaccine had higher scores of attitude (7.25 ± 3.92 vs. 4.40 ± 5.14) and norm (3.04 ± 2.92 vs. -0.5 ± 3.18) (P < 0.001). Having an underlying disease and being married were significantly associated with the intention to receive COVID-19 vaccine (P < 0.05). Higher attitude and norm scores as a construct of the TPB were associated with an increase in intention to receive COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that the vaccination intention was affected by social, demographic, health, and behavioral features, such as age, marital status, underlying diseases, subjective norms, and attitude. Therefore, age groups below 50, single people, and those with no underlying diseases were eligible to be the target of interventional programs.

Association between polycystic ovary syndrome and risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in offspring: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence of a relationship between prenatal excess androgen exposure and central nervous developmental problems and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the offspring of mothers with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PURPOSE: Here we aimed to use a meta-analysis to investigate whether the offspring of mothers with PCOS are at an increased chance of developing ADHD. METHODS: Three main English databases were searched for articles published through December 2020. The NewcastleOttawa Scale was used to assess study quality. Study heterogeneity was determined using I2 statistics and publication bias was assessed using Begg and Egger tests. The results are presented as odds ratio (OR) and relative ratio (RR) estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Six articles (3 cohort and 3 case-control studies; 401,413 total ADHD cases) met the study criteria. Maternal PCOS was associated with an increased risk of ADHD in the offspring based on OR and RR (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.27-1.57) and (RR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.35-1.51), respectively. There was no heterogeneity among the included articles based on OR (I2=0.0%, P=0.588) and RR (I2=0.0%, P=0.878). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that maternal PCOS is a risk factor for ADHD. Therefore, screening their offspring for ADHD should be considered part of the comprehensive clinical care of women with PCOS.

Correlates of video games playing among adolescents in an Islamic country.

BACKGROUND: No study has ever explored the prevalence and correlates of video game playing among children in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This study describes patterns and correlates of excessive video game use in a random sample of middle-school students in Iran. Specifically, we examine the relationship between video game playing and psychological well-being, aggressive behaviors, and adolescents' perceived threat of video-computer game playing. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed with a random sample of 444 adolescents recruited from eight middle schools. A self-administered, anonymous questionnaire covered socio-demographics, video gaming behaviors, mental health status, self-reported aggressive behaviors, and perceived side effects of video game playing. RESULTS: Overall, participants spent an average of 6.3 hours per week playing video games. Moreover, 47% of participants reported that they had played one or more intensely violent games. Non-gamers reported suffering poorer mental health compared to excessive gamers. Both non-gamers and excessive gamers overall reported suffering poorer mental health compared to low or moderate players. Participants who initiated gaming at younger ages were more likely to score poorer in mental health measures. Participants' self-reported aggressive behaviors were associated with length of gaming. Boys, but not girls, who reported playing video games excessively showed more aggressive behaviors. A multiple binary logistic regression shows that when controlling for other variables, older students, those who perceived less serious side effects of video gaming, and those who have personal computers, were more likely to report that they had played video games excessively. CONCLUSION: Our data show a curvilinear relationship between video game playing and mental health outcomes, with "moderate" gamers faring best and "excessive" gamers showing mild increases in problematic behaviors. Interestingly, "non-gamers" clearly show the worst outcomes. Therefore, both children and parents of non-game players should be updated about the positive impact of moderate video gaming. Educational interventions should also be designed to educate adolescents and their parents of the possible harmful impact of excessive video game playing on their health and psychosocial functioning.

Effectiveness of skill-based substance abuse intervention among male adolescents in an Islamic country: case of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The prevalence of substance abuse among adolescents from low- and middle-income countries is increasing drastically and requires immediate intervention. The objective of this longitudinal quasi-experimental panel study was to design and implement a skill-based intervention to prevent and reduce substance use among urban adolescents who attended 2 randomly selected high-schools in Tehran, Iran. One-year post intervention data show that substance abuse, knowledge, attitudes, peer resistance skills, level of self-control, self-efficacy, and perceived susceptibility among intervention group were significantly improved, whereas level of self control and attitudes against substance abuse among the control group deteriorated. To efficiently prevent substance abuse among youth primary preventive interventions should be implemented before onset of substance abuse to improve resistance skills and provide adolescents with information and skills needed to develop anti-drug norms.

Role of naloxone as an exogenous opioid receptor antagonist in spatial learning and memory of female rats during the estrous cycle.

Opioid neurotransmitters play a modulatory role in learning and memory processing. Their levels fluctuate throughout the reproductive cycle. The purpose of this research described herein was to study the effects of an exogenous opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone, on spatial learning and memory during the estrous cycle in female rats. Proestrus and estrus female rats were trained in a Y-maze. After a 4-hour delay, spatial recognition memory was assessed. The rats were administered naloxone (2 mg/kg) or saline before training, after training or before the retention test. The administration of naloxone to the estrus and proestrus rats before and after training had no significant effects on their preference for the novel arm of the Y-maze. Injection of naloxone to estrus rats before the retention test enhanced their preference for the novel arm of the Y-maze, whereas, in the case of the proestrus rats, naloxone decreased their preference for the novel arm. Therefore, it can be concluded that naloxone enhances the retrieval of spatial recognition memory in the estrus phase rat, but that it impairs retrieval in the proestrus phase rat. This finding indicates that there is an interaction between ovarian hormone levels and opioids in cognitive function, so that naloxone prevents the facilitatory role of ovarian hormones in the retrieval of spatial memory.