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Trichomonas vaginalis is a protozoan parasite and probably one of the main causes of adverse birth outcomes. Still, there is a paucity of information regarding the burden of T. vaginalis infection in Iranian women. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on trichomoniasis among females in Iran from January 2000 to January 2023. We searched multiple electronic databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scientific Information Database, Iran Medex, Magiran and Iran Doc) and identified 108 articles with a total of 200 728 women. Using a random effects model, we found a pooled prevalence of 4.30% (95% CI 3.23 to 5.52%). Subgroup analysis, also, demonstrated a statistically significant association between the T. vaginalis prevalence in Iranian women, and the age range, city, sample type, being in prison, sex working and symptomatic infections. Our findings provide important information for healthcare authorities and can inform prevention strategies against trichomoniasis in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Injuries caused by sharp objects are a major health risk for nurses. These injuries can be extremely dangerous and lead to various diseases. The purpose of this study was to establish the pooled prevalence of Needle Stick Injuries (NSIs) among nurses in Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eligible articles were searched from five electronic databases (Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus) and one search engine. A random effects model was conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence. The heterogeneity of the sample was tested using the I2 index, and the meta-regression function was used to evaluate variables suspected of heterogeneity at the 0.05 significance level. Finally, 21 articles were analyzed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (ver. 2.2.064). Results: Based on the random-effects model, the frequency of NSIs among Iranian nurses is 18.70% (95% CI: 15.10%--22.90%). The highest frequency is recorded in a teaching hospital in Tehran in 2007 (19.80%; 95% CI: 16.40%--23.70%), and the lowest frequency was recorded in a teaching hospital in Tehran in 2008 (17.90%; 95% CI: 14.60%--21.80%). Sample size, mean age, and work experience were significantly associated with and mean and frequency of NSIs in nurses (p < 0.05). Conclusions: NSIs occur in about one-fifth of nurses in Iranian hospitals. In addition to its cost burden, the increase in NSIs has negative consequences for nurses. Therefore, health policymakers and managers must take serious action to reduce these injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nurse-led programs have a determinant role in the engagement of individuals in the self-management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), as they contribute to improving quality of life. Self-management assisted by social support is vital, especially as it describes the importance of nurses in promoting health for people with T2DM, as this intervention can help reduce the consequences and progression of the disease. Objective: To map programs focused on nurse-led social support for people with T2DM. Materials and Methods: This is a scoping review in line with the methodological guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute. The search descriptors used were "autocuidado" (self-care), "intervenção liderada por enfermeiro" (nurse-led intervention), and "diabetes mellitus tipo 2" (type 2 diabetes mellitus), with searches in the Web of Science, Medline, CINAHL, Capes Theses and Dissertations Catalog, Scopus, JBI Evidence Synthesis, PsycINFO, and the Portuguese Open Access Scientific Repositories databases conducted between February and March 2022. The eligibility criteria were studies published within the last 10 years, in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, covering the individual's experience in programs focused on self-management through nurse-led social support. Results: A total of 12 studies were included, all of which were published in the United States, England, and Iran, focusing on social support for self-management in people with T2DM, and centered on care facilities for people with chronic diseases. It was found that most nurse-led programs have been implemented in developed countries and that their main characteristic is their emphasis on social cognitive theory. The population was characterized by being mostly women, aged over 22, with a low level of education. Conclusions: The study met the proposed objective by demonstrating that, despite the low implementation cost with high social and economic returns, the development of these programs is still scarce. The need for further studies focusing on emotional levels, such as depression and anxiety, is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the great Persian Empire, pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) had a wide reputation for use both as an herbal medicine and nutritious food. It was also a symbol of peace and love according to Achaemenid limestones in the great Persia. This paper aims to review the traditional uses of pomegranate in Persian and Islamic traditional medicine and have thorough and current information regarding the pharmacology and phytochemistry of this valuable plant for practical use and further research. Relevant information about P. granatum was collected from scientific publishers and databases including Elsevier, Wiley, PubMed, and Google Scholar between 1950 and 2022. The traditional knowledge was extracted from Persian and Islamic traditional textbooks. Based on traditional textbooks, pomegranate has beneficial effects on diseases related to gastrointestinal, upper and lower respiratory, visual, and reproductive systems. In addition, pomegranate and its preparations have been prescribed for treating metabolic disorders, skin problems, and wounds as well as dental protection. Preclinical and clinical evidence supports many therapeutic potentials of pomegranate in traditional medicine. Its therapeutic effects are mostly attributed to its polyphenols. The knowledge in Persian and Islamic traditional textbooks about pomegranate and its preparations can be used as a guide for further preclinical and mainly clinical studies to discover the therapeutic potential of this valuable plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION The prevalence of hookah smoking in Iran, especially among adolescents, is increasing. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of interventions to prevent and reduce hookah smoking using a systematic review. METHODS In this study, all articles published up to April 2021 in both Persian and English in the field of interventions to prevent and reduce hookah smoking were reviewed. These studies were conducted based on the databases of the country's publications (Magiran). According to the Cochrane search strategy, Iranian Medical Articles Database (Iran Medex) and Scientific Database (SID), Database in Scopus, PubMed, ISI Embase, and Science Direct databases, were searched. Two researchers independently selected studies based on inclusion criteria. The quality of the studies was assessed using EPHPP. RESULTS Out of 4170 studies, 21 of those consistent with the research criteria were selected and carefully examined in the present study. The results showed that out of 20 studies that were reviewed, 19 studies showed that after completing the educational interventions, the prevalence of hookah smoking in the intervention group decreased compared to the control group. Also, the present study's findings showed that educational interventions with content about the side effects of hookah smoking comparing the pathogenicity of hookah and smoking and showing its addictive intensity could improve structures such as a positive attitude to hookah smoking. CONCLUSIONS Considering the effect of various interventions and the use of patterns and theories of health education can be very helpful in changing and modifying some factors affecting the tendency to hookah smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Quality healthcare services are considered one of the most effective vehicles for healthcare managers to achieve organizational goals. Therefore, this study aimed to combine the findings of comparable studies to identify consistencies and contradictions in the quality of outpatient services in Iran. Methods: The current systematic review and meta-analysis study was conducted in 2022 according to PRISMA guideline. All relevant English and Persian studies were searched in databases, including Web of Sciences, PubMed, Scopus, Scientific Information Database, and Magiran. No year restriction was applied. The quality of the studies was assessed by the 22-item Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist. The meta-analysis was conducted by using Open Meta Analyst, and between-study heterogeneity was investigated with I-squared statistic. Results: Of the 106 retrieved articles, seven studies with a total sample size of 2600 were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled estimate of mean for overall perception was 3.95 (95% CI: 3.34- 4.55, P< 0.001, I2= 99.97), while the pooled estimate of the mean for the overall expectation was 4.43 (95% CI: 4.11- 4.75, P< 0.001, I2= 99.93). The highest and lowest perception mean scores were related to tangibility (3.52, Gap= -0.86) and responsiveness (3.30, Gap= -1.04) dimensions. Conclusion: Responsiveness was identified as the weakest dimension. Therefore, managers are recommended to design suitable workforce-development programs which focus on the provision of timely and prompt services, polite and courteous interactions with patients, and prioritization of patients' needs. Moreover, training public sector practitioners along with incentives can fill up the existing gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Ziziphora of the family Lamiaceae is well known for the medicinal properties of its species. Ziziphora persica is an edible medicinal plant, which is widely distributed in countries of Iran, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Azaerbaidzhan and is famed as a wild vegetable with notable aroma and flavor. In Iranian folk medicine, Ziziphora species has been also used as infusions for various purposes such as sedative, stomachic and carminative among others. The genus Ziziphora belongs to the Lamiaceae family consists of four species (Z. clinopodioides, Z. capitata, Z. persica and Z. tenuior) that widespread all over Iran. Ziziphora with common Persian name 'kakuti-e kuhi' comprised nine subspecies native to Iran. The composition and antibacterial and antioxidant activity of the essential oil and various extracts of Ziziphora persica were reported. This review presents and overview on the Eco-phytochemistry and Ethnobotany knowledge of Ziziphora persica and provides a deeper insight into phytochemistry of this specie. Relevant data were obtained through systematic electronic searches from various scientific databases including the institute of scientific information (ISI)-web of science, mendely desktop, google scholar, scopus, ISC, Pubmed, other relevant texts and local books. This review is concerned with characterization of chemical profiles of essential oils, extracts and volatiles, along with relevant biological and phytochemical properties of Ziziphora persica over the 32-year period, 1988–2020. A variety of Eco-phytochemistry and Ethnobotany properties of the Ziziphora persica has been documented, and phytochemicals of the essential oils of this specie has been identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medication Error (ME) is a major patient safety concern in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Critical care nurses play a crucial role in the safe administration of medication. This study was conducted to comprehensively review the literature concerning the prevalence of ME and associated factors and outcomes in Iranian ICU nurses. Materials and Methods: An extensive search of the literature was carried in international databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, as well as Persian databases such as Magiran and Scientific Information Database (SID) using ME-related keywords and the Persian equivalent of these keywords, from the first article written in this field to artcles published on March 30, 2021. The appraisal tool (AXIS tool) was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Results: Fifteen studies were included in this systematic review. The prevalence of MEs made by ICU nurses was 53.34%. The most common types of MEs were wrong infusion rate (14.12%), unauthorized medication (11.76%), and wrong time (8.49%) errors, respectively. MEs occurred more frequently in morning work shifts (44.44%). MEs happened more frequently for heparin, vancomycin, ranitidine, and amikacin. The most important influential factor in the occurrence of MEs in ICUs was management and human factors. Conclusions: The prevalence of MEs made by Iranian ICU nurses is high. Therefore, nurse managers and policymakers should develop appropriate strategies, including training programs, to reduce the occurrence of MEs made by nurses in ICUs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to measure the quality of nuclear science and technology research using the scientometric indicators, like activity index, attractivity index and publication efficiency index. Design/methodology/approach: The present scientometric study is based on the bibliographic data extracted from the core collection of the Web of Science database from 1989 to 2019. The data was collected using the advanced search feature, with a search string of 28 related terms. The bibliographic data for all the journal articles, excluding all other formats, was downloaded for statistical analysis. Findings: The present study highlights the growth pattern and the research efforts devoted to the field of nuclear science and technology worldwide, as reflected through the Core Collection of the Web of Science database, for 31 years from 1989 to 2019. The USA has emerged as the topmost producer, with a total share of almost 29% with respect to the world literature followed by Japan, Germany, France and UK. However, the relative citation impact has been the highest for Netherlands followed by the USA, Germany, France and UK, respectively. The study depicted that the activity index, also called as the relative performance indicator, has been the highest for the USA, whereas the attractivity index has been the highest for China, indicating its dominance in attracting citations to its publications in the field of nuclear science and technology. The publication efficiency index, the value has been the maximum for Iran, for which the value has been greater than 1 (1.618). The measure suggests that Iran's research effectiveness in the field of nuclear science and technology has been more than the research effort devoted to the field. Research limitations/implications: The paper was based on the data retrieved from a single database, and the results may vary across other databases. Hence, caution should be taken while generalizing the findings. Originality/value: Several scientometric studies have taken place in the field of nuclear science and technology, particularly in its allied branches, but none of the studies has focused on evaluating the research efforts carried out by the countries in terms of activity index, attractivity index and publication efficiency index, and the present study is an attempt to fill the gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Comprehensive assessment of health care quality is the first step in improving care and achieving health service goals. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of health care quality in Iran based on the Comprehensive Quality Measurement in Health Care model. Methods: In this study, the databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Iranian Scientific Information Database (SID), MagIran, and Google Scholar were searched using English and Iran keywords without time limit. STATA 16 software and a random effect model were used for conducting meta-analysis. Results: Of the 750 articles found, 20 were finally included; 13 of which were related to service quality, five to customer quality, and four to technical quality. Overall mean score of service quality was 7.79 [95% CI 7.43-8.15, df = 12, I2 = 98.48, P value < 0.000] out of 10, and overall mean score of customer quality was 73.20 ± 4.56 [95% CI 65.18-81.22, df = 5, I2 = 99.34, P value < 0.001] out of 100. Among the 12 dimensions of service quality, the confidentiality dimension (9.55 ± 0.12) had the highest mean score and the group support dimension (5.92 ± 0.901) had the lowest score. In general, from the viewpoint of service receivers, the technical quality is relatively favorable. Conclusions: According to the results of this study, the quality of health care in Iran is significantly far from ideal. Therefore, planning to improve providing health care is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the scientometrics indices of Iranian medical sciences journals indexed in Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed databases until 2020. The present study is a descriptive and practical survey which was done using scientometric methods. The source of data collection includes Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed databases. Excel statistical software was used to analyze the data, and net draw software was used to plot the graphs. A survey on Iranian medical journals' status revealed that the number of journals in all three databases has been growing. "General and Internal Medicine", "Health", and "Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy" are the subjects with the highest number of indexed journals in these databases. Furthermore, a qualitative review of indexed journals showed that more than 70% of Iranian journals have an impact factor of less than two. "International Journal of Health Policy and Management" of Kerman medical sciences university and "Bioimpacts" of Tabriz medical sciences university are the only medical journals with impact factors greater than 3 (5.007 and 3.831). Conclusions: Generally, despite the significant growth of indexed medical journals in recent years, most Iranian journals are not ranked among high-quality journals according to global indexing criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physicians' dual practice (simultaneous practice in both public and private sectors) may be challenging for achieving universal health coverage. The purpose of this review is to identify the types of available evidence in physicians' dual practice in Iran and define the research agenda for achieving universal health coverage (UHC). Methods: We conducted a scoping review of the literature using Arksey and O'Malley's approach. We searched Embase, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science core collection, as well as internal databases including the National Magazine Database (Magiran) and the Scientific Information Database (SID) until August 3, 2020. Studies published in Persian or English and investigating physicians' dual practice in the health system of Iran were included. Each step of the study was performed by two of the present researchers. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) recommendations were used to conduct this study and report the findings. Results: Fourteen studies were included in the current review. The findings were categorized and synthesized into five themes including the forms of dual practice, the extent of dual practice, the motivators and factors affecting dual practice, the policy options, and the consequences of dual practice. There were limited evidence on the nature, types, and prevalence of this phenomenon for different provinces and medical specialties and on health policy options in Iran. There seems to be a methodological gap (a gap in the type of study and its method) in the subject area. Most studies have only used quantitative or qualitative study methods and based on the self-report of research samples in most of the included studies. Conclusions: More research is required at national level on the nature, types, and prevalence of this phenomenon, focusing on clarifying the root causes of this phenomenon and on the effects of dual practice on the indicators of accessibility to health services, especially for vulnerable populations, the quality of care provided, and equity, and on complex policy research on health policy options in Iran. The research questions proposed in the present study can help to bridge the knowledge gap in this area. Additional studies should address issues related to the quality of data collection in physicians' dual practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malnutrition is a major public health issue worldwide. It has significant consequences, including weakened immune systems, which may lead to increased incidences of infectious disease and higher mortality, particularly in children. A systematic review and meta‑analysis were conducted to estimate the overall prevalence of malnutrition (wasting, underweight, and stunting) among children of 6–14 years of age in Iran. Methods: Data were collected in 2018 based on searches of the PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, Science Information Database (SID), Magiran, Irandoc, and Iranmedex databases using the following keywords: childhood, childhood malnutrition, children, nutrition, malnutrition, wasting, underweight, stunting, child, student, boy, girl, cause, prevalence, and Iran, in order to identify studies eligible for inclusion in the review. Comprehensive Meta‑Analysis, version 2 (CMA: 2) was used to estimate the overall prevalence of malnutrition. Results: Nine out of 328 articles were included in our analyses. The overall of wasting among children of 6–14 years of age in Iran based on the random‑effects model (according to nine studies and 18,296 participants) was 12.5% (95% Confidence Interval, 7.1‑21.2). The overall prevalence of underweight based on the random‑effects model (according to 10 studies and 19,185 participants) was 19% (95% CI, 8.1‑38.6). Also, the overall prevalence of stunting based on the random‑effects model (according to 10 studies and 19,185 participants) was 20% (95% CI, 9.4‑37.8). Conclusions: The results of this study show that the prevalence of malnutrition among 6–14‑year‑old children in Iran is similar to the global average. We need solutions that can be used for both prevention and reduction of malnutrition, especially in areas with middle or low socioeconomic status. It is necessary to identify factors associated with malnutrition in various geographic regions in order to implement appropriate programs based on factors with the highest impact in each region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxoplasma gondii infection (toxoplasmosis) has the potential to cause a serious disease in immunocompromised patients and can be fatal in this population. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess comprehensively the pooled seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis among immunocompromised patients including HIV/AIDS patients, cancer patients, and transplant recipients in Iran. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar databases (international) and Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran, IranMedex, and IranDoc databases (national) were systematically searched for all reports that possibly contained data for T. gondii prevalence in different immunocompromised populations in Iran between 2013 and 2022. Results: Overall, IgG seroprevalence rate of toxoplasmosis in Iranian immunocompromised patients was 45.1% (95% confidence interval (CI), 37.4-52.9). IgG seroprevalence rate of toxoplasmosis in 12 studies that included 2279 cancer patients, 19 studies that included 2565 HIV/AIDS patients and in 3 studies that included 200 transplant recipients was 43.6% (95% CI, 30.2-57.0), 45.9% (95% CI, 34.8-57.1) and 45.8% (95% CI, 32.5-59.0), respectively. Moreover, IgM seroprevalence rate in the 26 studies was 2.6% (95% CI, 1.4-3.7). Conclusion: Our findings represent a high seroprevalence rate of Toxoplasma IgG among immunocompromised patients. Health improvement and education toward prevention of toxoplasmosis is of great importance for these susceptible populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population growth and increasing access to medical services have led to an increase in the generation of medical wastes, out of which most components are reported to be infectious. Medical wastes include wastes generated in hospitals, dental clinics, clinics, clinical laboratories, and other health-related care centres. The aim of this study was to identify the status of medical waste management in Iran as a developing country and its comparison with neighbouring countries. For this purpose, a systematic method for selection of related articles was performed by defining the search protocol and identifying most relevant keywords in five databases that included one Persian database. We found and screened articles from Scopus, Web of Knowledge, PubMed, ProQuest and Scientific Information Database (SID) (Persian). In addition, Scopus dataset was employed to search studies focused on the status of the medical waste management in neighbouring countries with Iran. Finally, 49 articles covering medical waste management information in Iran and 8 articles in neighbouring countries were selected to investigate the quantity and status of medical waste management in Iran and its comparison with neighbouring countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection is associated with higher mortality and morbidity in people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH). Methods We aimed to characterize the epidemiology and factors associated with HCV coinfection among PWH in Iran. In this systematic review, we searched 3 English databases (MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Embase) and 2 Farsi databases (Scientific Information Database and Magiran) for studies that measured the prevalence of HCV coinfection among PWH, published between 2000 and January 1, 2021. We included studies with a minimum sample size of 5 PWH. Reviews, editorials, conference abstracts, theses, studies with no relevant data, and unclear serological assays were excluded. Results We summarized the HCV coinfection prevalence by random-effect meta-analysis and assessed the sources of heterogeneity by a meta-regression model. Of the 858 records identified, 69 eligible studies with 12 996 PWH were included. Overall, HCV coinfection prevalence was 64% (95% confidence interval [CI], 58–69). The prevalence was higher among older (mean age ≥35 years) PWH (69%; 95% CI, 64–74) and PWH who inject drugs (77%; 95% CI, 71–82). Furthermore, we found that coinfection was higher among studies conducted between 2000 and 2014 (67%; 95% CI, 59–75) versus 2015–2020 (57%; 95% CI, 50–64). Conclusions The prevalence of HCV coinfection is high in Iranian PWH, with significant geographical variations. Hepatitis C virus screening and treatment among PWH are warranted to avoid the future burden of HCV-related liver damage, cancer, and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most prevalent cancer and the fourth in terms of cancer-related death worldwide. The GC is the most commonly diagnosed and the most important cause of cancer-related death in Iranians. Due to the significant burden of stomach cancer in Iran, we aimed to review all articles that have been conducted on the Incidence, Prognostic Factors, and survival of Gastric Cancer in Iran and compare them with the global situation. We surveyed Google Scholar, Pub Med, Scopus, Web of Science (ISI), and Science Direct databases using the keywords of Gastric Cancer, Stomach Cancer, Gastric Neoplasm, Stomach Neoplasm, and Iran and obtained English language articles. After a two-step screening of articles, 51 out of 202 remained eligible for our study (related to Incidence, Prognostic Factors, and survival of stomach Cancer in Iran). We found that although Iran is one of the high-burden countries for GC, the incidence rate and mortality rate are very different in different provinces (up to a six-fold and thirty-fold difference in mortality rate and incidence rate have been reported respectively in reviewed articles between Northern and Southern Iran). Considering that the initial stage is one of the most important and probably the most important prognostic factors, through upper endoscopy screening, the disease can be diagnosed in earlier stages and the survival of patients can be improved. We recommend the Ministry of Health identify high-risk people according to their combination of risk factors (especially geographical region) and make a national cost-effective screening algorithm for Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Scabies is referred to the infestation of skin by an ectoparasite, Sarcoptes scabiei. Having considerable financial consequences, this disease is a public health concern in several countries. In this review, we aimed to determine the current status of scabies in different provinces of Iran. Methods: Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Scientific Information Database (SID), Sci-explore, Civilica, Magiran, Iranian Research Institute for Information Science and Technology and Elmnet databases were searched to find the related data in the time period within 2000–2022. To have a better insight into the status of prevalence of scabies in Iran, a meta-analysis and meta-regression was performed. Results: A total of 943 relevant studies were retrieved from the databases, and 62 eligible studies met all the needed criteria for inclusion in this systematic review. Scabies was investigated and reported in at least 22 and 21 provinces of Iran respectively. Most of the studies were conducted in Tehran, Razavi Khorasan, Hormozgan, Fars and Guilan Provinces. Positive samples of scabies belonged to humans, sheep, goats, dogs, rabbits, mice and gazelles. Meta-analysis showed that the overall estimated presence of scabies in Iran during 2000–2022 was 7% (95% CI 4.7–10.3%, P< 0.001). Conclusion: Infestations due to S. scabiei in Iran occur in different geographical locations and different climates. As a neglected tropical disease, the literature about the burden of scabies in Iran is inadequate. The present review highlights the importance of development of comprehensive strategies for the diagnosis and control of scabies, especially the provinces with high infestation rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Mycotic keratitis is a fungal infection of the cornea that can cause blindness. Its incidence, risk factors, and the etiological agents vary worldwide and nationwide. Therefore, proper documentation of these data is essential for better disease management. In this review, we aimed to make a clear picture of this infection in the Middle East. Methods: Data on fungal keratitis from 1986 to 2018 in the Middle East were systematically collected from five English databases (PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) and four Persian databases (Magiran, Scientific Information Database, IranMedex, and Irandoc). A total of 35 studies were included in the review. Result: The pooled prevalence of fungal keratitis in the Middle East was estimated at 26% (95% confidence interval: 19- 32%; I 2 = 98.88%, p < 0.001) using random-effect model, with considerable variation among the countries. The prevalence of fungal keratitis was highest in Egypt (36%) and Iran (34%) and lowest in Oman (9%). Aspergillus and Fusarium spp. were the most common causative agents (28%) among filamentous fungi, and Candida (13%) was the predominant yeast species causing fungal keratitis. Based on the data, fungal keratitis was more prevalent in males (39%) than in females (23%). Conclusion: Our study is the first systematic review on mycotic keratitis among the Middle Eastern countries. These epidemiological estimates can be used by policy makers to improve treatment strategies, especially in this part of the world [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To prevent and reduce injuries when using the facilities of parks, it is necessary to provide safe public spaces which have a great impact on various aspects of life quality and social sustainability of the city . Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the safety of parks in the cities of Iran. Methods: This is a systematic review conducted through searching international databases of Scopus, PubMed, web of sciences, and local scientific databases including Civilica, SID, and Magiran and finally using Google search engine until August 2020 . The inclusion criteria included full articles in English and Farsi languages. Key words included "urban park", "playground", "safety" and "Iran". Also, other information obtained from these studies was analyzed using the collected questionnaires. Results: 21 studies met the inclusion criteria, the results of which showed safety indicators were weak to moderate in parks of the metropolitan areas . In the other cities, study indicators have been reported to be poor. Children's play equipment also did not fully comply with safety standards. Also, park lighting was not desirable and in terms of physical access, they were not designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities and children of all ages. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, to prevent the occurrence of injuries and damages caused by playing in parks, safety issues should be considered in environmental planning. It is recommended to pay attention to cases related to child safety, play equipment, health and environmental safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shigellosis is recognized as a global concern by the WHO. Shigella genus includes 4 species of Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella flexneri, Shigella boydii and Shigella sonnei. Geographic distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Shigella species are different. Methods: We searched published studies in Science Direct, PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), Scopus, Google Scholar, and ISI Web of Science, Medlib, Magiran, Iranian Scientific Information Database (SID) and 'IranMedex between 1984 and 2018. Results: Many studies in Iran and elsewhere in the world emphasize the emergence of Shigella resistant species. Most of them have shown high resistance to TMP/STX, tetracycline, ampicillin and streptomycin, and some have resistance to antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, and tetracyclines have reported. Conclusions: The frequency of Shigella species is very different in different countries. The distribution and prevalence of Shigella species in different countries may depend on the level of economic development, age, and environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify the effect of Altmetrics indicators of Mendeley resource management database on scientometric indicators in Scopus and Web of Science citation databases. The present study is an applied and descriptive research that has been done by scientometric method with Altmetrics approach. The statistical sample for the study includes Iranian researchers in the field of nursing who had an indexed document in the Scopus citation database, in the period 2000-2019 and on the date of the research (20/03/2020), and was also a member of the Mendeley resource management database. There were 158 high-profile authors introduced by Scopus. Findings illustrated that there is no significant relationship between the h-index in Scopus and the followers' index in Mendeley. However, there is a significant relationship between the other indicators studied in these two databases. There is also a significant relationship between co-authorship index, h-index, citations, readers, publications, and viewers in Mendeley scientific social network with indexes of citation number and h-index in the Web of Science citation database. But there is no significant relationship between the follower's index and these indicators. Examining the relationship between the numbers of citations received in Mendeley, Scopus, and Web of Science shows that there is a significant relationship between the numbers of citations received in these databases. Respectively, the strongest correlation, in this case, is between the citation index received in the Mendeley and Web of Science database, Mendeley and Scopus, and finally Scopus and Web of science. There is also a significant relationship between the etch index in the Mendeley, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The correlation between the Mendeley h-index and Web of Science is stronger than the correlation between the Mendeley h-index and Scopus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Today, smoking is considered a pressing global health issue. The present study aimed to estimate the total prevalence of hookah smoking among pupils and university students in Iran. Materials and Methods: This systematic review and meta‐analysis were conducted via searching in databases such as Scientific Information Database (SID), MagIran, Scopus, PubMed and Web of Sciences from inception to October 2021. We targeted observational studies evaluating the prevalence or frequency of hookah smoking among Iranian pupils and university students. Data analysis was performed using a random‐effects model, and the heterogeneity of the articles was assessed using Cochran's Q test and the I2 statistic. Results: In total, 124 studies conducted on 155 115 subjects were reviewed. The lifetime prevalence of hookah smoking among high school students and university students was estimated at 34.4% and 32.3%, respectively. In addition, the frequency of hookah smoking within the past month/week (point prevalence) was estimated at 21.5% and 16.6% in university students and pupils, respectively. The frequency of hookah smoking within the past year (period prevalence) was also reported to be 22.5% and 20.8% in these groups, respectively. No significant correlation was observed between the prevalence of hookah smoking, sample size, year of publication and the mean age of the participants. Region 5 had the highest lifetime prevalence (41.7%) and period prevalence (27.1%). However, Region 1 had the highest point prevalence of hookah smoking (27.2%). Conclusions: According to the results, hookah smoking is highly prevalent among Iranian pupils and university students. Therefore, proper educational interventions are required in the form of workshops and curricula to raise awareness regarding the hazardous effects of this unhealthy habit on the young generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Preconception care is defined as a set of interventions that aim to identify and modify biomedical, behavioral, and social risks to a woman's health or pregnancy outcome through risk assessment, health promotion, and medical and psychosocial interventions. This study aimed to review the status, policies, and programs of preconception risk assessment in Iran. Methods: We searched scientific databases including Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, Magiran, Iran Medex, SID, Iran Doc, Science Direct, and Google Scholar using key words such as "preconception care", "pre-pregnancy care", "instruction", "guideline", "risk assessment", "program", "policy", "Iran" and their combinations. No time limit was considered in searching the databases and all studies were published until February 1, 2020. Our search strategy resulted in the retrieval of 66 articles and guidelines, of which nine articles met the inclusion criteria and entered the study. Results: Multiple guidelines have been designed to assess the general health of women and men of childbearing age, with pay little attention to the reproductive health assessment in Iran. Assessment of reproductive health is specific to the integrated maternal health care program, which the reproductive health risk assessment from pre-pregnancy to postpartum period. The preconception care is a component of integrated maternal health care program that is faced in its content and faces challenges in implementation. Conclusion: Several strategies have been developed in the field of risk assessment for general health in Iran, but risk assessment in pre-pregnancy period is only exclusive to preconception care program that is moderate in performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (Tb) is a major public health issue across the world. Therefore, it is crucial to determine its pattern in different regions of the world. The aim of this study was to review the prevalence of drug resistant TB in the west and northwest of Iran. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search was performed to identify studies (2010 to 2021) in Google Scholar, PubMed, Thomson Reuters, Scientific Information Database (SID), Cochrane Library, and Medical Library (MedLib) databases. The patterns of any drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB); resistance to isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RMP), streptomycin (SMP), ethambutol (EMB), and multiple drug resistance (MDR) were reviewed in tuberculosis in the west and northwest of Iran. Results: In this review, 7 studies met the eligibility criteria for a meta-analysis. The pooled proportion of any drug resistant TB was 13% (CI 95%: 9.0, 17.0) (43.0% in re-treatment group). The pooled prevalence of any drug resistant TB was more than 1.5 times higher in men compared to women (15% vs. 9.0%). The pooled prevalence (%) of resistance to INH, RMP, SMP, EMB and MDR-TB was 11.0%, 12.0%, 13.0%, 6.0%, and 6.0%, respectively. Kermanshah Province (a province in the west of Iran) showed a high prevalence of any type of drug resistance and MDR-TB (15.9% and 20.0%, respectively). Conclusion: It seems that the western provinces of Iran have a different pattern of drug resistance compared to the northwestern provinces. Considering the extent of Iran and the neighboring countries, it is recommended that the pattern of tuberculosis drug resistance be reviewed separately in different provinces or regions of Iran. Drug resistance in the re-treatment group was more than three times that of all patients with TB drug resistance. The burden of drug resistance reduces significantly with better control and management of TB drug treatment and preventing re-infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) is an important vector-borne disease with an incidence of 15.8 cases per 100,000 people in Iran in 2019. Despite all efforts to control the disease, ZCL has expanded into new areas during the last decades. The aim of this study was to predict the best ecological niches for both vectors and reservoirs of ZCL under climate change scenarios in Iran. Several online scientific databases were searched. In this study, various scientific sources (Google Scholar, PubMed, SID, Ovid Medline, Web of Science, Irandoc, Magiran) were searched. The inclusion criteria for this study included all records with spatial information about vectors and reservoirs of ZCL which were published between 1980 and 2019. The bioclimatic data were downloaded from online databases. MaxEnt model was used to predict the ecological niches for each species under two climate change scenarios in two periods: the 2030s and 2050s. The results obtained from the model were analysed in ArcMap to find the vulnerability of different provinces for the establishment of ZCL foci. The area under the curve (AUC) for all models was >0.8, which suggests the models are able to make an accurate prediction. The distribution of all studied species in different climatic conditions showed changes. The variables affecting each of the studied species are introduced in the article. The predicted maps show that by 2050 there will be more suitable areas for the co-occurrence of vector and reservoir(s) of ZCL in Iran compared to the current climate condition and RCP2.6 scenario. An area in the northwest of Iran is predicted to have suitable environmental conditions for both vectors and reservoirs of ZCL, although the disease has not yet been reported in this area. These areas should be considered for field studies to confirm these results and to prevent the establishment of new ZCL foci in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioeconomic factor is a determinant of health may contribute to diabetes. We conducted a systematic review to summarizing evidences on associations between socioeconomic factors and diabetes in Iranian population. We systematically searched international databeses; ISI, PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and national databases Iranmedex, Irandoc, and Scientific Information Database (SID) to retrieve relevant articles to socioeconomic factors and diabetes without limitation on time. All identified articles were screened, quality assessed and data extracted by two authors independently. From 74 retrieved articles, 15 cases were relevant. We found increased diabetes prevalence among female sex, over 50 years' old age, illiterate population, retired status, unemployed, urban residents, and low economic status. There was a negative association between social capital and diabetes control. Diabetes complications were more frequent in upper age group, higher education levels and low income populations. Socioeconomic factors were associated with diabetes that leads to inequality. Improving modifiable factors through priority based interventions helps to diabetes prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Population aging leads to change of population structure and increase care needs. Lack of proper planning in this field will lead to occur increasing problems. In this paper, the review of the elderly care plans at various levels in some European and Asian countries, comparing these countries with Iran with the goal of using their experiences to enhance elderly plans have been done. Methods: This research was a review study of library documents and resources and systematic search. Data were collected using the resources, databases, scientific databases and websites of the Ministry of Health and Welfare of the studied countries. Results: Based on this research in the studied countries, the care services of the elderly is based on the important principle of coordination between different organs of the country, followed by the creation of LTC insurance and provision of health and social services for the elderly and mainly the type of home care. In Iran country, providing appropriate services and cares for the elderly with existing plans and policies is not possible and the need to provide appropriate service packages based on the different systems of successful countries and applying the experiences of these countries is essential. Conclusion: Given the current status of the Iranian elderly population in terms of policies and plans and the types and methods of providing services, quality, access and financial resources allocated to this age group, compared to the studied countries, there is a well and integrated plan is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nephrolithiasis is a common disease entity around the world, with an increasing prevalence and incidence. There is no consolidated information available on the cause of kidney stones in Iranian patients. As a result, we decided to review the etiology of kidney stones in Iran. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google scholar, and Scientific Information Database (SID) were searched with the following keywords "Nephrolithiasis", "Renal stone", "Kidney stone", "Urolithiasis", "Etiology", "Metabolic abnormalities", and "Iran". There was no time period limit for selection of the papers. The inclusion criteria included any paper on evaluation of urine biochemistry regarding stone formation in Iranian adult patients (with or without children) with nephrolithiasis. We found 217 articles, of which 9 were eventually included. In conclusion, 1896 patients with nephrolithiasis from 6 provinces and 7 cities of Iran with different climates from 2000 to 2019 were evaluated collectively. The results showed that in contrast to western countries, hypercalciuria was not the most common biochemical disorder of patients with nephrolithiasis (18.2% vs. 30 to 60%). Low urine volume (49.6%) and hypocitraturia (27%) were the most frequent urine abnormalities in our country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of previous Iranian studies on the protective effect of health insurance on catastrophic health expenditures (CHE) are inconsistent. Therefore, the aim of this meta‐analysis was to summarize all existent evidence. We searched international and Iranian scientific databases for relevant literature. Using a Mantel–Haenszel random‐effects model, the pooled odds ratios (OR) were calculated. Subgroup meta‐analyses were performed considering the type of insurance and study population. The pooled OR for the protective effect of health insurance risk on facing CHE was 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68–1.28). The protective effect of the two types of insurance was statistically insignificant. Health insurance does not effectively provide financial protection against CHE in Iran. Expanding the prepayment mechanism and integrating health insurance funds can be good strategies in protecting people from CHE. More attention should be paid to the design of health insurance benefit package to cover chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food handlers regardless of whether preparing or serving food, play key roles in the transmission of food‐borne infections. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in food handlers in Iran. In the present study, a comprehensive literature search was carried out in electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Magiran, Scientific Information Database (SID), Iran Medex and Iran Doc, to identify all the published studies from 2000 to 31st April 2019. A total of 25 articles from different regions of Iran were identified and fulfilled our eligibility criteria. Totally, 140,447 cases were examined and 1163 cases were infected with intestinal parasites. Of all cases, 19,516 were male and 5901 were female with 1163 and 652 infected cases, respectively. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was evaluated 14.0% [95% CI: 11.0‐17.0%]. It is revealed that protozoan, such as Giardia lamblia, with prevalence of 41.0% [95% CI: 25.0‐59.0%], Blastosystis hominis with 28.0% [95% CI: 15.0‐44.0%] and Entamoeba coli with 22.0% [95% CI: 16.0‐29.0%] had the highest prevalence while, Dientamoeba fragilis 5.0% [95% CI: 4.0‐7.0%], Iodamoeba bütschlii 5.0% [95% CI: 2.0‐8.0%], Chilomastix mesnili 5.0% [95% CI: 2.0‐9.0%] and Endolimax nana with 3.0% [95% CI: 1.0‐7.0%], were less prevalent. Infection with Ascaris lumbricoides7.0% [95% CI: 0.0‐29.0%] was more prevalent helminth followed with Enterobius vermicularis 3.0% [95% CI: 1.0‐5.0%], Hymenolepis nana 2.0% [95% CI: 1.0‐3.0%], Taenia spp. 2.0% [95% CI: 0.0‐7.0%] and Trichuris trichiura 1.0% [95% CI: 0.0‐1.0%]. The high prevalence of commensal parasites, such as Entamoeba coli, which does not need cure is indicating the importance of personal hygiene in food handlers. Our results revealed the high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection in food handlers in Iran. Monitoring programs to prevent and controlling of transmission to individuals are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the significance of climate change and its substantial effects on mosquitoes’ habitats, this study was aimed to model the spatial distribution of the main malaria vectors in the south east of Iran. Methods: Several scientific databases between 1980 and 2019 were reviewed to find mosquito species and their spatial information in this area. The archived folders in the center for diseases control and prevention were used to exploit essential data on malaria cases and foci. Three representative concentration pathways (RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) were chosen to stand for three possible climate scenarios. Finally the potential species distribution of Anopheles stephensi and An. culicifacies s.l. in the 2030s and 2050s horizons were estimated by the Maximum Entropy Model. Results: So far, a total of 39 mosquito species belonging to the family Culicidae have been reported from the study area. In 2019, the total malaria cases have increased by 91% compared to 2015, as well as a sharp rise than 2018 (249%). In that year, 91% of cases were imported from other countries, which caused 40% increase in the new potential foci than in 2018. The Jackknife test demonstrated the annual mean temperature and precipitation of the coldest quarter with the greatest impact on the environmental suitability of the mentioned two species. Conclusion: The effect of climate change on the appearance and recurrence of mosquito-borne diseases has been demonstrated in various studies. Collecting further data and conducting investigation on this issue will improve control management, especially for the malaria vectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to analyze the top papers from Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries covered in the Essential Science Indicators (ESI) database during 2010-2019. The findings of the study showed that 41 out of 57 OIC member states have published 7,369 highly cited papers and 249 hot papers. The leading countries based on the overall top papers produced were Saudi Arabia, followed by Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, Pakistan and Egypt. Iran was ranked first in terms of hot papers. When analysed by document type, all of the top papers were articles and published in the English language. The Lancet ranks among the top in terms of publishing OIC member countries' top papers, showing that it has a great academic influence producing highly cited papers and hot papers. The top five organizations producing top papers are all top universities in their country and they are also ranked globally. King Abdulaziz University contributed the most for both highly cited papers and hot papers. NANOFLUID was the most common keyword and core subject in highly cited papers, and the keyword MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES was the core subject identified in hot papers. Cluster 1 is the largest subject cluster of highly cited papers with the topic Nanotechnology and it is also the largest cluster of hot papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The initial purpose of healthcare systems around the world is to promote and maintain the health of the population. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a new approach by which a healthcare system can reach its goals. World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized maximum population coverage, health service coverage, and financial protection, as three dimensions of UHC. In progress for achieving UHC, recognizing the influential factors allows us to accelerate such progress. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the influential factors to achieve UHC in Iran.Methods: This is a multi-method study was conducted in four phases: First, a systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify the factors in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, ProQuest, Cochrane library, and Science Direct databases, and hand searching google scholar search engine. For recognizing the unmentioned factors, a qualitative study consisting of one session of Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and five semi-structured interviews with experts was designed. The extracted factors were merged and categorized by round table discussion. Finally, the pre-categorized factors were refined and re-categorized under the health system's control knobs framework during three expert panel sessions.Results: Finally, 33 studies were included. Eight hundred two factors were extracted through systematic review and 96 factors through FGD and interviews (totally, 898). After refining them by the experts' panel, 105 factors were categorized within the control knob framework (financing 19, payment system7, Organization 23, regulation and supervision 33, Behavior 11, and Others 12). The majority of the identified factors were related to the "regulation and supervision" dimension, whilst the "payment system" entailed the fewest. The political commitment during political turmoil, excessive attention to the treatment, referral system, paying out of pocket(OOP) and protection against high costs, economic growth, sanctions, conflict of interests, weakness of the information system, prioritization of services, health system fragmented, lack of managerial support and lack of standard benefits packages were identified as the leading factors on the way to UHC.Conclusion: Considering the distinctive role of the context in policymaking, the identification of the factors affecting UHC accompanying by the countries' experiences about UHC, can boost our speed toward it. Moreover, adopting a long-term plan toward UHC based on these factors and the robust implementation of it pave the way for Iran to achieve better outcomes comparing to their efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature to investigate the prevalence of complete edentulism in Iran. Method: An electronic search was performed using three scientific databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, and Irandoc. Moreover, a hand search was performed on theses in the Dental Faculty of Shahed University. Studies published since 2000 were included if they reported on the prevalence of edentulism in Iran in populations at least 35 years old. Eight articles and seven theses were included in the study. Result: The reported prevalence of edentulism in Iran ranges from 3% to 78%. Conclusions: In this study the reported prevalence has remained stable during the studied period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate decision-making in triage requires continuous education, so triage nurses should receive annual refresher courses. Identifying the most effective method can make the provision of practical education to triage staff in hospitals possible. This review was conducted with the aim to determine the effectiveness of triage education methods in Iran. Materials and Methods: In this systematic review on educational intervention studies, international and Iranian medical sciences databases were searched using a defined search strategy compatible with each database. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, SID, Islamic Science Center (ISC), and IranDoc databases were searched for literature published from January 2010 to January 2020. The MeSH terms of "health care staff," "triage," "education," and "Iran" in English and Persian were combined to develop a search strategy. Initially, 768 article titles were retrieved. Finally, 16 articles were selected for the review. Results: All conducted studies were quasi-experimental. Half of the studies had used a face-to-face approach for education (workshop, lecture, and simulation), and four studies had used lectures and pamphlets. All studies (except 1) reported that their educational intervention significantly improved nursing knowledge on triage. Conclusions: Almost all studies had reported the effectiveness of an educational intervention in improving nurses' triage knowledge. However, it seems that the non-face-to-face method is superior to the face-to-face method because of its learner-centeredness and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, providing educational content using a blended learning approach (simulation and games) can enhance the effectiveness of triage education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equines are subject to infection with many parasites, which threaten their health. In the present study, we systematically reviewed existing literature on the prevalence of endo‐ and ectoparasites of equines in Iran. Major electronic databases, including PubMed, PubMed Central, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Scientific Information Database (SID), were searched (Last updated 11/05/2018) for relevant literature of parasites that have been identified from equines in Iran. Of the 1809 titles produced by bibliographic search, 38 were included in the review. Twenty‐seven of the studies were on horses, six on donkeys, three on both horses and donkeys, and one study was on both horses and mules. Furthermore, 24 of the studies reported infections caused by protozoa, thirteen by helminths, two by ectoparasites, and one by both protozoa and helminths. The overall pooled prevalence of parasitic infection was 28.8% (95%CI: 22.9–35.7, I2 = 93.4%). Helminths were the most prevalent parasites 46.7% (95% CI: 24.1–70.7, I2 = 96.0%). Furthermore, donkeys were the most affected equine, with a prevalence of 70.7% (95% CI: 53.2–83.7, I2 = 92.5%). The protozoa frequently reported included nine species belonging to the genera: Neospora, Toxoplasma, Theileria, Babesia and Eimeria. Also, the helminths frequently reported included 21 species belonging to the genera: Strongylus, Dicrocoelium, Oxyuris, Habronema, Echinococcus, Dictyocaulus, Cyathostomum, Probstmayria, Anoplocephala, Setaria and Fasciola. Ticks were the only ectoparasites frequently reported. Parasitic fly species of the genera Gasterophilus were also reported. The study‐level risk of bias was likely to be high because of differences in study design. Parasitic infections of equines in Iran are frequent and caused by a diversity of parasites, which threatens the health and well‐being of these animals. Further research is needed in the area to identify the risk factors of infection for effective control of the parasites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Occupational burnout, as a reaction to persistent work pressures, reduces efficiency, wastes manpower, and causes physical and psychological complications. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and intensity of occupational burnout among pre-hospital emergency staff in Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was performed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Data resources included Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran, Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC), Irandoc, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Results: Initially, 178 articles were extracted, and then 13 articles were finally analyzed. Overall, 2034 pre-hospital emergency personnel were examined. Mean of occupational burnout in term of frequency, respectively for emotional exhaustion (16.78, 95% CI = 8.89-24.67, I2 = 62.30%, p = 0.004), depersonalization (11.57, 95% CI = 6.97-16.18, I2 = 68.50%, p = 0.001) and the lack of personal accomplishment (16.11, 95% CI = 8.60 -23.62, I2 = 74.70%, p = 0 <001) were determined. Also, in term of intensity, respectively for emotional exhaustion (17.90, 95% CI = 8.24-27.57, I2 = 64.80, p = 0.004), depersonalization (11.20, 95% CI = 6.80-16.22, I2 = 49.60%, p = 0.044) and the lack of personal accomplishment (23.45, 95% CI = 13.41 -33.49, I2 = 84.80%, p = 0 <001) were determined. Conclusions: According to findings, depersonalization and lack of personal accomplishment had moderate and high-level, respectively. Therefore, it is necessary health policymakers pay special attention to identifying and resolving the causes of occupational burnout in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early detection, isolation and management of COVID-19 are crucial to contain the current pandemic. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently included 'sudden loss of taste (dysgeusia/ageusia) and smell (anosmia/hyposmia)' as symptoms of COVID-19. If indeed these symptoms are reliable and specific forerunner symptoms of COVID-19, then it may facilitate detection and containment of the disease. Hence, we systematically evaluated the contemporary evidence on dysgeusia and anosmia as trigger prodromal symptoms, and their prevalence in COVID-19 patients.Methods: Ovid MEDLINE, EBSCO host and Web of Science databases were searched between 25 December 2019 and 30 May 2020.Results: Of the 13 identified records, eight studies, totalling 11,054 COVID-19 patients, were included, as per the selection criteria. Eligible articles reflected research conducted mostly in the European community, as well as China, the US and Iran. In total, anosmia and dysgeusia symptoms were present in 74.9% and 81.3% ambulatory as well as hospitalized, mild-to-severe cases of COVID-19 patients, respectively. The European, US and Iran data indicate olfactory and gustatory symptoms appear prior to general COVID-19 symptoms in 64.5% and 54.0% of the patients, respectively.Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review analysing the meager data based on the prevalence of chemosensory dysfunction in COVID-19. Critical analysis of such macro-data, as and when available, is essential to evaluate their utility as harbingers of COVID-19 onset, and to establish clinical practice guidelines both in dentistry and medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Intestinal parasitic infections are a major public health problem worldwide, especially in developing countries. It is estimated that around 3.5 billion people are infected with intestinal parasites. Human intestinal parasites (HIP) are clinically important due to broad epidemiological distribution, reinfection and drug resistance. In the last decades, bioactive compounds from herbs were used against a wide variety of microorganisms including parasites. We aimed to perform a systematic review on studies on the effects of medicinal herbs on HIPs in Iran. Methods: Relevant scientific publications until April, 2015 were extracted from five English databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Ebsco, Science Direct and Scopus) and four Persian databases (Magiran, Irandoc, IranMedex and the Scientific Information Database). Results: A total of 18 papers and two dissertations met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 22 different plant extracts were used against Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Cryptosporidium and Hymenolepis nana. Based on the results, the extracts could exert time- and dose-dependent inhibitory effects against the tested HIPs. Five plants types including Allium, Chenopodium botrys, Carum copticum, F. asafoetida and Artemisia annua were able to completely inhibit the tested parasites, while Thymus vulgaris and A. paradoxum showed the lowest inhibitory effect (7%). Conclusions: Given the findings, it is recommended to conduct in vivo studies on medicinal herbs with favorable in vitro effects against HIPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issues: Alcohol production, marketing and consumption are illegal in Iran. This systematic review examines the lifetime and last 12-month prevalence of alcohol consumption among the general and young population in Iran.Approach: We searched Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Iranian scientific databases (i.e. Scientific Information Database and Magiran) for relevant publications in English and Persian from inception to 12 May 2019. Following a random-effects meta-analysis, we estimated the pooled prevalence of alcohol consumption among the general population and young people (<30 years old). Meta-regression was used to identify potential sources of heterogeneity.Key Findings: Of the 2400 identified records, 62 met the inclusion criteria. The overall pooled prevalence of lifetime alcohol consumption among the general population and young people was 13.0% [95% confidence intervals (CI) 10.0, 16.0]. The overall pooled prevalence of last 12-month alcohol consumption was 12.0% (95% CI 7.0, 18.0) for the general population and 15.0% (95% CI 9.0, 22.0) for young people. The prevalence of alcohol consumption varied from 0.03% to 68.0% in different regions, 0.3% to 66.6% among males and 0.2% to 21.0% among females.Implications: Our findings highlight the need for public health surveillance of alcohol use in Iran.Conclusion: These estimates show that, on average, one in eight people in the general population have ever consumed alcohol in Iran, indicating that alcohol consumption is not an uncommon practice in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Smokeless tobacco (ST) use is one of the most important public health problems in Southeast Asia. The use of these substances increases the incidence of some cancers and other diseases. The purpose of this review study was to investigate on ST use in Iran. Methods: A literature search was conducted on PubMed, Google Scholar, and three national databases [Scientific Information Database (SID), IranMedex, and IranDoc] based on the standard search strategy. Findings: Most consumer people lived in Sistan and Baluchestan Province (Zahedan and Chabahar Cities) and Golestan Province, Iran. ST use rates ranged from 11.0% to 45.7% among college students in Sistan and Baluchestan (Zahedan and Chabahar) and Golestan. There are various types of ST consumed in Iran that have been mentioned in various articles, including Pan, Gutka, Nass, Naswar, Biti, and Supari. Conclusion: Most studies on ST have been conducted in Sistan and Baluchestan and Golestan Provinces and we need more research for other provinces. Consumption by women is a warning and a threat to women's health in the future. Further studies will be needed to find out more precisely the prevalence of consumption in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Quality of work life (QWL) is considered as a universal concept in human resource management and organizational development, and its promotion is the key to the success of organizations' management. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the QWL in Iran through systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: In this study, all articles related to the QWL in Iran during the years 2011-2017 were systemically reviewed by searching national and international databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Springer, SID, Magiran, Barakat Knowledge Network System, Medlib, and the Google Scholar search engine using valid keywords. The results of the studies were combined using the random effects model. The heterogeneity of studies was studied using the I2 index. Data analysis was done using STATA ver 11. Results: The mean QWL score of 15,323 samples were 60.13, 36.80, 76.19, 58.90, 68.78, 50.69, 32.24, 8.01, 70.63, 39.70, and 44.41 based on Walton, Casio, Sirgy, Mirsepasi, SF-36, Ghasem zadeh, Dehghan, Dargahi, NIOSH, Venlar, Quality of nursing work life questionnaires, respectively. Meta-regression showed that the QWL of employees had no significant relationship with the sample size and years of research. Conclusions: The mean score of QWL in Iranian employees was 56.90, with the highest and the lowest score for the questionnaire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the present study, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine the prevalence of infertility in Iran.Materials and Methods: A search of studies was performed in June 2019 on Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran, Irandoc and Google scholar using keywords related to infertility. The search for articles was limited to those published over the past 20 years in Persian and English languages. In this research, only population-based studies were included.Results: The results of the analysis showed that the overall prevalence of infertility was 7.88%, 95% CI: 5.61- 10.51. The prevalence of primary and secondary infertility after sensitivity analyses was 3.09%, 95% CI: 2.27- 4.02 and 2.18%, 95% CI: 1.56-2.89, respectively. The slope of meta-regression line showed that the prevalence of primary (P = .7) and secondary infertility (P = .4) is rising with a slow slope in Iran.Conclusion: It is emphasized that the results of this study are related to the areas where investigations have been conducted and that there is high heterogeneity in findings. Given that information is not available in all parts of Iran, a population-based study or the design and implementation of further research is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a predictor of several diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, dyslipidemia, stroke, osteoarthritis, certain cancers, and death leading to public health concern in most societies. We aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence and incidence of MetS in Iranian population through a meta-analysis study. We included cross-sectional and cohort studies to estimate the overall prevalence and incidence rates of MetS in Iran National databases including MagIran, Science Information Database, IranMedex, and international databases including Medline, Web of Sciences, and Scopus were searched up to October 2017. Finally, 125 studies were included. The total sample size was 472,401 with a mean age of 38 ± 7.8 years. The overall pooled prevalence and incidence rate among the general population of Iran was 0.26 (95% CI: 0.26, 0.29) and 97.96 (95% CI: 75.98, 131.48), respectively. The pooled prevalence of MetS was higher in females and in urban areas. The highest and lowest prevalence of MetS was obtained by the Iranian definition criteria (0.43) and the NHANES III (0.12). The highest and lowest incidence rates of MetS were obtained by IDF (144.07 per 1000) and the JIS (89.73 per 1000). The prevalence of MetS was higher in women and those living in urban areas. Furthermore, the prevalence of MetS increased with increasing age in both genders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Aromatherapy as an alternative and complementary medicine is a well-known method for reducing the symptoms of various physiological processes such as labor experience. The aim of this study was to systematically review the currently available evidences evaluating the use of aromatherapy for management of labor pain and anxiety. METHODS: In a systematic review, 5 databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Scientific Information Database [SID]) were searched, from database inception up to December 2019 . Keywords used included (aromatherapy OR ""essential oil" OR "aroma*") AND (pain OR anxiety) AND (labor OR delivery). Using the Cochrane Collaboration's 'Risk of bias' method; the risk of bias in the included studies was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 33 studies were verified to meet our inclusion criteria. Most of the included studies were conducted in Iran. Aromatherapy was applied using inhalation, massage, footbath, birthing pool, acupressure, and compress. The most popularly used essential oil in the studies was lavender (13 studies), either as a single essential oil or in a combination with other essential oils. Most of included studies confirmed the positive effect of aromatherapy in reducing labor pain and anxiety. CONCLUSION: The evidences from this study suggest that aromatherapy, as a complementary and alternative modality, can help in relieving maternal anxiety and pain during labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertension is a major cause of noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of hypertension in cardiovascular patients in Iran by meta-analysis. Methods: The search was carried out using authentic Persian and English keywords in national and international databases including IranMedex, Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran, IranDoc, Medlib, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar search engine without any time limitation until 2017. Heterogeneity of studies was assessed using I2 statistic . Data were analyzed using STATA 11.1. Results: In 66 reviewed studies with a sample of 111,406 participants, the prevalence of hypertension was 44% in Iranian patients with cardiovascular disease 67%(95%CI: 38%-49%) in women and 42% in men. The prevalence of systolic hypertension in cardiac patients was 25%, diastolic 20%, diabetes 27%, and overexposure 43%. The prevalence of hypertension was 44% in patients with coronary artery disease, 50% in myocardial infarction, 33% in aortic aneurysm, and 44% in cardiac failure. Conclusions: Hypertension has a higher prevalence in women with cardiovascular disease than men, and it increases with age. Among patients with cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction patients have the highest levels of hypertension. The prevalence of systolic hypertension in cardiac patients is higher than diastolic hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adherence to rehabilitation regimens is a major issue in the treatment of stroke. Despite the agreement on the importance of adherence, there is still no clear definition of this concept in rehabilitation. The aim of this study was the concept analysis of the concept of adherence to rehabilitation regimens in stroke patients. Materials and Methods: This qualitative concept analysis was performed using Walker and Avant's method. English and Persian articles were searched using keywords such as "adherence", "compliance", "rehabilitation", "stroke", and other related keywords among articles published from 1997 to 2018 in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Iranmedex, Magiran, and Scientific Information Database (SID). Related textbooks were also searched and all articles containing definitions, attributes, antecedents, and consequences of the concept were included in the study. Results: The attributes of the concept included complex, multidimensional, and dynamic behavior in the treatment process, personal experience, and adaptive behavior in patients, changeable, situational, voluntary, and collaborative behavior, and active communication between the patient and the healthcare provider. Common antecedents of the concept of adherence to the rehabilitation regimen were classified into patient-related and environmental-related categories and the consequences were classified into the three categories of patient-related, healthcare professional-related, and healthcare system-related. Conclusions: This concept analysis can be useful in eliminating any ambiguity of the concept of adherence to rehabilitation regimens. It helps clarify the vague concepts used in nursing rehabilitation instead of adherence. The results of this study can be helpful for researchers for further studies in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve a sustainable development, each country requires a defined interaction between universities, government and industry. The economic, social and cultural development plans in Iran has emphasized on "accountability of scientific, research and educational centers for social, cultural and industrial demands". This is obvious also in the field of veterinary science. Also, the collaborations of colleges, organizations and industries in this field can contribute to enhance productivity, providing food security and achieving the goals of the resistance economy. Accordingly, using Triple Helix method, the present research investigates the status of university, government and industry interactions in scientific production of Iranians in the field of veterinary science during 2010-2018. The research population was scientific papers of veterinary science research area, indexed in Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC) or Web of Science database (WOS) by at least one Iranian author during 2010 - 2018. Also, the interactions between UGI were calculated, using ISI.EXE for coding the affiliations and Shannon's information theory formulas. The results of the study showed that a very small percentage of articles published in veterinary science are written by non-university researchers or even by co-authorship of university and other sectors of the triple helix. Among bilateral relations, the UG interactions had the highest value. The best years for UGI interactions, were the year 2016 and 2013 for ISC articles and 2010 and 2011 for WOS articles. The results also, showed considering the scientific articles published in internal journals (ISC) have a high positive impact on the T-value of UGI interactions, as ISC trilateral interactions are remarkably better than WOS articles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the last decade, the literature, inquiries, and reports about the shortcomings in health services have highlighted the vital role of leadership in clinical practice and their impact on patient care as well as effective workplace culture. Given the important role of nurses as the largest therapeutic group in health systems, the question is how nurses acqui r e clinical leadership abilities? And what is their situation in our co untry? This Research has reviewed the related literatures. Methods: In this review paper, the databases such as Science Direct, Proquest, PubMed and Scopus, Emerald and Google Scholar search engine, and also the Scientific Information and Magiran databases for Iranian Scientific Research were searched for valid English and Persian articles from 2008 to 2018 using combination of keywords such as "nurses' leadership competency" in 2019. After reviewing the papers, 24 relevant cases were elected. Results: In the first phase, 136 articles were selected and after careful examination 24 papers were approved at the final stage. It was concluded that education and leadership deve lopments are the most important factors for gaining managerial competencies for nurses. Also, the status of teaching leadership skills for nursing in Iran has a weak situation, since there are no plans for leadership skill trainings either in the educational curriculum or after graduation. Conclusion: Nursing managers and planners need to revise the current curriculum and leadership training. Also, in the postgraduation period in continuing education, t he courses of applied management and leadership should be identified and trained according to the real problems of health systems in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]