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Objective: Infertility influences various emotional, psychological, social, and relational aspects of women's lives. By employing a systematic review on the papers published in this field, this study aimed to identify the consequences of infertility on psychological and social health of women in Iran. Method: This was a descriptive study, conducted through a systematic review according to the directions denoted by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) in 2018. To investigate the entirety of the published studies on the sociopsychological consequences of women's infertility in Iran, various databases, including Comprehensive Human Science Portal, Scientific Information Databases (SID), Magiran, National Library and Archives of I. R. IRAN, Noormags, MEDLIB, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Medline, and ProQuest, were explored for the studies published between 1991 and 2018. The selected papers were evaluated according to the content analysis method. Results: Out of the 53 papers investigated, 27 were published in domestic journals (51%), while the remaining 26 papers were published in international journals and were in English (49%). The results revealed that sociopsychological consequences of women's infertility are categorized in 6 main categories: (1) quality of life, (2) depression, (3) anxiety, (4) social support, (5) violence, and (6) sexual function. Conclusion: The results of this study can be used to design psychocognitive interventions and assist women in decreasing the emerging psychological pain and pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review aimed to summarize the evidence regarding death anxiety (DA) and related factors among nurses. Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Iranmedex, and Scientific Information Database (SID) databases were extensively searched using purpose-related keywords from the earliest to October 5, 2021. A total of 6819 nurses were included in 31 studies. The DA of nurses based on the Templer's Death Anxiety Scale was moderate. Factors such as personal anxiety, frequency and severity of job stress, burnout, dying patient avoidance behavior, euthanasia, sex, mental health status, social desirability, attitude toward the elderly, humor, social maturity, psychological hardiness, quality of life, lack of social activity, self-efficacy, coping with death, and life satisfaction were associated with nurses' DA. Therefore, nursing policymakers can promote nurses' health to improve the quality of nursing care by considering these related factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID-19 crisis exerts a marked impact on the quality of life of individuals experiencing grief. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of life quality improvement treatment and emotion-focused therapy on the cognitive flexibility and vitality of individuals affected by grief due to COVID-19. Material & Methods: This research employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with two experimental groups and one control group. In 2021, 30 individuals affected by grief were purposefully selected and randomly assigned to three groups: life quality improvement treatment, emotion-focused therapy, and the control group. Data were collected using the Cognitive Flexibility Questionnaire and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. The first experimental group received emotion-focused therapy (Leslie Greenberg, 2012), while the second experimental group received life quality improvement treatment (Fresch, 2006). Data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 27) using analysis of covariance. Results: The results demonstrated that both emotion-focused therapy and therapy based on improving quality of life had a positive effect on behavioral flexibility and social vitality, and the effectiveness of therapy based on improving quality of life on the vitality of bereaved people was more than emotion-focused therapy. Discussion & Conclusion: Considering the effectiveness of both treatments on the flexibility of action and the effectiveness of the treatment to improve the quality of life and vitality of people with grief, psychotherapists can benefit from both two treatments to improve the quality of life and vitality of people with the experience of grief to take. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elderly is passing from a stage to another new stage of life, with cognitive changes and a reduction in the physiological functions of this age. With increasing age, spiritual needs and attitudes increase. So, this study was conducted aimed to investigate the effect of group spiritual therapy on the cognitive state of the elderly. This experimental study was conducted in two experimental and control groups on 50 elderly people in Golestan Province in 2012, by simple random sampling. Data collection tool was Mini-Mental State Examination. In the experimental group, eight group therapy sessions were performed for 45–60 min a week twice. The data were analyzed by software SPSS-16 using descriptive statistics (mean score and SD) and inferential statistics (paired t test, independent t test and covariance test). Independent t test before the intervention in both groups showed no significant difference (P = 0.52). But this test showed a significant difference after the intervention (P < 0.01). Also, ANCOVA test showed a significant difference in both groups (η = 0.26) (P < 0/01). Regarding the effect of group spiritual therapy on the cognitive state of the elderly, it can be used as a complementary, low cost and effective method for improving the cognitive state of the elderly. For this reason, it is recommended because spiritual therapy creates the concept and meaning of life and increases the life expectancy and quality of life in the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Quality of life (QoL) of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the fundamental issues and public health challenges. This study examines the QoL among pregnant women with GDM through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, and the Web of Science databases for articles published until Jan 30, 2024. Manual searches of gray literature, Google Scholar, reference checks, and citation checks were conducted. The JBI's Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies was utilized to assess the quality of the articles' reporting. The random model implemented in Stata software (version 16; Stata Corp.) was utilized to conduct the meta-analysis. Results: Among the 516 studies obtained from the literature, only 15 were deemed suitable for inclusion. Most studies (73.3%) were conducted in nations with high-income levels. Additionally, general QoL was assessed in most studies (11 studies). The SF-36 and WHOQOLBREF questionnaires were the most often utilized. Based on the SF-36 measure, there was no statistically significant difference in the QoL of patients with GDM compared to the control group in most of dimensions. The WHOQOL-BREF instrument was utilized to estimate the QoL score at 49.69. The EQ-5D-5L tool revealed a difference in QoL scores between the GDM and control groups (MD=-7.40). The research findings were highly heterogeneous. The median evaluation score for the reporting quality of the articles was calculated to be 5, with a mean of 4.8 out of 7. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that GDM reduces the QoL of pregnant women, especially in terms of mental and social health. Therefore, interventions and support programs should be designed and implemented to improve these women's QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This paper intends to compare quality of life (QoL) and mental health among pregnant women with and without previous pregnancy loss. Methods An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 409 women between the 16th and 30th weeks of gestation in health centers in Ahvaz, Iran, including 145 women with prior pregnancy loss (group 1) and 264 women without such history (group 2). Data were collected using the QoL Short Form-36 questionnaire, the Mental Health Questionnaire 25 and a questionnaire for assessing sociodemographic variables. Data were analyzed using spss version 22. Results were analyzed using the χ2-test, the Student's t-test and logistic regression. P < 0.05 was defined as statistically significant. Results There was a significant difference between the two groups in respect to QoL and mental health. Women with previous pregnancy loss had lower scores in total and in all subscales of the QoL Short Form-36 ( P < 0.001) and higher scores in total and in six out of the nine subscales of the Mental Health Questionnaire 25 compared to women without these histories. Conclusion Women with history of spontaneous abortion and stillbirth seem to have poorer QoL and mental health during their subsequent pregnancy than those without such experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In recent years, various treatment programs have been implemented in Iran aimed at rehabilitation and improvement of drug-dependent patients but so far, few studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of different treatment programs in terms of different outcomes. This study was conducted to determine the differences among patients participating in three therapeutic programs, outpatient, mid-term residential program, and therapeutic community (TC) in terms of social, psychological, economic, and therapeutic outcomes. Methods: The present study was conducted using a descriptive design and ex post facto method. Data were collected from patients participating in three treatment plans (outpatient treatment=49; mid-term residential treatment=49; and TC plan=49). Patients participating in the TC program were all enumerated and patients participating in the outpatient and midterm residency treatment plan were selected by random sampling. Data collection tools were a socio-demographic characteristics checklist, researcher-made questionnaire for relapse, a general health questionnaire (GHQ), a world health organization quality of life (WHOQOL) questionnaire, and a family relationship index (FRI). The data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square, and Scheffe’s post hoc test. Results: Significant differences were observed between the three treatments in terms of the rate of relapse (P<0.01), participation in criminal activities (P<0.01), changes in drug use in the treatment process or after treatment (P<0.01), employment status (P<0.01), mental health (P<0.01), quality of life (P<0.01), and family relationships index (FRI) (P<0.01). Discussion: The TC program showed more positive outcomes in terms of the rate of relapse and quality of life compared to the other two therapeutic programs. The outpatient treatment program was more effective in terms of participation in criminal activities, changes in drug use, employment, and quality of family relationships. The mid-term residency program showed a low or negative impact on all studied outcomes. Therefore, it is necessary to reevaluate the programs presented in the mid-term residential program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has been shown to affect both physical and mental health. Because of this mental health burden, it is important to pay attention to issues such as the relationship between spiritual health, death attitudes and meaning in life – all issues made more prominent during the pandemic. This study was conducted to determine the correlation between these three factors - spiritual health, meaning in life, and death attitudes, among patients with COVID-19 discharged from the intensive care units of hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. This cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study was conducted between April 2020 and August 2021 with 260 participants. The data collection instruments were a demographic characteristics questionnaire, Polotzin and Ellison's Spiritual Health Questionnaire, The Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), and Death Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-R). The correlation between meaning in life, spiritual health, and death attitudes was determined by Spearman's correlation coefficient. The research results showed that there is an inverse and significant correlation between spiritual health and death attitudes (p = 0.01); an inverse, but insignificant correlation between existential health and subscales of death attitudes, except for the subscales of approach acceptance and neutral acceptance (p > 0.05); and an inverse, but insignificant, correlation between spiritual health and death attitudes, (p > 0.05). In addition, there was an inverse and significant correlation between the presence of meaning in life and escape acceptance (p = 0.002); an inverse and significant correlation between the search for meaning in life and neutral acceptance (p = 0.007); and an inverse and significant correlation between the meaning in life and death attitudes (p = 0.04). Besides, the findings showed an inverse but insignificant correlation between all spiritual health subscales and the meaning in life subscales (p > 0.05). Spiritual health has an inverse correlation with death attitudes. Also, there is an inverse correlation between the total score of spiritual health and death attitudes. Regarding the subscales of spiritual health, there is an inverse correlation between existential health and death attitudes subscales, except for approach acceptance and neutral acceptance. Also, the results showed an inverse and significant correlation between meaning in life and death acceptance and avoidance subscales, and there was an inverse and significant correlation between the meaning in life and death attitudes. Finally, the increase in spiritual health reduces patients' risks of thinking about death. The research results double the significance of the role of nurses, especially those dealing with critically ill patients and those who have experienced severe disease conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orientation and mobility (O&M) training is a practical and helpful method to prepare people who are blind for independent living. Hence, this study aimed to survey the effect of O&M training on the quality of life in students who are blind in Iran. This research was a quasi-randomized controlled trial design. Participants were 24 third-grade to sixth-grade students from two schools for blind in Isfahan, Iran. Using cluster sampling method, one school was assigned to the experimental group (n = 12) and the other to the control group (n = 12). The experimental group participated in the 8-session O&M training program. Both groups completed a World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) at pre-intervention and post-intervention. The obtained data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) test. The results showed significant increases in quality of life and all subscales (physical health, mental health, social relationships, and environmental health) in the experimental group than in the control group. The findings suggest that O&M training can promote quality of life among students who are blind in Iran. Moreover, these findings increase the interest of children and adolescents who are blind in O&M training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: One of the non-pharmacological interventions is gratitude, which has received less attention in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of an educational intervention based on gratitude on the stress and mental health of mothers with preterm infants hospitalized in the NICU. Methods: A quasi-experimental controlled study was conducted on 50 mothers with infants hospitalized in the NICU of Shahrekord City, Iran, who were divided into two intervention and control groups. The intervention group was trained by the researcher in three two-hour sessions every week for two weeks. The results related to mothers' general health and stress were analyzed by the parental stress questionnaire and Goldberg and Hiller's general health questionnaire (GHQ-28) before and after the intervention by the paired t-test. Results: The mean stress score of mothers in the intervention group significantly reduced (P<0.001). Stress was reduced in the mothers of the control group who only received routine training, but this reduction was not statistically significant (P>0.05) (before training: 35.72 and after training: 34.08). In the intervention group, the mean score of mental health improved significantly two weeks after the gratitude-based training program (P<0.05) (before training: 26.56 and after training: 19.20). Conclusion: This is the first study on the effectiveness of gratitude on the health of Iranian mothers with preterm infants hospitalized in the NICU. Gratitude improves the stress level and increases the quality of mental health. The belief that gratitude will increase blessings is a crucial part of Iranian women's religious beliefs and is a critical factor in the effectiveness of mind and body interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertension is one of the most important causes of cardiovascular diseases. Patients with hypertension have a lower quality of life. We aimed to evaluate the effects of mindfulness meditation on blood pressure, mental health, and quality of life in patients with hypertension. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was performed in 2019 in Isfahan. Eighty adult women with Stage I or II hypertension were included and assigned randomly to 2 groups: 12 weeks of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and routine care. At baseline and 1 week after the end of the intervention, blood pressure, stress, depression, anxiety, and quality of life of the studied participants were measured using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) questionnaires. The data were analyzed using the independent t-test, the paired t-test, and the MANCOVA test. Results: After the intervention, the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased significantly in the intervention group compared with the baseline (142.82±11.01 mmHg vs 133.7±510.43 mmHg for systolic pressure and 86.12±8.24 mmHg vs 79.15±6.26 mmHg for diastolic pressure) and the control group (140.18±14.27 mmHg vs 142.15±10.23 mmHg for systolic pressure and 84.62±9.22 vs mmHg 88.51±8.54 mmHg for diastolic pressure; P=0.001). There was also a significant increase in quality of life, stress, anxiety, and depression scores in the intervention group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The 12-week MBSR program resulted in a significant reduction in the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures and improvement in mental health and different aspects of quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Social isolation is one of the important concerns in the elderly population which can negatively affect their quality of life and health. The present study aims to determine the prevalence of social isolation among older adults aged 60 years and older in Tehran, Iran and find its associated factors. Materials & Methods This is a secondary analysis study on data obtained from a large cross-sectional study conducted on older adults in Tehran in 2020. The Persian version of lubben social network scale (LSNS-6) was used to measure social isolation. The demographic characteristics (age, gender, marital status, living arrangements, and number of children), socio-economic status (educational level, employment status, and household income) and health-related information (history of chronic diseases and use of assistive devices) were collected using a checklist. Data were analyzed in SPSS v. 23 software using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The significance level was set at. Results The data were related to 1280 older adults aged 60 years and older (Mean±SD age=70.97±8.07 years). The prevalence of social isolation was 30.8%. The results of chi-square test revealed that living arrangement (P<0.001, X²=46.93), marital status (P<0.001, X²=26.91), household income (P<0.001, X²=67.44), level of education (P<0.05, X²=20.26), employment status (P <0.001, X²=29.21), musculoskeletal problems (P<0.001, X²=15.47), respiratory problems (P<0.05, X²=10.43), vision problems (P<0.05, X²=4.4), hyperlipidemia (P<0.001, X²=13.53), and wearing glasses (P<0.05, X²=3.92) had significant association with social isolation. The regression analysis model could significantly predict social isolation (X²=188.35, P<0.001). The model revealed that being male (P<0.05, OR=1.7), living with spouse (P<0.05, OR=0.4), musculoskeletal disease (P<0.05, OR=1.42), diabetes (P<0.05, OR=1.41), household income (P<0.001, OR=5.82), being unemployed (P<0.001, OR=2.13), having hyperlipidemia (P<0.001, OR=0.58), and living in developed areas (P<0.001, OR=2.02) significantly predicted the social isolation. Conclusion There is a strong association between social isolation and some socio-economic, demographic-health related factors in older adults. Health policymakers and healthcare experts can develop the screening and prevention programs related to the mental and social health of older adults in Tehran, Iran in order to moderate and control these factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived social support (PSS) and dimensions of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and to examine possible gender interaction in the mentioned associations. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study conducted among 644 participants over the age of 60 years old in Tehran. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews conducted in their own homes, by using a structured multi-sectional questionnaire. The version 1 of the SF-12 scale was used to measure the HRQoL, consisting of two summary measures; PCS (Physical Component Score) and MCS (Mental Component Score). The Persian version of the Social Provisions Scale (SPS) was used to measure PSS. Four multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to examine the associations. Results: Older people with poor SPS score were 1.8 times more likely to be in the worst quartile of the MCS distribution (CI=1.11-2.93, P =0.021), and twice as likely to be in the worst quartile of the PCS distribution (CI=1.18-3.54, P =0.011). We found strong evidence to support the hypothesis of gender interaction in the association between economic status and PCS [Men: OR 0.28, CI (0.11-0.71); Women: OR 1.00, CI (0.53-1.88); P of Interaction 0.021], and a borderline evidence for gender interaction in the association between physical activity and PCS [Men: OR 5.32, CI (2.14-13.20); Women: OR 1.80, CI (0.82-3.93); P of Interaction 0.051]. Conclusions: Social support could be regarded as one of the main social determinants affecting HRQoL among older people. Men with poor economic status and poor physical activity, compared to women, are more likely to suffer from poor quality of life, thus men should be prioritized in financial support and life style and physical activity interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaginismus is an involuntary contraction of muscles around the vaginal and one of the most common sexual disorders among women. It is often associated with psychological problems, leading to poor sexual quality of life (SQOL). This study aimed to determine SQOL predictors in women with vaginismus. In this cross-sectional study, convenience sampling was used to enroll 236 individuals with vaginismus among all women visiting sexual health clinics of Tehran, Iran in 2018. The data were collected using the Sexual Quality of Life-Female (SQOL-F) Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The data were analyzed using the General Linear Model (GLM). The mean (SD) SQOL score of the participants was 56.82 (20.18). There was a significant direct correlation between the participants' self-esteem and their SQOL (r = 0.54, p < 0.001). However, the participants' SQOL had significant inverse correlations with the variables of anxiety (r = − 0.48, p < 0.001) and depression (r = −0.47, p < 0.001). Based on the GLM results, the variables of anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and duration of disorder predicted SQOL, and explained 42.3% of the variance of SQOL in the participants. The results indicated that psychological factors such as anxiety, depression, and self-esteem are predictors of SQOL in women with vaginismus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is one of the most important indicators in assessing the health and well-being of HIV-positive patients. The present study investigated the HRQoL of HIV patients referred to Abadan's Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) center in 2019. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 134 HIV+ patients referred to Abadan's VCT center were selected through convenience sampling. Demographic information was collected through a researcher-made checklist; the patients' status and health information were collected through electronic medical records of HIV+ patients and their records at the VCT center. The HRQoL index was assessed using the World Health Organization (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. Data analysis was carried out using simple and multiple linear regression as well as a t -test in SPSS software. A P value < 0.05 was considered as the significance level in all tests. The mean of the HRQoL in all the participating patients was 56.42 ± 22.66. The highest and lowest mean scores of HRQoL domains were related to social relationships (57.53 ± 24.73) and environmental health (53.68 ± 19.07). There was a positive significant relationship between the marital status, residency, years of education, duration of infection, transmission route, and antiretroviral (ARV) therapy with the score of the HRQoL. The results showed a moderate score for the mean HRQoL and its domains. The present study revealed the necessity of improving HIV+ patients' living conditions, employment status, health education, and mental health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To be aware of the association between post-traumatic stress and professional quality of life among pre-hospital emergency staff • To consider that staff with an optimal professional quality of life may provide improved care • To recognise the need for supportive interventions for pre-hospital emergency staff at risk of post-traumatic stress Background: Pre-hospital emergency staff are exposed to several occupational stressors that may have an adverse effect on their mental health and result in burnout, fatigue and symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Consequently, their professional quality of life may be adversely affected. Healthcare services may also be affected, for example, through absenteeism and loss of productivity. Aim: To determine the relationship between symptoms of post-traumatic stress and professional quality of life among pre-hospital emergency staff. Method: A cross-sectional, correlational design was adopted. Data collection tools included the PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Checklist and the Professional Quality of Life Scale. Questionnaires were distributed by email to a random sample of 150 pre-hospital emergency staff from several pre-hospital emergency centres affiliated to a university of medical sciences in Iran. Results: Questionnaire responses were received from 150 pre-hospital emergency staff, a response rate of 100%. The mean score for PTSD was 33.9 (standard deviation (SD)=8.7), which indicated that respondents had moderate symptoms of post-traumatic stress. The mean score for professional quality of life was 122.5 (SD=13.4), which indicated that respondents were at a moderate level in terms of burnout and secondary traumatic stress, but a high level in terms of compassion satisfaction. There was a significant inverse relationship between symptoms of post-traumatic stress and professional quality of life (P<0.000): when symptoms of post-traumatic stress increased, respondents' professional quality of life decreased. Conclusion: Appropriate interventions are required to prevent the development of job-related PTSD and improve the professional quality of life of pre-hospital emergency staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Considering the prevalence of infertility in the community and the consequences of failure of infertility treatments on women's mental health, interventions that can control stress, anxiety and depression in infertile women with a history of IVF failure will be very helpful. This study aimed to determine the effects of hope-oriented group counseling on mental health (primary outcome) and quality of life (QoL) (secondary outcome) of women with failed IVF cycles. Method: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 60 women with failed IVF cycles visiting Infertility Clinic at Al-Zahra Teaching Hospital of Tabriz- Iran. Participants were allocated to the intervention group (n = 30) and control group (n = 30) based on a randomized block design. Hope-oriented group counseling was provided to the intervention group in six 45–60 min sessions (once a week). The control group only received routine care to undergo another IVF cycle. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the SF-12 Quality of Life Scale were filled out by interviewing the participants before the intervention and one week and one month after the intervention. After intervention 26 participants in each group were included in the analysis. Results: There was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups in the socio-demographic profile of participants (P > 0.05). The post-intervention mean score of stress (adjusted mean difference = − 1.7, 95% confidence interval: − 3.2 to − 0.3, P = 0.018) and depression (adjusted mean difference = − 1.3, 95% confidence interval: − 4.7 to − 1.5, P < 0.001) was significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control. Although the mean anxiety score was lower in the intervention group compared to the control, the difference between them was not statistically significant (adjusted mean difference = − 1.1, 95% confidence interval: − 2.6 to 0.4, P = 0.153). The mean score of QoL was significantly higher in the intervention group than that of the control group (adjusted mean difference = 6.9, 95% confidence interval: 5.1 to 8.8, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Hope-oriented group counseling was effective in reducing stress and depression and improving QoL in women with failed IVF cycles. It is recommended to use this counseling approach, along with other methods, to improve the mental health of women with failed IVF cycles. Trial registration: TCT Registration Number: TCTR 20191017003, registered on October 17, 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Women play an important role in family caregiving, but there is inconclusive information about the effect of caregiving on women’s quality of life. The contradictory effects of caregiving on the physical and emotional health of caregivers have been reported. Objectives. The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and multi-generational caregiving. Material and methods. This is a case-control study conducted in Ahvaz, Iran, on 360 family caregiver women: 180 women as sandwich generation caregivers who cared for family members in addition to caring for their own children, at least 21 hours per week for 6 months; and 180 women in the control group who only cared for their own children. Health-related quality of life was compared in the two groups. The two groups were matched regarding age, the number of children and socio-economic status. Data was analyzed using the chi-square test and ANCOVA test. Results. There was no significant difference between the sandwich generation and control groups in terms of the total score of health- -related quality of life and its eight domains, as well as the scores of physical and mental health component summaries. Conclusions. It may be suggested that HRQoL is not negatively affected by sandwich generation caregiving in Iranian women. Cultural and religious factors prevent significant negative effects on health-related quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trauma is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Most of the people who have trauma are young and in the activity period of living. Trauma is the main cause of disability in the young population. Trauma also affects return to work (RTW). RTW is a specific criterion for trauma evaluation. This study aims to investigate the RTW period after traumatic injuries. Methods: In this cross-sectional study used household survey data collected during a 2018–2019 study on over 15 years in Kashan. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to evaluate associations of RTW during 1 year after trauma. Relation between RTW and risk factors was investigated at three levels: preinjury (demographic) factors, injury-related factors, and postinjury factors. Results: In this study, the incidence of trauma in 1000 estimated 70.61 (62.60–78.70) in 1 year. Nearly 77.73% were male. The most mechanism of trauma (51%) was related to traffic accidents. Nearly 9.1% of people with trauma had returned to their daily activities 1–6 days and 7.3% RTW after 7–14 days and 11.2% RTW after 60 days. Conclusion: Findings of this study indicated that time of RTW was related to three levels of factor: preinjury factors, injury-related factors, and postinjury factors. These factors need to be evaluated in larger-scale, long-term studies with more homogeneous samples in terms of the type and the severity of traumas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpersonal relationships play an important role in adjustment to disease, coping and improving life quality after onset of Multiple sclerosis (MS). However, considering its specific nature, MS has a considerable effect on interpersonal relationships. Thus, this study was conducted to identify and describe effects of disease on interpersonal relationships through investigating lived experiences of patients. In this research, a total of 24 MS patients were selected through purposive sampling from individuals referred to the MS Clinic of Kashani Hospital in Isfahan, Iran, during 2016–2017, and then in‐depth interviews were done with participants. After analysing interviews by Giorgi Descriptive Phenomenological Psychological Method, five main themes were obtained including 'Who is guilty?', 'The need for informed care', 'living with a secret', 'Change in relationships' and 'The Reality slap'. Content of experience for some of these themes was more influenced by nature of the disease, whereas some other themes were influenced more by patient's cultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Despite the fact that a practical definition of addiction recovery is necessary to conduct an appropriate intervention and research, this concept is still vague and there is no consensus over its meaning and how to measure it. Thus, this study aimed to define and clarify this concept based on the available literature. Method: The theoretical part of Schwartz_Barcott and Kim's Hybrid Model of concept analysis was used to analyze the concept of "Addiction Recovery." To find the relevant literature, an electronic search on valid databases was conducted using keywords related to the concept of addiction recovery. Medlib, IranMedex, Magiran, SID, Irandoc, Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Scopus, Pro Quest, CINAHL, Science Direct, Ovid, and Wiley databases were searched up to December 2018 without a time limitation using the following keywords: "Substance use disorders", "Drug use", "Recovery", "Opioids", "Addiction treatment", "Dependency", "Rehabilitation", Remission", "Concept analysis", "Restore", "Definition", "Meaning", and "Conceptualization". The Conventional content analysis was used on selected research articles. Results: From a total of 9520 articles, 39 were reviewed and analyzed. Five attributes were selected, including the process of change, being holistic, being client-centric, learning healthy coping, and being multistage. Antecedents are organized into 2 interacting categories: personal and social resources. Personal resources refer to the person, his/her addiction, and the treatment characteristics, while social resources refer to the family, the community, and the context resources. Addiction recovery leads to sustained abstinence, improved physical and psychological health, improved quality of life and satisfaction, meaningful living, and citizenship. Conclusion: These findings may form a basis for the theories, scales, and criteria for the assessment of addiction recovery and will be useful in clinical practices and research. Also, these findings could help health care professionals to understand the concept of addiction recovery, which is important in improving the recovering person in all aspects of rehabilitation. We will report the implementation and analytical phase of this research project, namely, "the addiction recovery concept analysis" in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health as a state of wellbeing is beyond not having a mental disorder. An important aspect of mental health is positive mental health (PMH), but still little is known on its determinants, especially in less developed countries. In this regard, the relations of positive mental health with social capital and socioeconomic status (SES) as two main social factors were investigated on 250 adults of Tehran. The PMH score was moderate (PMH = 44.4), subjective dimension of SES and three dimensions of bonding social capital including trust, empathy, and participation explained 44% of the PMH variations. It seems necessary for policymakers and experts who work in the mental health field to pay more attention to social predictors of PMH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with ostomy are faced with several physical, psychological, and social challenges and need to be prepared to overcome these challenges. Studies have shown that training plays an important role in helping patients to adapt with ostomy, live with it, and improve their psychological well‐being and quality of life (QOL). Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effect of structured ostomy care training on QOL and anxiety of the patients with permanent ostomy. In this randomised clinical trial study, 60 eligible participants were recruited from the only ostomy clinic in Kerman, Iran. They were selected using a purposive sampling method and randomly assigned to either a control group that received routine ostomy care or an intervention group that attended oral and practical training and a question and answer session by a trained ostomy nurse and received an ostomy information booklet besides their routine care. Outcome variables were anxiety and QOL in general and its physical, mental, social, and spiritual dimensions in detail. By using the anxiety subscale of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and City of Hope‐quality of life [COH‐QOL], data were collected before and 2 months after intervention in both groups. Data were analysed by SPSS version 19 using χ², analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent t, and paired t test and multiple regression analysis. The results showed that the intervention group had significantly lower mean scores in anxiety (P =.001) and a higher mean score in overall QOL (P =.009) compared with the control group. The most significant increase was observed for psychological, social, and physical aspects, and the least was in the spiritual aspect, all of which improved after intervention. After controlling the effects of confounding variables such as age, ostomy period, and number of children, the structured training programme still had a positive effect on QOL. Structured ostomy care training, including face‐to‐face education and personal practice of using ostomy equipment, along with written material provided by the ostomy nurse specialist, may lead to an increase in the overall QOL and a decrease in the perceived anxiety level in patients. This type of training is not routinely delivered to ostomy patients in our health care setting, so it is feasible to prepare surgical wards and to educate nurses to work with their patients before and after ostomy creation. Furthermore, to ease patients' religious concerns, we recommend counselling, and the support of religious leaders in the Muslim community may play a key role to adaptation regarding religious matters after ostomy surgeries and alleviate patients' concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to predict the intensity of symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) based on their mental health, quality of life, and use of leisure time. Materials and Methods: To do this, 300 patients were chosen from those who referred to two gastrointestinal clinics in north and east of Tehran by using target-based sampling method. Of them 92 patients filled out the Rome--III diagnostic questionnaire, Ryff Scale of Psychological Well-Being (RSPWB), SF-12 questionnaire, and leisure time questionnaire. Data were analyzed by using Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis. Results: The results showed that mental health, quality of life, and use of leisure time can predict the intensity of symptoms in these patients (p ≤ 0.01). It was also observed that among the demographic variables, age (older patients), sex (female patients), marital status (married patients), level of education (low literacy skills), and the number of referrals to physicians can predict the intensity of symptoms (p ≤ 0.01). Conclusion: It can be concluded that mental health turned out to be the strongest predictive variable. Also, quality of life and use of leisure time can predict the intensity of symptoms in patients. Hence, improving mental health and providing a better environment for living and recreation may have a positive outcome for patients with IBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and progressive disease charachterized by disabilities which adversely affect individuals' quality of life (QOL). In the present study, the effect size of exercise therapy on patients' QOL in both physical and mental dimensions were investigated and the moderator effect of a number of selected theoretical and significant practical variables were assessed. Relevant studies, published before July 2015, were identified by searching PubMed, Scopus, Google scholar, and Persian medical databases including IranMedex, Irandoc, Magiran, Scientific Information Database (SID), and Medlib. Supplementary searches were also performed manually by reviewing the reference lists of the relevant articles. Next, using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design, English and/or Persian-language articles conducted in Iran and evaluating the effect of exercise therapy on physical and/or mental aspects of QOL of MS patients were pooled. Afterwards, two competent reviewers in the field extracted the required data and rated the quality of the studies. Twenty-one journal articles were identified and reviewed, but only 13 of them contained the as much data as required to serve the purpose of the study. The mean effect size of exercise therapy on mental, physical, and overall QOL of the patients were 1.021 (95%CI 0.712-1.331, P < .001), 1.040 (95%CI 0.730-1.349, P < .001), and 0.846 (95%CI 0.508-1.184, P < .001), respectively. Based on the investigated Iranian studies, there is strong evidence confirming the effect of exercise therapy on QOL of patients with MS; there, however, exists a need for more studies to identify and establish effective exercise programs due to the heterogeneity of the studies conducted in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vitiligo is a multi-factorial pigmentary skin disorder. Recently, the importance of emotional and psychological issues is proposed in incidence, progression, relapse and remission of vitiligo. There are limited studies conducted in developing countries, which assess life quality of patients with vitiligo. The aim of this study was the application and evaluation of a disease-specific quality of life index in Iranian patients, for the first time.Methods: This cross-sectional biphasic study was conducted on 25 patients as a pilot and another 173 patients as the main study group, in Razi Hospital, Tehran, Iran, 2013-2014. Persian version of Vitiligo Quality of Life index (VitiQoL) was developed with backward-forward method. Based on the pilot study, the validity and reliability were assessed. The Vitiligo Area and Score Index (VASI), VitiQoL, and their relationship, demographic and clinical characteristic of patients were measured.Results: The Mean and standard deviation of the VitiQoL score was 30.5 ± 14.5 (range 0-60 in Persian version). There was a significant relationship between VASI score and VitiQoL (p = 0.015, r = 0.187). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed three important factors within VitiQoL: participation limitation, stigma, and behavior. In subscale analysis based on behavior factor, female patients had poorer quality of life (p = 0.02). Concomitant psychiatric problems, e.g. anxiety and depression, were not associated with QOL; however, they were near to being meaningful (p = 0.06, r = 0.14).Conclusion: VitiQoL is a valid index in estimating life quality of vitiligo patients and has proper relation to disease severity. Focusing on patient's life quality is an important entity in the management of vitiligo patients; relevant supportive group-based consultations and therapies are also important arms when approaching vitiligo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Quality of life in pregnant women is an important issue both for women's and fetus' health. This study aimed to examine quality of life in a group of women who were exposed to domestic violence during pregnancy.Methods: This was a cross sectional study of quality of life among a consecutive sample of pregnant women attending to a teaching hospital in Lorestan, Iran. Women were screened for experiencing violence using the Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS) questionnaire and were categorized as psychological abused, physical abused and non-abused groups. Quality of life was assessed using the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). One-way analysis of variance and t-test were used to examine differences in quality of life in the study sub-samples. In addition logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between general health and mental health and independent variables including age, education, parity and type of violence.Results: In all 266 pregnant women were approached, of which 230 (86.5%) agreed to participate in the study. Of these, 149 women (64.8%) reported that they had experienced either physical or psychological violence during pregnancy. A significant difference between abused and non-abused groups was identified, with the abused group recording lower mean scores on all sub-scales with the exception of the bodily pain (p = 0.27). In addition comparing quality of life between physical and psychological abused groups, women who reported physical violence recorded lower mean scores for physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain and general health, while women reporting psychological abuse had lower mean scores on social functioning, role emotional, vitality and mental health. Comparison between the physically and psychologically abused groups indicated significant differences only for role physical (p = 0.04), bodily pain (p = 0.003) and general health (p = 0.04). After adjusting for age, parity, and education, physical abuse was associated with poor physical health (OR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.05-4.36, p = 0.03), while emotional abuse was significantly associated with poor mental health (OR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.09-3.84, p = 0.04).Conclusion: Domestic violence against women during pregnancy in Iran was evident and this had significant adverse association with their quality of life. Indeed health care professionals involved in the care of women need to be aware of the extent of the problem and consider how it may be impacting on the women in their care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]