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Background: Hoarding disorder (HD) is characterized by a compulsion to collect belongings, and to experience significant distress when parting from them. HD is often misdiagnosed for several reasons. These include patient and family lack of recognition that it is a psychiatric disorder and professionals' lack of relevant expertise with it. This study evaluates the ability of a supervised machine learning (ML) model to match the diagnostic skills of psychiatrists when presented with equivalent information pertinent to symptoms of HD. Methods: Five hundred online participants were randomly recruited and completed the Hoarding Rating Scale-Self Report (HRS-SR) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale. Responses to the questionnaires were read by an ML model. Responses to the HRS-SR were then converted into anonymized, random-equivalent texts. Each of these individual texts was presented in random order to two experienced psychiatrists who were independently asked for a provisional diagnosis - e.g.; the presence or absence of HD. In case of disagreement between the two assessors, a third psychiatrist broke the tie. A decision tree classification model was employed to predict clinical HD using self-report data from two psychological tests, the HRS-SR and GAD-7. The target variable was whether a participant had clinical HD, while the predictive variables were the continuous scores from the HRS-SR and GAD-7 tests. The model's performance was evaluated using a confusion matrix, which compared the observed diagnoses with the predicted diagnoses to assess accuracy. Results: According to the psychiatrists, approximately 10% of the participants fulfilled DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for HD. 93% of the clinician-identified cases were identified by the ML model based on HRS-SR and GAD-7 scores. A decision tree plot model demonstrated that about 60% of the cases could be detected by the HRS-SR alone while the rest required a combination of HRS-SR and GAD-7 scores. ML evaluation metrics showed satisfactory performance, with a Matthews Correlation Coefficient of 55%; Area Under Curve (AUC), 79%; a Negative Predictive Value of 76%; and a False Negative Rate of 24%. Conclusions: Study findings strongly suggest that ML can, in the future, play a significant role in the risk assessment of psychiatric disorders prior to face-to-face consultation. By using AI to scan big data questionnaire responses, wait time for seriously ill patients can be substantially cut, and prognoses substantially improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: An outbreak of monkeypox (Mpox) appeared suddenly and rapidly spread worldwide during 2022. Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at a high risk of contracting Mpox compared to other cohorts. In the present study, we intended to examine the psychometric properties of a newly developed scale among MSM: the Fear of Mpox Scale (FMS) assessing the fear of Mpox. Methods: This is an online study. The factor structures of the FMS were first examined using exploratory factor analysis. After determining the factor structure, the FMS was further examined for (a) internal consistency using Cronbach's α and (b) concurrent validity using correlations with anxiety, depression, and risk perception of contracting Mpox, and the known-group validity by comparing the scores of the FMS across MSM with sexual orientation and education level. Results: In total, 389 MSM participated in this study. The results indicated that the FMS had a one-factor structure. The FMS had acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.911) and concurrent validity (associated with anxiety [ p < 0.01], depression [ p < 0.001], and risk perception [ p < 0.001]). No significant difference in the FMS scores was found between the groups with regard to sexual orientation or educational level. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated that the psychometric properties of the FMS were good and that they can be used for assessing the fear of Mpox among MSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale is a symptom‐specific quality‐of‐life questionnaire for patients suffering from nasal obstruction. The instrument is designed specifically for patients with septal deviation and for the evaluation of the outcome of septoplasty. The aim of this study was to validate a Swedish version of the NOSE instrument for use in clinical practice and research. Methods: A Swedish version of the NOSE was tested in a case group consisting of 125 subjects with nasal obstruction (of which 31 underwent septoplasty) and a control group consisting of 65 healthy subjects. Base line data for the case and control groups were used to evaluate face validity, known groups validity, construct validity, internal consistency and factor structure analysis. Fifty participants in both the case groups and control groups were assessed both at baseline and after 2 weeks to evaluate test–retest reliability. The participants who underwent septoplasty were assessed at baseline and after 3–6 months to evaluate responsiveness. Results: The S‐NOSE was found to be reliable, valid, and responsive. Both Cronbach's α and McDonald Omega coefficients were >0.7, and the intra class coefficient was 0.942. The S‐NOSE scores were significantly correlated with nasal patency VAS in both the case group and the control group (p <.001 and p =.018, respectively). After septoplasty, the mean S‐NOSE score were significantly improved (p <.001). Furthermore, the S‐NOSE was shown to have excellent and robust psychometric properties. Conclusion: The S‐NOSE can be recommended in both clinical practice and research to evaluate the outcome of septoplasty in Swedish‐speaking populations. Level of Evidence: NA. A validation study of the Swedish version (S‐NOSE) of the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation scale. The study shows that the S‐NOSE is reliable, valid, responsive, and psychometrically sound. The S‐NOSE can be recommended in both clinical practice and research to evaluate the outcome of septoplasty in Swedish‐speaking populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ageing population is increasing worldwide, with older people often having multimorbidity and a need for help with activities and personal care. Home Care Assistants (HCAs) are central to the provision of care in the home. They meet older people approaching the end of life and their relatives. Little is known about HCAs attitudes towards caring for a dying person and how aspects such as education, age, earlier care experiences, care education and experience of caring for dying older people affect their attitudes. The aim was to describe HCAs' attitudes towards the care of dying persons living in their ordinary homes. This cross‐sectional study used the Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying Scale (FATCOD) for data collection during December 2017 and January 2018, and descriptive statistics and regression analysis for data analysis. The participants were HCAs (n = 127, 96% of those eligible) in a municipality in central Sweden. An overall positive attitude was reported. About 32% lacked formal HCA education although 93% had experience of interacting with a dying person. Age, HCA education, internal palliative care education, number of years' experience and previous experience of caring for a dying person were independently associated with HCAs' attitudes. In the multivariate regression analysis, age and years of experience were the only significant predictors of HCAs' attitudes towards caring for dying care recipients. Young employees without HCA education and experience of a dying person might be vulnerable in situations involving caring for a dying person. Communicating about death and dying, forming a relationship with the care recipient and the family, and providing care when a person is dying can be challenging. Implications: Young employees without HCA education and experience of interacting with a dying person needs to be prepared for the situation. This needs to be considered by stakeholders and social and healthcare organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of video games, a hobby for many teenagers in their leisure time, has brought with it a new potential for concerns. Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a mental condition classified as a disorder due to addictive behaviors. It may include use of video games, both online and offline. Consequences of IGD may include introversion, social anxiety, mood swings, loneliness, sleep problems, behavioral problems, depression, low self-esteem, and increased violence. In order to design an app-based intervention for adolescents, a transtheoretical model (TTM) has been used. This widely used model in the field of behavioral change is also practical for health education programs. In addition, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been used to make people more aware of their behaviors, feelings and thoughts and how to achieve behavioral change. The present study seeks to determine the effectiveness of this app-based intervention in in the treatment of IGD among adolescents.Method: In this single-blinded, randomized, controlled trial, 206 high-school adolescents aged 13 to 18 years in Qazvin city will be recruited. Eligible adolescents will be randomly assigned into intervention and control groups. Eight consecutive sessions delivered over 2 months and based on the TTM and CBT will be delivered through the `app (named HAPPYTEEN) to the intervention group. The control group will receive a sleep hygiene intervention (8 consecutive sessions for 2 months) via the app. Data collection tools include the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale, Insomnia Severity Index, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales, Stages of Change Questionnaire, Decision Balance, and Self-Efficacy. The study measures will be completed at baseline, post intervention, and 1 month and 3 months after the intervention.Discussion: The results of this intervention could be used as adjunct therapy for adolescents with IGD.Trial Registration: Clinical Trial Registration Center of Iran (IRCT) IRCT20181226042140N1 . Registered on June 9, 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More specifically, Taylor et al. ([17]) developed the COVID Stress Scales (CSS) and we developed the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S; Ahorsu et al. [1]). In short, there are benefits of both unidimensional and multidimensional instruments for COVID-19 (e.g., the FCV-19S [Ahorsu et al. [1]] and the CSS [Taylor et al. [17]]). To conclude, we believe that both the CSS and FCV-19S are potential useful instruments that can be used by healthcare providers to help understand the psychological responses such as fear and anxiety of individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. [Extracted from the article]

Summary Biphasic sleep, characterized by nighttime sleep plus daytime napping, has demonstrated some cognitive, health and performance impacts when compared with consolidated monophasic sleep. This motivated the development and validation of the Biphasic Sleep Scale, reported in this paper. Scale development involved a literature review, expert input and individual interviews. The 16‐item Biphasic Sleep Scale was then administered to an international online sample (n = 6965) alongside well‐established validated sleep scales. To ensure a robust evaluation of the Biphasic Sleep Scale, the sample was divided into two parts: with 15% (n = 1000) of the participants allocated to the exploratory analytic phase; and the remaining 85% (n = 5965) reserved for confirmatory analyses. Psychometric evaluation included both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlations, network analysis, and item response theory. Exploratory factor analysis indicated a three‐factor structure assessing daytime napping as to likelihood, consequences and effect on nighttime sleep. Confirmatory factor analysis largely confirmed this model with no sex invariance. The three‐factor structure showed adequate fit. The Biphasic Sleep Scale demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0.88, Ω = 0.89). Network analysis revealed varying centrality and connectivity of items. Item response theory found items covering a range of biphasic sleep levels. Significant positive correlations with sleep criteria provided evidence for convergent validity. Further testing is warranted to confirm the factor structure, refine model parsimony, and establish clinical utility. With additional validation, it is hoped that the Biphasic Sleep Scale will become a widely utilized tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The older adult population of society is exposed to multiple stressors daily, such as the loss of loved ones, dysfunctional mobility, financial dependence, and suffering from numerous chronic illnesses. The present study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Anxiety about Aging Scale among older adults in Iran. (2) Methods: A sample of 703 community dwelling older adults was recruited and screened using a standardized tool. The mean age of participants was 69.4 ± 8.1 years. The majority of participants were male (59.2%), married (66.6%), and illiterate (79.7%). A ‘forward-backward’ translation method was used in developing the Iranian version of the AAS for assessing the psychometric properties among older adults. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the Rasch model were used for construct validity. (3) Results: Applying CFA indicated that the model’s four original factors are the best solution, representing 55% of the total variance. The result of the CFA showed that this four-factor model had a good fit for the data. The findings were also confirmed by Rasch analysis. (4) Conclusions: The Persian version of the AAS is valid and reliable for measuring aging anxiety among Iranian older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing individuals' knowledge and preventive behaviors towards the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is essential for the related public health surveillance strategies. Although some of the studies were conducted in Bangladesh, none of these studies considered the geographical distribution of knowledge and preventive behaviors towards COVID-19. Therefore, the present nationwide cross-sectional study with 10,067 samples for the first-time aims to assess the knowledge gap by presenting the geographical distribution of the COVID-19 knowledge and preventive behaviors across all administrative districts of Bangladesh. The measures included socio-demographics and questions about knowledge and preventive behaviors related to COVID-19. One-way ANOVA, independent t-test, and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data. In addition, GIS-based mapping identified district-wise distribution of the outcomes. Results indicated that the overall mean score of knowledge related to COVID-19 was 14.363 ± 3.073, whereas 16.95 ± 2.89 was for preventive behaviors. Participants' being male, being divorced or widowed, consuming alcohol, smoking cigarettes, living in villages, and having no formal education reported lower performing preventive COVID-19 behaviors. Those participants with higher knowledge scores reported higher preventive COVID-19 behaviors (β = 0.053, p<0.001). However, the model predicted only 13.2% of the variation in preventive COVID-19 behaviors while the overall model being significant. The findings suggest that the Bangladeshi government should initiate appropriate far-reaching program of health education focusing on knowledge and preventive behaviors towards COVID-19 at a community level. After all, the strategies to combat COVID-19 will require individuals' involvement to control and prevent the disease outbreak, for which education is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature has proposed two types of problematic smartphone/internet use: generalized problematic use and specific problematic use. However, longitudinal findings on the associations between the two types of problematic use and psychological distress are lacking among East-Asians. The present study examined temporal associations between both generalized and specific problematic use of the smartphone/internet, and psychological distress. Hong Kong University students (N = 308; 100 males; mean age = 23.75 years; SD ± 5.15) were recruited with follow-ups at three, six, and nine months after baseline assessment. All participants completed the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (for generalized problematic smartphone/internet use), the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (for specific problematic smartphone/internet use), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (for psychological distress) in each assessment. Latent growth modeling (LGM) was constructed to understand temporal associations between generalized/specific problematic use and psychological distress. The LGM suggested that the intercept of generalized problematic use was significantly associated with the intercept of psychological distress (standardized coefficient [β] = 0.32; P < 0.01). The growth of generalized problematic use was significantly associated with the growth of psychological distress (β = 0.51; P < 0.01). Moreover, the intercept of specific problematic use was significantly associated with the intercept of psychological distress (β = 0.28; P < 0.01) and the growth of psychological distress (β = 0.37; P < 0.01). The initial level of problematic use of smartphone/internet increased the psychological distress among university students. Helping young adults address problematic use of the smartphone/internet may prevent psychological distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dysmenorrhea is one of the most common menstrual disorders and is influenced by various factors. Psychological disorders including anxiety, depression, and stress have been suggested as influencing dysmenorrhea, but previous findings are inconsistent. This study will investigate the relationship between depression/anxiety/stress and dysmenorrhea using a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: Online databases including PsycINFO, Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, ProQuest, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Embase will be searched. Appropriate keywords and MeSH terms will be used to retrieve the journal papers published from 1990 until the end of December 2019. To improve search coverage, the reference lists of all included studies will be reviewed to find eligible papers. Inclusion criteria include the following: descriptive, cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies; the relationship between depression/anxiety/stress and dysmenorrhea being an objective of the study; and published in peer-reviewed journals. The paper selection, data extraction, and quality assessment of selected studies will be performed independently by two researchers, and disagreements will be resolved through discussions. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale will be used to assess the quality of selected studies. A quantitative synthesis will be performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) via the STATA software, if retrieving enough number of studies with no severe methodological heterogeneities. Otherwise, qualitative synthesis will be used to report the findings. Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, this will be the first systematic review on this topic. Performing an inclusive search in major databases over a wide timescale is one key strength of the proposed study and will maximize the coverage of the original research studies on this topic. Results of present study are expected to lead to deeper understanding the relationship between common mental health conditions and dysmenorrhea. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42018102199 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that there is a lack of instruments assessing internet-related addictions among Chinese population, this study aimed to validate the Chinese version of the nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scales- Short Form (IGDS-SF9), Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), and Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS) among Hong Kong university students. Participants aged between 17 and 30 years participated in the present study (n = 307; 32.4% males; mean [SD] age = 21.64 [8.11]). All the participants completed the IGDS-SF9, BSMAS, SABAS, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were used to examine the factorial structures and the unidimensionality for IGDS-SF9, BSMAS, and SABAS. CFAs demonstrated that the three scales were all unidimensional with satisfactory fit indices: comparative fit index = 0.969 to 0.992. In addition, the IGDS-SF9 and BSMAS were slightly modified based on the modification index in CFA. The Chinese IGDS-SF9, BSMAS, and SABAS are valid instruments to assess the addiction levels of internet-related activities for Hong Kong university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological advances have created the environment for Internet addiction (IA). A specific form of IA is social media addiction. Moreover, social media addiction may be further classified into general or specific social media addiction, with YouTube addiction among the latter because YouTube is viewed as a video streaming application. The present study aimed to design an instrument assessing YouTube addiction (named as the YouTube Addiction Scale, YAS) for psychometric testing. Guided by the component model of addiction, the YAS included six items corresponding to salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse. Through an online survey, the first sample (N = 530; 50.6% female) completed the YAS together with other measures assessing general social media addiction, psychological distress, and demographic information. Afterward, a second sample (N = 512; 45.5% female) completed the YAS in another period of time. The YAS was found to be unidimensional with strong factor loadings in both exploratory factor analysis (the first sample) and confirmatory factor analysis (the second sample). Internal consistency of the YAS was acceptable for both samples. Using the first sample’s data, Rasch models suggested that the six items in the YAS all fit well in the embedded construct of YouTube addiction. No differential item functioning was displayed for all YAS items across age, gender, and weekly time spent using YouTube. Network analysis results showed that the YAS items grouped together and had a clear distance from all items assessing general social media addiction. In addition, participants with higher levels of YouTube addiction had significantly greater general social media addiction, psychological distress, and time spent on YouTube. The YAS has promising psychometric properties for healthcare providers and researchers to assess individuals’ YouTube addiction levels. Future studies should examine the extent to which with the use of YAS, healthcare providers may monitor the severity of individuals’ YouTube addiction and provide early intervention, if needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To develop and validate a Swedish questionnaire to measure propensity for behaviour change regarding food habits, physical activity and weight reduction in patients with hypertension. Design: Cross‐sectional design. Methods: A total of 270 consecutive patients with hypertension diagnosed at four primary care centres in Sweden were included. The 6‐item Swedish version of the Propensity to Achieve Healthy Lifestyle Scale (PAHLS) was developed to measure propensity for behaviour change regarding food habits, physical activity and weight reduction. The PAHLS (i.e., including three items for preparedness and three items for capacity) was developed by three multiprofessional researchers inspired by the transtheoretical model of behaviour change in collaboration with clinically active nurses. Data were collected by questionnaires on food habits (i.e., the Food Frequency Questionnaire), physical activity (the International Physical Activity Questionnaire), propensity for a healthy lifestyle (the PHLQ), as well as during a clinical examination. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), as well as Rasch analysis, were used. Results: Of the 270 patients (50% women), 27% scored low levels of physical activity on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and 34% of the patients were obese (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2). The EFA (explaining 54% of the variance) showed unidimensionality for the PAHLS that was supported by both CFA and Rasch analyses. No floor and 1.9% ceiling effects were found. Multiple group CFA (an extension of structural equation modelling) showed that the PAHLS operated equivalently across both male and female patients. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.83) and composite reliability (0.89) were good. Conclusion: The initial testing of PAHLS provided good validity and reliability scores to measure propensity for behaviour change in patients with hypertension. Relevance to Clinical Practice: The PAHLS can be used by nurses as a tool to simplify shared decision‐making in relation to behavioural changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep problems are common in people with low back pain ( LBP); however, the mechanisms of how sleep influences pain are complex. To date there is a lack of prospective research on the timing and development of sleep problems in those who have LBP; such information would be useful to identify individuals at risk for poor outcomes. Our aims are to investigate the predictive role of sleep problems on self-report recovery and pain intensity using logistic regression reporting odds ratios ( ORs). An observational cohort of 761 chronic LBP patients recruited from a pain management clinic participated, and they completed data at baseline and at 6-month follow-up ( n = 682). Results show increased odds for reported nonrecovery ( OR 1.52) and pain intensity ( OR 2.69) among those who reported sleep problems at baseline. Further analysis on the experience of sleep problems through time showed that those with developing sleep problems (ie, no sleep problems at baseline but reported sleep problems at follow-up) were at increased odds for reporting nonrecovery ( OR 2.17) and pain intensity ( OR 2.95), as were those who reported sleep problems at both baseline and follow-up, for recovery ( OR 2.88) and pain intensity ( OR 3.45). Those with resolving sleep problems (ie, sleep problems present at baseline but not at follow-up) were at decreased odds for nonrecovery ( OR 0.50) and pain intensity (0.49). Presenting, persistent, and developing sleep problems have a significant impact on recovery for those with LBP. Clinicians may wish to consider treatment options that can address sleep problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Prediabetic condition can lead to development of type 2 diabetes, especially in individuals who do not adhere to a healthy lifestyle. The aim of the present study was to investigate the socio-cognitive factors using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) that may be associated with the choice of lifestyle in prediabetic patients. Methods: A prospective study with one-month follow up was designed to collect data from 350 individuals with prediabetic conditions. A questionnaire was used to collect the information, including demographic variables, exercise behavior, food consumption, as well as the constructs of the TPB (attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention) regarding physical activity and dietary choice. The correlations between TPB variables and the dependent variables (dietary choice, physical activity) were assessed using Spearman correlation and multiple regression models. Result: In total, 303 people participated. The mean age of the participants was 53.0 (SD 11.5) years and 42% were males. Significant correlations were found between all TPB constructs and both dependent variables (healthy eating and exercise behaviors) both at baseline and after one month (P < 0.01). The predictive validity of the TPB over time was proved for both dependent variables where past and future behaviors were significantly correlated with the constructs. Nearly 87% of the variance in exercise behavior and 72% of the variance in healthy eating behavior were explainable by TPB constructs. Conclusion: The TPB may be a useful model to predict behaviors of physical activity and dietary choice among prediabetic people. Therefore, it may be used to monitor lifestyle modification to prevent development of diabetes among people with prediabetic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) contributes to the health and survival of the newborns. Many factors influence the EBF behavior. This study aimed to identify the determinant factors in order to improve the practice of EBF among Iranian mothers. Methods: A longitudinal study was carried out in 1445 mothers with newborns in Qazvin city, Iran (September 2015-March 2016). Demographic variables as well as the constructs of theory of planned behavior (TBP) were measured by questionnaires. Bivariate analysis using Pearson and Spearman correlation tests with analysis of variance were used to investigate the associations among the variables. Both hierarchal multiple regression and logistic regression were applied to identify potential determinative factors for the EBF. Results: Nearly, 80% (CI: 77.97-82.63%) of the participants had the intention of EBF. All TPB constructs, moral norms, and self-identity were significantly correlated with each other (r: 0.090.40, P < 0.01). Some demographic variables such as age, income, employment and primiparity were also correlated with the EBF (r: 0.11-0.15, P < 0.05). The constructs of the TPB were able to predict the EBF behavior, which account for 49% of the variance in the predicting factors (df = 8, F = 7.70). The self-identity and moral norms accounted for an additional 15% of the variance (df = 10, F = 3.16). Younger mothers with lower socio-economic status were at higher risk of EBF cessation. The intention has a greater impact on the initiation of EBF than perceived behavioral control (PBC) but not for the maintenance of EBF (OR, 2.88 [CI: 2.38-3.48] & 1.13 [CI:1.03- 1.23] vs. OR, 1.27 [CI:1.15-1.39] & 2.66 [CI: 2.02-3.49]). Conclusion: The interventions to promote knowledge, attitude and behavioral control towards the EBF should be considered especially in the young mothers with low socio-economic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Male sexual dysfunction is an increasing problem across a variety of general and clinical populations, such as cancer populations; especially among prostate cancer patients who tend to receive treatments that often result in erectile dysfunction (ED) and/or premature ejaculation (PE). Therefore, in order to diagnose ED and PE in these populations, adequate and efficient instruments such as the International Index of Erectile Function 5-item version (IIEF-5) and the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) are needed. However, since this is an important topic additional evidence of psychometric properties of the IIEF-5 and the PEDT in such samples are required. Thus the aim of the present study was to use Rasch models to investigate the construct validity, local dependency, score order, and differential item functioning (DIF) of both questionnaires in a sample of prostate cancer patients. Methods: Prostate cancer patients (n = 1058, mean±SD age = 64.07±6.84 years) who visited urology clinics were invited to fill out the IIEF-5 and the PEDT. Construct validity was examined using infit and outfit mean square (MnSq) and local dependency using correlations between each two residual Rasch scores. Score order was investigated using step and average measures of difficulty and DIF using DIF contrast. Results: All IIEF-5 and PEDT items had acceptable infit and outfit MnSq. Step measures revealed that all but two items had disordered categories in terms of scores 1 to 3. Only one local dependency was found, and no items displayed DIF across age, educational level, and help seeking. Conclusions: The results showed that both the IIEF-5 and the PEDT had sound psychometric properties in the Rasch analyses, although some score disordering could be detected in both instruments. The results of no DIF items in both instruments suggest using them to compare ED and PE across age and educational level is adequate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The study aimed to compare the oral health variables, general, and oral health-related quality of life (QoL), depression, and anxiety between spinal cord injury (SCI) patients and healthy controls and also to determine the key factors related to the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in the SCI patients.Methods: A total of 203 SCI patients and 203 healthy controls were enrolled. Patients and healthy adults were invited to attend a dental clinic to complete the study measures and undergo oral clinical examinations. OHRQoL was assessed by the 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14), and the general health-related quality of life (GHRQoL) was evaluated by SF-36. In SCI patients, depression and anxiety were recorded using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), while Functional Assessment Measure (FAM) was used to assess dependence and disability. All the subjects were examined for caries which was quantified using the decayed, missing, and filled Teeth (DMFT) index, gingival bleeding index (GI), plaque index, and periodontal status by community periodontal index (CPI).Results: The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed significant differences between the two groups in terms of oral health expressed in DMFT, oral hygiene, and periodontal status, controlled for age, gender, family income, and occupational status (p<0.001). Using the hierarchical linear regression analyses, in the final model, which accounted for 18% of the total variance (F(126.7), p<0.01), significant predictors of OHRQoL were irregular tooth brushing (β=1.23; 95% CI=1.06; 1.41), smoking (β=0.82; 95% CI=0.66; 0.97), dry mouth (β=0.37; 95% CI=-0.65 to 0.10) functional and motor functioning (β=0.32; 95% CI=-0.45 to 0.17), DMFT (β=0.06; 95% CI=0.02; 0.09), CPI (β=0.22; 95% CI=0.04; 0.04), physical component measure of GHRQoL (β=-0.275; 95% CI=-0.42 to 0.13), lesion level at the lumbar-sacral (β=-0.18; 95% CI=-0.29 to -0.06) and thoracic level (β=-0.09; 95% CI=-0.11 to -0.06).Conclusion: SCI patients had poor oral hygiene practices, greater levels of plaque, gingival bleeding, and caries experience than the healthy controls. In addition, more number of SCI patients had periodontal pockets and dry mouth than the comparative group. SCI patients experienced more depression and anxiety, poor GHRQoL, and OHRQoL than the healthy control group. The factors that influenced OHRQoL in SCI patients were age, toothbrushing frequency, smoking, oral clinical status, depression, physical component of GHRQoL, and level of lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Medication nonadherence is one of the most important reasons for treatment failure in patients with epilepsy. The present study investigated the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention to improve adherence to antiepileptic drug (AED) medication in patients with epilepsy. Methods In a prospective, randomized multicenter trial, three sessions of face-to-face motivational interviewing (MI) in combination with complementary behavior change techniques were compared with standard care. Motivational interviewing prompted change talk and self-motivated statements from the patients, planning their own medication intake regimen and also identifying and overcoming barriers that may prevent adherence. Participants were provided with calendars to self-monitor their medication taking behavior. A family member and the health-care team were invited to attend the last session of MI in order to improve the collaboration and communication between patients, their caregiver or family member, and their health-care provider. At baseline and 6-month follow-up, psychosocial variables and medical adherence were assessed. Results In total, 275 participants were included in the study. Compared with the active control group, patients in the intervention group reported significantly higher medication adherence, as well as stronger intention and perceptions of control for taking medication regularly. The intervention group also reported higher levels of action planning, coping planning, self-monitoring, and lower medication concerns. Conclusions This study shows that MI can be effective in clinical practice to improve medication adherence in patients with epilepsy. It also provides evidence that combining volitional interventions, including action planning, coping planning, and self-monitoring with motivational interviewing can promote the effectiveness of the medical treatments for epilepsy by improving adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction This study examined the validity and reliability of the Iranian version of the spinal cord lesion-related coping strategies questionnaire (SCL CSQ-I) in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods Consecutive patients with SCI ( n = 220) were recruited into the study. A standard forward-backward translation procedure was used to translate the SCL CSQ from English into Persian. Participants also completed the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM III), Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ), and SCL CSQ-I. Psychometric properties examined were internal consistency, test–retest reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and construct validity. Results Cronbach alphas for the SCL CSQ-I subscales ranged from 0.68 to 0.89, indicating acceptable internal reliability, and intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.74 to 0.89, indicating good test–retest reliability. The SCL CSQ-I subscales significantly correlated with scores on the SF-12, HADS, SCIM III and CIQ, indicating solid convergent validity. Each item of the SCL CSQ-I within a hypothesized dimension correlated strongly with the total score for that dimension. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified a three-factor model. The SCL CSQ-I subscales correlated significantly with clinical and socio-demographic characteristics. Conclusion The Iranian version of the SCL CSQ is a reliable and valid tool for measuring coping strategies in persons with SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Motivational interviewing (MI) has been shown to be an effective strategy for targeting obesity in adolescents, and parental involvement is associated with increased effectiveness. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the role of parental involvement in MI interventions for obese adolescents. METHODS: A total of 357 Iranian adolescents (aged 14-18 years) were randomized to receive an MI intervention or an MI intervention with parental involvement (MI + PI) or assessments only (passive control). Data regarding anthropometric, biochemical, psychosocial, and behavioral measures were collected at baseline and 12 months later. A series of intention-to-treat 2-way repeated-measures analysis of covariance were performed to examine group differences in change in outcomes measures over the 12-month follow-up period. RESULTS: Results revealed significant effects on most of the outcome parameters for MI + PI (eg, mean ± SD BMI z score: 2.58 ± 0.61) compared with the passive control group (2.76 ± 0.70; post hoc test, P = .02), as well as an additional superiority of MI + PI compared with MI only (2.81 ± 0.76; post hoc test, P = .05). This pattern was also shown for most of the anthropometric, biochemical, psychometric, and behavioral outcome variables. CONCLUSIONS: MI with parental involvement is an effective strategy in changing obesity-related outcomes and has additional effects beyond MI with adolescents only. These findings might be important when administering MI interventions in school settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of short-term changes in female sexual functioning has received little attention so far. The aims of the study were to gain empirical knowledge on within-subject and within- and across-variable fluctuations in women’s sexual functioning over time. More specifically, to investigate the stability of women´s self-reported sexual functioning and the moderating effects of contextual and interpersonal factors. A convenience sample of 206 women, recruited across eight Health care Clinics in Rasht, Iran. Ecological momentary assessment was used to examine fluctuations of sexual functioning over a six week period. A shortened version of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was applied to assess sexual functioning. Self-constructed questions were included to assess relationship satisfaction, partner’s sexual performance and stress levels. Mixed linear two-level model analyses revealed a link between orgasm and relationship satisfaction (Beta = 0.125, P = 0.074) with this link varying significantly between women. Analyses further revealed a significant negative association between stress and all six domains of women’s sexual functioning. Women not only reported differing levels of stress over the course of the assessment period, but further differed from each other in how much stress they experienced and how much this influenced their sexual response. Orgasm and sexual satisfaction were both significantly associated with all other domains of sexual function (P<0.001). And finally, a link between partner performance and all domains of women`s sexual functioning (P<0.001) could be detected. Except for lubrication (P = 0.717), relationship satisfaction had a significant effect on all domains of the sexual response (P<0.001). Overall, our findings support the new group of criteria introduced in the DSM-5, called “associated features” such as partner factors and relationship factors. Consideration of these criteria is important and necessary for clinicians when diagnosing FSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the psychometric values of a Farsi-translated version of the International Index of Erectile Function among a population sample of Iranian men. A community sample of 2,345 healthy men and a clinical sample of 421 men with diagnosed erectile function from 2 cities of Iran participated in the study. Participants were asked to complete the International Index of Erectile Function, the Life Satisfaction questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire at baseline. Four weeks later, both samples were asked to recomplete the International Index of Erectile Function. The response rates were 84% (n = 1,969) and 98% (n = 412) for healthy men and men with erectile function, respectively. The retest reliability of the International Index of Erectile Function showed excellent intraclass correlation coefficients for both the healthy and patient samples. The International Index of Erectile Function subscales correlated significantly with the scores resulting from the clinical rating of erectile function conducted by urologists. Men with erectile function, as diagnosed by urologists, had significant lower scores in all subscales. The results of the exploratory factor analysis indicated that the International Index of Erectile Function could be summarized into a 5-component solution.The Iranian version of the International Index of Erectile Function was found to be a highly valid and reliable instrument to be used for the assessment of erectile function in clinical and population samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Medication adherence rates after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery are low due to intentional (e.g., deliberately choosing not to take medication) and unintentional (e.g., forgetting to take the medication) person-related factors. There is a lack of studies examining the psychological factors related to non-adherence in CABG patients. Intentions to take medication and planning when, where, and how to take medication and to overcome unintentional forgetting to take medication were hypothesized to be independently related to medication adherence. Furthermore, planning to overcome forgetting was hypothesized to be more strongly associated with medication adherence in patients who have stronger intentions to take medication, reflecting the idea that planning is a factor that specifically helps in patients who are willing to take medication, but fail to do so. Methods Measures of medication adherence, intention and planning were collected in a sample of ( N = 197) post-CABG surgery patients followed from discharge (baseline; Time 1) over a 12-month period (Time 2) in Boo-Ali Hospital in Qazvin, Iran. A series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed in which medication adherence at Time 2 was regressed onto socio-demographic and clinical factors, the hypothesized psychological variables (adherence-related intention and planning), and interaction terms. Results Intentions to take medication ( B = .30, P < .01), action planning when, where, and how to take the medication ( B = .19, P < .01), and coping planning how to avoid forgetting to take the medication ( B = .16, P < .01) were independently related to medication adherence. Beyond that, action planning × intention to take medication ( B = .06, P < .05) and coping planning × intention ( B = .07, P < .01) interaction also significantly predicted adherence. Conclusion Intention to take medication was associated with better medication adherence and action and coping planning strategies to avoid forgetting to take the medication added significantly to the prediction of adherence in the year following CABG discharge. This is in line with theory and evidence about the independent roles of intentional and unintentional predictors of non-adherence. As hypothesized, planning to overcome unintentional forgetting to take the medication was more predictive of medication adherence in those patients who reported higher intentions to take medication, reflecting the idea that planning helps patients overcome unintentional reasons of being non-adherent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to determine whether motivational interviewing (MI) could change dietary habit and body mass index (BMI) in obese/overweight women. Methods: A cluster-randomized controlled study was performed in four health centers in Qazvin, central Iran. In total, 327 obese/overweight women were selected by a multi-stage sampling method and randomly assigned into control and experimental groups. Food frequency (using questionnaire; FFQ), BMI, and metabolic markers including blood pressure, total serum cholesterol and fasting blood glucose levels were measured in all participants. Data were collected twice (before and one year after the MI interventions). Data were analyzed using student t-test, and Stepwise Linear Regression. Results: There was a significant increase in daily consumption of dietary fiber, whole grain products, fruits and vegetables in the MI group (P<0.05). The consumption of meat product, total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate and total energy intake were also significantly reduced after MI intervention (P<0.05). As a result, body weight and BMI were significantly reduced in the intervention group compared to the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: MI is suggested to be an effective strategy to change life style and reduce BMI in overweight/obese women in the long term. This effect needs to be further investigated in different gender and age populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate whether planning a dental appointment is a predictor of actual dental visits over a one-year period when controlling for past attendance, demographic factors, and dental health beliefs. In addition, the planning-attendance association was explored to determine whether dental anxiety and educational status moderated this relationship. Methods: A total of N = 1,422 adults with a mean age of M = 44.4 ( SD = 11.0) years and resident in Iran participated in a prospective study over a one-year period. The primary outcome was self-reported dental appointment attendance at one-year follow-up, which was validated using clinical records. Action planning, coping planning, health beliefs, age, dental insurance, income, dental health status, dental anxiety, and years of education were assessed at baseline by self-report questionnaire. Data were analysed using multivariate logistic regression. Results: Action planning and coping planning were significantly associated with dental appointment attendance at one-year follow-up. Planning a dental appointment was more predictive of dental appointment attendance for people with higher levels of education and lower dental anxiety. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that implementation of the behaviour change technique planning into routine dental practice may have the potential to increase dental appointment attendance rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The expanded TPB constructs, age, and gender significantly predicted behaviour. [•] Moral obligation was the strongest predictor of household waste behaviours. [•] Educational materials should target moral obligation and action planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adherence to oral self-care behaviors is low among adolescents.Purpose: This study aims to examine effects of two message framing interventions on oral self-care behaviors and health among Iranian adolescents.Methods: Cluster-randomized controlled trial, with four schools randomly assigned to receive gain-framed, loss-framed, or no messages. Brushing/flossing, attitudes, intentions, oral health related quality of life (OHRQOL), and clinical examinations were measured at baseline, two and twenty-four weeks. Data were analyzed using multilevel modeling.Results: At 2 weeks, loss-frame participants reported higher brushing and flossing rates, and more favorable attitudes and intentions to brush, compared to the other groups. At 24 weeks, loss-frame participants showed better OHRQOL, gingival health and less dental plaque compared to the other groups. Attitudes and intentions mediated intervention effects for the loss-framed group.Conclusions: Loss-framed messages were more effective than gain-framed messages in encouraging oral self-care behaviors among Iranian adolescents. These effects were mediated through attitudes and intentions. (clinicaltrials.gov number NCT01421108.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Female sexual dysfunction has a known impact on the quality of life. Aim. The purpose of this study was the translation and validation of an Iranian version of the Sexual Quality of Life questionnaire- Female ( SQOL- F) in Iranian women. Methods. A population sample of N = 2,675 women aged 17-67 years from Qazvin City of Iran and two clinical population samples (women with sexual dysfunctions N = 295 and women with type 2 diabetes N = 449) participated in the study. A self-constructed demographic questionnaire, the SQOL- F, the Short Form Health Survey ( SF-36), and the Female Sexual Function Index ( FSFI) were used for data collection. Main Outcome Measures. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were examined. Correlations between the SQOL- F, SF-36, and FSFI were assessed with convergent validity. Furthermore, known-groups comparison analysis was conducted to compare differences in SQOL- F scores between healthy women and those with sexual problems and diabetes. Confirmatory factor analysis assessed the factor structure of the SQOL- F. Results. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.84 to 0.98. Significant correlations between the SQOL- F, SF-36, and FSFI scores were found (ranging from r = 0.4 to r = 0.72). The SQOL- F scores were significantly different between women with and without a clinical condition ( P < 0.05). A unifactorial model provided the best fit to the data. Conclusion. The questionnaire represents a suitable measure to assess sexuality-related quality of life to sexual function in healthy women, as well as in women suffering from a chronic medical condition. Application of the scale to other clinical samples needs to be further explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The number of haemodialysis patients globally is increasing and spiritual resources may help overcome adjustment problems among such patients. This study examined the relationships between spiritual/religious, demographic and clinical variables and quality of life among Iranian Muslims undergoing haemodialysis. Methods Using a cross-sectional design, 362 haemodialysis patients were surveyed from three general hospitals located in Tehran, Iran. Spiritual coping strategies, Duke University Religion Index, EQ-5 D 3 L and a demographic questionnaire were administered. Hierarchical regression was used to identify predictors of quality of life and health status. Results The distribution of reported problems across dimensions of quality of life was: mobility (59.4%), usual activities (30.4%), self-care (21.3%), pain/discomfort (47.8%) and anxiety/depression (29.3%). Univariate analysis showed that factors such as age, sex, marital status, location, number of children, body mass index, serum albumin, having diabetes mellitus or other comorbidity, as well as spiritual/religious factors that were related to quality of life, health status or both. Regression models revealed that demographics, clinical variables and especially spiritual/religious factors explained about 40% of variance of quality of life and nearly 25% of the variance in health status. Conclusion Spiritual resources may contribute to better quality of life and health status among haemodialysis patients. Further longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether these associations are causal and the direction of effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the national Eye Institute refractive error correction quality of life questionnaire (NEI-RQL-42) among Iranian patients with refractive errors. Materials and Methods: Two samples of patients (n1 = 296, n2 = 95) were consecutively selected from the eye clinic of the Boo-Ali Hospital, Qazvin. A forward-backward procedure was conducted to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Iranian version of the NEI-RQL-42. A homogeneity, stability, and reliability test was conducted for the first sample after a two-week interval. Convergent validity was computed using the correlation between the NEI-RQL-42 subscale scores, National Eye Institute-Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25), and the Short Form-36 (SF-36). Furthermore, Known-group analysis was performed, to determine the discriminant validity between the subgroups of patients with hyperopia, emmetropia, and myopia. Responsiveness to clinical change was tested by administering NEI-RQL-42 on the second sample that was scheduled for surgery. Results: Homogeneity was satisfactory with the Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging between 0.70 and 0.92. The 13 subscales of the NEI-RQL-42 showed a considerable stability in intra-class-correlation (ICC) ranging between 0.70 and 0.89. Positive correlation coefficients were found among all subscales of the NEI-RQL-42 and the other quality-of-life instruments (NEI-VFQ-25 and SF-36). The NEI-VFQ-25 displayed excellent discriminant validity to differentiate the subgroups of patients, and was found to be responsive to change after the surgical correction at three months. Conclusions: The Iranian version of the NEI-RQL-42 is a valid and reliable instrument to assess refractive error correction quality-of-life in Iranian patients. Moreover this questionnaire can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in patients with refractive errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avicenna, a renowned Persian Muslim scientist has written numerous scientific papers and valuable medical books that are respected worldwide. For centuries his masterpiece, the "Canon of Medicine", has been used as a major medical reference. The Canon, as a prime encyclopedia on medicine is comprised of five books. In the introduction to the Canon, Avicenna has described the purpose of medicine as the preservation of health if it is already attained and its restoration when it is lost. He defines health as a trait or state, which results in the normal functioning of the human body and presumes that health is a steady state, whilst disease is more of a variable concept. Thus whenever we depart from a healthy state, we approach disease. A comparison of current views regarding definitions of health, disease and their components as defined by Avicenna could open new horizons for ancient, traditional medicine. The Canon contains numerous implications concerning the infrastructures of public health-related issues. For example the specifications of healthy water and air are well described in the "Canon of Medicine". To enable a better understanding of Avicenna's viewpoints about public health, we have briefly reviewed his perspective on the topics of health, disease, and environmental sanitation concerning water and air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/Introduction: The objective of this study was to translate and validate an Iranian version of the Diabetes Quality of Life (DQOL) questionnaire in an Iranian population of males and females with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Materials and Methods: A total of 503 patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited from nine diabetes clinics across several Iranian cities. A standard backward and forward translation procedure was used to convert the English version of the DQOL into the Iranian language (Persian). Internal consistency, convergent validity, known group comparison, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and factorial invariance were applied for the assessment of psychometric properties of the translated version. Results: The translated version of the DQOL showed adequate internal consistency reliabilities for all subscales (Cronbach's α >0.70). CFA confirmed the underlying domain structure to be the same as for the original English version, therefore supporting the factorial validity of the translated questionnaire. In addition, questionnaire responsiveness showed good sensitivity to interventions. Conclusions: In conclusion, the translated Iranian version of DQOL has shown high internal reliability and good construct validity, and can potentially be applied as an assessment tool for health-related quality of life in patients with diabetes. (J Diabetes Invest, doi: 10.1111/j.2040-1124.2012.00217.x, 2012) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Introduction. Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a prevalent problem in the female population in Iran. A subjective assessment instrument that allows cross-cultural comparison of FSD is urgently needed. Aim. The aims of the study were to translate, validate, and enhance cross-cultural comparability of an Iranian version (IV) of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)-the IV-FSFI. Methods. A total of 448 women (19-54 years, mean 29.7, standard deviation 7.3) from five different Iranian outpatient obstetrics and gynecology clinics were eligible for this study. The IV-FSFI was developed through forward and backward translation, revision by a research team, and a subsequent pilot study. After an interview for clinical diagnosis of FSD based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, all participants completed the IV-FSFI for the validation study. Three hundred sixty-two women completed the IV-FSFI again, 4 weeks after the first visit. Main Outcome Measures. Test-retest reliability was determined by Pearson's product-moment correlations. Reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Construct validity was evaluated by principal component analysis using varimax rotation and by subsequent confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Discriminant validity was assessed with between-groups analysis of variance. Results. The overall test-retest reliability coefficients were high for each domain of the IV-FSFI (r ranging from 0.73 to 0.86) and the internal consistencies within the acceptable range (α from 0.72 to 0.90). Principal component analysis with varimax rotation revealed a best fitting five-factor structure similar to the original FSFI (χ2 = 2.1, degree of freedom = 17, P < 0.001). CFA confirmed the underlying domain structure, supporting the factorial validity of the IV-FSFI. Conclusions. In conclusion, the newly developed IV-FSFI has demonstrated to be a reliable and valid instrument with good psychometric properties that allows a quick and accurate preliminary screening of women with unknown sexual health status in clinics and other medical settings. Fakhri A, Pakpour AH, Burri A, Morshedi H, and Zeidi IM. The Female Sexual Function Index: Translation and validation of an Iranian version. J Sex Med 2012;9:514-523. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim The aim of this prospective study was to test the role of the direct predictors in the theory of planned behaviour ( TPB), perceived behavioural control ( PBC) and intention as well as action planning and coping planning as predictors of changes in dental brushing behaviour among Iranian adolescents . Materials and Methods One thousand students were selected from 57 high schools in Qazvin, IR Iran. N = 983 participants completed an initial questionnaire at Time 1 and they were asked to complete a follow-up questionnaire 1 month later (Time 2). At Time 1, PBC, behavioural intention, action planning and coping planning were assessed. Dental brushing behaviour was assessed both at Time 1 and 4 weeks later at Time 2. A hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to examine the predictive validity of PBC, intention, action planning and coping planning both, as main effects and as interactions on dental brushing behaviour. Results Past behaviour, gender and age explained 46.5% of the variance in dental brushing at Time 2 in step 1. Adding intention to brush, PBC, action planning and coping planning in the second and third step explained an additional 24.9% of the variance in dental brushing at Time 2. Adding the interactions terms for action planning × coping planning, action planning × PBC and coping planning × PBC further increased the predictive validity of the model by 6.00% over and above the main effects. Conclusion Intentions, PBC, action planning and coping planning are predictive variables for oral self-care behaviour. This finding suggests that an intervention simultaneously targeting PBC, action planning and coping planning might be particularly promising to promote oral self-care in adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: Patients on dialysis have low physical activity levels. The aim of the study was to examine the validity of action planning and coping planning within the theory of planned behaviour framework, for predicting physical activity behaviour of patients on haemodialysis. Design: This is a prospective study design. Methods: One hundred and forty-four patients who were undergoing haemodialysis were selected from dialysis centres. The mean age of the patients was 56.61 (SD =11.38) years. The patients completed a questionnaire including variables from the theory of planned behaviour, action planning and coping planning. Physical activity was prospectively assessed at 4-weeks with the validated International Physical Activity Questionnaire self-report measure. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of action planning and coping planning on physical activity behaviour. Results: There was a main effect for coping planning but not for action planning. Moreover, the analyses resulted in a significant amount of incremental variance accounted for by the interaction of coping planning and intention. Conclusion: Results suggest the combination of high levels of coping planning and intention is associated with increases in physical activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction. The aim of the study was to assess the validity and reliability of the SF-12 questionnaire in a sample of Iranian patients undergoing hemodialysis. Materials and Methods. One hundred and forty-four hemodialysis patients were included from dialysis centers in Zanjan, Iran, and were asked to complete the SF-12 and SF-36 questionnaires. An initial test-retest reliability evaluation was performed on a sample of 70 patients from the total group, with a retest interval of 14 days. Reliability was estimated by internal consistency and validity was assessed using known-group comparisons and construct validity on the patient group as a whole. A linear regression analysis was used to assess any variation in the physical component summary and mental component summary scores of the SF-36 with the respective component summary scores of the SF-12. In addition, the factor structure of the questionnaire was extracted by performing a confirmatory factor analysis. Results. Cronbach a for physical and mental component summaries were 0.89 and 0.90, respectively. The SF-12 showed a good discriminatory ability between subgroups of patients based on demographic and clinical variables. The confirmatory factor analysis for the original two-factor structure showed a good fit index (chi2 = 23.30, degrees of freedom = 13), goodness-of-fit index = 0.96, and root mean squared error of approximation = 0.079). Conclusions. In general, the SF-12 has good psychometric properties and can be used as a shorter version of the SF-36 questionnaire in future studies involving Iranian patients undergoing hemodialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of the study were to translate the Kidney Disease Quality of Life - Short Form version 1.3 (KDQOL-SF ver. 1.3) questionnaire into Iranian (Farsi), and to then assess it in terms of validity and reliability on Iranian patients. The questionnaire was first translated into Farsi by two independent translators, and then subsequently translated back into English. After translation disparities had been reconciled, the final Iranian questionnaire was tested. An initial test-retest reliability evaluation was performed over a 10 day period on a sample of 20 patients recruited from a larger group (212 patients with end-stage renal disease on haemodialysis). Afterwards, reliability was estimated by internal consistency, and validity was assessed using known group comparisons and constructs for the patient group as a whole. Finally, the factor structure of the questionnaire was extracted by performing exploratory factor analysis. All of the scales in the questionnaire showed good test-retest reliability (i.e. intraclass correlations between test and retest scores were >0.7). All of the scales met the minimal criteria (0.7) for internal consistency and Cronbach's-α ranged 0.71-0.93. Furthermore, results from a discriminate validity evaluation showed that the questionnaire could be used to discriminate between subgroups of the patients. Finally, a principal component analysis of the disease-specific scales indicated that this part of the questionnaire could be summarized into an 11 factor structure that jointly accounted for 79.81% of the variance. The Iranian version of the KDQOL-SF questionnaire is both highly reliable and valid for use with Iranian patients on haemodialysis. This paper addresses the issue of quality of life in patients with kidney failure describing the process of translating the well-known KDQOL into Iranian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. This study evaluated the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a sample of Iranian patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. The data were compared with the HRQOL for the Iranian general population. Materials and Methods. Two-hundred and fifty patients undergoing hemodialysis were included using a convenience sampling approach in a cross-sectional study. Data collection was performed using a Persian translation of the Short Form-36 questionnaire in combination with demographic and clinically related questions. The collected data were analyzed using a logistic regression model with physical and mental summary scales as dependent variables. Results. The patients' mean Short Form-36 scores were significantly lower than those obtained for the general population for all scales. Patients with longer duration of being on hemodialysis, poor adherence to treatment, higher body mass index, and comorbidity diseases suffered from a poorer physical health. Poor mental health was associated with a lower level of education, longer duration of hemodialysis, lower economic status, a lower degree of knowledge on disease, and comorbidity diseases. Conclusions. This study affirms the fact that patients undergoing hemodialysis suffer from poor HRQOL. In comparison with data from other studies from Asian and European countries, this sample of Iranian patients on hemodialysis had a lower HRQOL, a discrepancy that might be due to differences in life style, socioeconomic status, the general level of education of the patients, as well as physicianpatient communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has many individuals around the world fearing for their lives. The constant news coverage, rapid transmission, and relatively high mortality rate, make fearfulness a natural response. To assess the fear of COVID-19, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) was developed. The primary aim of the present study was to conduct the first psychometric assessment and validation of the English version of the FCV-19S. Two samples were collected in New Zealand. Sample 1 comprised 1624 participants of which 1397 completed all questions and were used in the analyses. Sample 2 comprised 1111 participants of which 1023 completed all questions and were used in the analyses. Several psychometric tests were conducted to ascertain the scale's reliability and validity. Across both samples, the FCV-19S had high internal consistency. Consistent with the earlier validation studies, the FCV-19S displayed a moderately strong relationship with the perceived infectability and germ aversion subscales of the perceived vulnerability to disease scale (PVDS). Furthermore, FCV-19S scores were negatively correlated with the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) scores. With respect to the motivating role of fear, there was a significant relationship between FCV-19S scores and adherence to the lockdown rules that were implemented in New Zealand. Finally, consistent with recent reports on the politicization of the COVID-19 pandemic, an exploratory question found that participants who rated themselves as more conservative tended to report lower FCV-19S scores. The English version of the COVID-19S is a sound unidimensional scale with robust psychometric properties and can be used with confidence among English-speaking populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Food addiction (FA) is linked to eating disorders and obesity. The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), which has various versions in different languages, is widely used to assess FA worldwide. This meta‐analysis aimed to assess the YFAS through reliability generalization meta‐analysis (REGEMA). From their inception until April 2024, a comprehensive systematic review across more than 30 databases was conducted to identify studies reporting reliability measures (e.g., Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega) of the YFAS. Sixty‐five studies were included in this meta‐analysis, with a median sample size of 451 participants. The results of the random‐effects meta‐analysis showed a high pooled reliability coefficient (α = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.83 to 0.86 p < 0.001). Test–retest reliability was also estimated using a random‐effects meta‐analysis of 10 studies, resulting in a pooled test–retest correlation coefficient of intraclass coefficients of (ICC = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.70 to 0.84, p < 0.001). These findings highlight the consistency and robustness of the YFAS in detecting FA across studies, suggesting its reliability for screening for FA‐related disordered eating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, nutrition has become increasingly important in treating and managing gestational diabetes mellitus. The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a conceptual framework in health behavior research used in some medical research. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of glycemic index training based on the HBM on metabolic indicators and pregnant women's health-related quality of life. In this open-label, parallel-controlled randomized trial, 90 pregnant women from primary health centers in Iran were recruited and randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group, using a block randomization method with a block size of six. The intervention group underwent 12 weeks of nutritional education on the glycemic index and load of foodstuff. The control group only received routine health care. Valid and reliable questionnaires included demographic and prenatal information, physical activity, three days of food records, quality of life (SF-12), and HBM constructs. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and end of the study, to assess fasting blood glucose (FBS), fasting insulin, hs-CRP, and lipids. Eighty-four pregnant women with an age mean of 30.12 ± 4.35 completed 12 weeks of intervention. At baseline, there were no significant differences between groups in the HBM subscales (P > 0.05). However, within the intervention group, there was an increase in perceived susceptibilities (mean change 1.45 ± 4.21; P = 0.03) and cue to action (mean change: 1.22 ± 3.38; P = 0.02). In the adjusted model, the General Health subscale of Quality of Life showed a significant increase in the comparison between groups (mean change 13.69 ± 29.83 vs. 0.00 ± 29.58; P = 0.04). Additionally, the adjusted model revealed a notable difference between the groups in serum hs-CRP level, (mean change -0.877 ± 3.47 vs. -0.067 ± 3.40; P = 0.01) and triglyceride level (mean change − 55.24 ± 111.21 vs. 40.92 ± 142.01; P = 0.001). However, in the adjusted model, the total cholesterol levels increased between groups (mean change 22.75 ± 66.17 vs. 30.12 ± 61.33; P = 0.01) at the end of the study. There was no significant difference in glycemic indices (P > 0.05). Participation in a nutrition education program might positively impact nutritional beliefs, behaviors, and some biochemical indicators among pregnant women. Future studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-ups are warranted. Trial registration number: IRCTID: IRCT20190227042858N1. Registration date: 2019-07-18. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A smartphone is a device with various functions, including wifi, application functions, mobile networks, ease of mobility, and the capability of using mobile data. Because of the aforementioned functions, people may use smartphones frequently. The Smartphone Application‐Based Addiction Scale (SABAS) is a six‐item questionnaire assessing smartphone addiction with promising psychometric properties. However, it is unclear if the SABAS possesses the strong psychometric properties across Asian regions. The present study aimed to examine the factor structure of the SABAS across nine Asian regions. Methods: Using datasets collected from Asian regions of Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, data from 10,397 participants (mean age = 22.40 years; 44.8% men) were used for analyses. All participants completed the SABAS using an online survey or paper‐and‐pencil mode. Results: Findings from confirmatory factor analysis, Rasch analysis, and network analysis all indicate a one‐factor structure for the SABAS. Moreover, the one‐factor structure of the SABAS was measurement invariant across age (21 years or less vs. above 21 years) and gender (men vs. women) in metric, scalar, and strict invariance. The one‐factor structure was invariant across regions in metric but not scalar or strict invariance. Conclusion: The present study findings showed that the SABAS possesses a one‐factor structure across nine Asian regions; however, noninvariant findings in scalar and strict levels indicate that people in the nine Asian regions may interpret the importance of each SABAS item differently. Age group and gender group comparisons are comparable because of the invariance evidence for the SABAS found in the present study. However, cautions should be made when comparing SABAS scores across Asian regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of the present study were to (i) re-evaluate and expand the psychometric properties of two weight stigma instruments—the Perceived Weight Stigma Scale (PWSS) and the Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire (WSSQ) among a large sample of adolescents using advanced psychometric methods and (ii) examine how the different types of weight stigma (i.e., PWSS and WSSQ) are associated with psychological distress. Cross-sectional study. In September 2023, a cross-sectional survey utilising convenience sampling was used to recruit 9995 adolescents (mean age = 16.36 years [standard deviation = 0.78]; 57.8% males). They completed the PWSS, WSSQ, and a measure on psychological distress. The data were analysed using Rasch analysis, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), structural equation modelling (SEM), and network analysis. The CFA and Rasch model results showed acceptable psychometric properties regarding factor structure, factor loading, difficulty, and infit and outfit mean squares (except Items 4 and 7 of the PWSS). There was no substantial differential item functioning for any tested items across the sex and weight categories. The CFA and SEM results showed promising validity indices with significant associations between both weight stigma scales and psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress). Network analysis showed inter-variable connectivity between nodes PWSS3 (" People act as if they are afraid of you ") and WSSQF7 (" I feel insecure about others' opinions of me "). Both weight stigma scales had acceptable psychometric properties and were significantly associated with psychological distress, although each assessed different types of weight stigma. This suggests that researchers and clinicians can use these scales to reliably and validly assess weight stigmas among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet addiction has been found to be prevalent worldwide, including Asian countries, and related to several negative outcomes and other behavioral addictions. The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS), and nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS-SF9) have been extensively used to assess internet-related addictions. However, the three aforementioned instruments have rarely been used in Asian countries. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the BSMAS, SABAS, and IGDS-SF9 were appropriate for use in heterogeneous subsamples from Hong Kong and Taiwan. University students from Hong Kong (n = 306) and Taiwan (n = 336) were recruited via an online survey. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) was used to assess measurement invariance of the BSMAS, SABAS, and IGDS-SF9 across the two subcultures. The original unidimensional structures of BSMAS, SABAS and IGDS-SF9 were confirmed through confirmatory factorial analysis in both subcultures. The MGCFA results showed that the unidimensional structures of the BSMAS and IGDS-SF9 were invariant across the two Chinese cultural areas (Hong Kong and Taiwan). However, the measurement invariance of the SABAS was established after some model modifications. In conclusion, the present study found that the Chinese BSMAS, SABAS, and IGDS-SF9 were all adequate instruments to validly assess internet-related addictions among university students. The three brief instruments used for assessing addictions to social media, smartphone applications, and online gaming are valid and psychometrically robust across two Chinese subcultures and can be used by healthcare professionals in these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have shown that the Gaming Disorder Test (GDT) and Gaming Disorder Scale for Adolescents (GADIS-A) have promising validity and reliability when assessing symptoms of gaming disorder among young adults. However, validity and reliability properties of the two scales have not been established among a Vietnamese population. Objective: The present study translated the GDT and GADIS-A into Vietnamese and examined their factor structures, measurement invariance, convergent validity, concurrent validity, and divergent validity among university students. Methods: A total of 610 young adults (mean age = 21.09 years; 63.4% females) were recruited using convenience sampling and who completed a paper-and-pencil survey between April and June 2023. All participants completed a demographic questionnaire, GDT, GADIS-A, and six standardized scales related to gaming disorder, social media addiction, smartphone addiction, and psychological distress. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), internal consistency testing, and Pearson's correlations were performed. Results: CFA showed that the GDT had a one-factor structure and the GADIS-A had a two-factor structure. The internal consistency was excellent for both scales among this population. Moreover, both GDT and GADIS-A showed convergent, concurrent, and divergent validity with other standardized scales. Conclusion: The Vietnamese versions of the GDT and GADIS-A have good psychometrics, which may be utilized in future research regarding gaming disorder among Vietnamese populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common neurological disorder characterised by an urge to move arms and legs, usually associated with discomfort, pain, motor restlessness, and sleep disturbance. An individually adapted treatment is needed but difficult to optimise, which makes shared decision‐making (SDM) important. However, brief validated instruments on how patients with RLS perceive their involvement in treatment decisions are lacking. Therefore, the aim was to validate two instruments, SURE (Sure of myself, Understand information, Risk–benefit ratio, Encouragement, i.e., to assess decisional conflict) and CollaboRATE (brief patient survey focused on SDM, i.e., to assess SDM), in patients with RLS. A cross‐sectional design, including 788 participants with RLS (65% females, mean [SD] age 70.8 [11.4] years) from a national patient organisation for RLS, was used. A postal survey was sent out to collect data regarding weight, height, comorbidities, demographics, and RLS‐related treatment data. The following instruments were included: the SURE, CollaboRATE, Restless Legs Syndrome‐6 Scale, and eHealth Literacy Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch models were used to assess the validity and reliability of the SURE and CollaboRATE. Measurement invariance, unidimensionality, and differential item functioning (DIF) across age, gender, and medication groups were assessed. The SURE and CollaboRATE were both identified as unidimensional instruments with satisfactory internal consistency. No DIF across age and gender was identified, while significant DIF was observed for both the SURE and CollaboRATE regarding medication use categories. However, both the SURE and CollaboRATE are potential instruments to be used in research, but also as reflection tools by healthcare professionals, patients, and students to explore and assess SDM, and support its development in clinical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]