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Network scale-up is an indirect size estimation method, in which participants are questioned on sensitive behaviors of their social network members. Therefore, the visibility of the behavior affects the replies and estimates. Many attempts to estimate visibility have been made. The aims of this study were to review the main methods used to address visibility and to provide a summary of reported visibility factors (VFs) across populations. We systematically searched relevant databases and Google. In total, 15 studies and reports that calculated VFs were found. VF calculation studies have been applied in 9 countries, mostly in East Asia and Eastern Europe. The methods applied were expert opinion, comparison of NSU with another method, the game of contacts, social respect, and the coming-out rate. The VF has been calculated for heavy drug users, people who inject drugs (PWID), female sex workers (FSWs) and their clients, male who have sex with male (MSM), alcohol and methamphetamine users, and those who have experienced extra-/pre-marital sex and abortion. The VF varied from 1.4% in Japan to 52.0% in China for MSM; from 34.0% in Ukraine to 111.0% in China for FSWs; and from 12.0% among Iranian students to 57.0% in Ukraine for PWID. Our review revealed that VF estimates were heterogeneous, and were not available for most settings, in particular the Middle East and North Africa region, except Iran. More concrete methodologies to estimate the VF are required.

Background: We examined and estimated the trend of breast cancer incidence in Kerman, the largest province in Iran. Method: Having compiling the data of new cases from three sources (cancer registry, pathology, radiotherapy) in this longitudinal study, the number of untouched cases was estimated using log-linear model. We estimated the annual age-standardized rate (ASR) per 100,000 women in 2001-2015. We utilized joint point regression method to estimate the trend of breast cancer incidence during the examined years. Results: The ASR of breast cancer increased from 25 in 2001-2005 to 37 in 2011- 2015, showing that the annual average percentage increased by 5.9% (95% Confidence Interval: 3.5, 8.4, P<0.001). Moreover, during this period, the completeness of the cancer registry increased from 16% in the first five years to 70% in the last five years. Conclusion: Our findings revealed that the coverage of the cancer registry increased significantly. It seems that part of the increasing trend of the reported cancer incidence was attributed to the enhancement of the cancer registry scheme, but our findings suggested that the real incidence of breast cancer had a growing trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to measure internal and external HIV stigma and their associated factors among people living with HIV in the southeast of Iran. Methods: Using convenience sampling and a standard questionnaire, we recruited 104 HIVpositive patients (40% women) in 2018-2019 from two public clinics in Kerman, Iran. The internal stigma scale ranged from 0-22 and the external stigma scale ranged from 0-11 in which a higher score indicates higher stigma. Results: The mean internal stigma score was 10.7 (SD: 5.2), and that of the external stigma score was 3.1 (SD: 2.9). In multivariable regression analysis, women (Adjusted (Adj). ᵦ=-3.3; p=0.08), and married people (Adj. ᵦ=-5.5; p=<0.001) experienced less internal stigma. In contrast, those who were a member of support group of PLHIV (Adj. ᵦ=2.8; p=0.04), and those infected by sexual contact (Adj. ᵦ=2.1; P=0.006) experienced a higher internal stigma. Moreover, married people (Adj. ᵦ=-1.4; p=0.01), those with high school or higher education (Adj. ᵦ=-1.7; p=0.002), and those with other transmission routes (Adj. ᵦ=-1.4; P=0.01) experienced lower external stigma. Conclusions: People living with HIV feel considerable internal and external stigma. Addressing HIV stigma should be tailored based on gender, education, marriage, peer groups, and risk groups as these factors have different effects on stigma experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Network Scale Up (NSU) is applied in many settings to estimate the size of hidden populations. The visibility of alcohol consumption - as a hidden behavior - in Iran has not been yet set. Our aim is to estimate the visibility factor (VF) of alcohol consumption in Iran which is an Islamic country in the Middle East. Methods: Ninety persons who had a history of alcohol consumption were recruited. Relationships in network were aligned in three main subgroups: immediate family, extended family, and non-family. According to the game of contact methodology, participants answered questions about total and aware number of persons they know in each relationship category. VF was calculated by dividing total number of people aware about the respondent's alcohol consumption by total number of respondent's social network. The 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed through bootstrapping. Findings: The mean and standard deviation (SD) of participants' age was 32.9 ± 10.2, the sex ratio was 3. Overall VF (95% CI) was 40% (33% to 47%). VF was estimated at 44% and 23% among men and women's network, respectively. The immediate family was the highest informed group, followed by non-family and extended family members. Conclusion: The visibility of alcohol consumption in Iran was not high. This is due to religious and legal prohibitions around it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rate of viral infections in donated bloods is one of the main indicators of blood safety which has to be monitored precisely. This paper provides a thorough study of blood safety indicators in the last 15 years in Iran. Methods: The data of the transfusion organization in Iran from years 2003 to 2017 were used. The study focuses on the analysis of the frequency of viral hepatitis B and C (HBV and HCV) as well as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in blood donations. Results: Of 27,442,124 donated bloods, the relative frequencies were 4, 302, and 81 for HIV, HBV and HCV, respectively. This study also shows that the corresponding frequencies were significantly lower in recent years (2.5, 53, and 26 per 100,000 samples in 2017). Conclusion: The presented study indicates an overall low infection rate and provides evidence for the effectiveness of modern safety measures in improving the level of blood safety in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Two main issues that challenge model building are number of Events Per Variable and multicollinearity among exploratory variables. Our aim is to review statistical methods that tackle these issues with emphasize on penalized Lasso regression model. The present study aimed to explain problems of traditional regressions due to small sample size and multi-colinearity in trauma and influenza data and to introduce Lasso regression as the most modern shrinkage method. Methods: Two data sets, corresponded to Events Per Variable of 1.5 and 3.4, were used. The outcomes of these two data sets were hospitalization due to trauma and hospitalization of patients suffering influenza respectively. In total, four models were developed: classic Cox and logistic regression models, as well as their penalized lasso form. The tuning parameters were selected through 10-fold cross validation. Results: Traditional Cox model was not able to detect significance of any of variables. Lasso Cox model revealed significance of respiratory rate, focused assessment with sonography in trauma, difference between blood sugar on admission and 3 h after admission, and international normalized ratio. In the second data set, while lasso logistic selected four variables as being significant, classic logistic was able to identify only the importance of one variable. Conclusion: The AIC for lasso models was lower than that for traditional regression models. Lasso method has practical appeal when Events Per Variable is low and multicollinearity exists in the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abortion is a sensitive issue surrounded by social, cultural and religious stigmata. Therefore, estimation of its prevalence involves methodological challenges. The aim of this manuscript is to estimate the abortion prevalence, stratified by type, using a direct and two indirect methods. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was done in 2016, we recruited 1020 women aging 18-49 years. Three methods were applied to estimate the abortion prevalence: direct question, network scale-up (NSU), and single sample count (SSC). In the direct method, to guarantee anonymity, data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. In other methods, data were collected through gender-matched street-based interviews. Results: The annual rate of abortion estimated by direct and NSU methods were 2 respectively 9 (10 intentional, 4 therapeutic and 15 spontaneous) and 23 (9 intentional, 3 therapeutic, and 11 spontaneous) per 1000 women aging 18- 49 years. The annual rate of intentional abortion estimated based on SSC method was higher (15 per 1000) women than other methods. Conclusion: The present estimates are higher than previously reported ones. The results of three methods more or less supported each other confirming the internal validity of our estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol use and drug injection are prevalent among homeless youths. The aim of this study was to identify the associated factors of alcohol consumption and drug injection among homeless youths aged 18-29 years. Methods: Data on 202 homeless youths (111 males and 91 females) were collected using a standardized questionnaire and face-to-face interview. Lasso logistic regression was applied to determine the impact of associated factors on alcohol consumption and drug injection. Findings: The mean age of the participants was 26.30 ± 3.19 years. Also, the prevalence of alcohol consumption and drug injection was 33.0% [95% confidence interval (CI): 30-36] and 4.0% (95% CI: 0-8), respectively; 6 people (3.0%) consumed alcohol and injected drugs at the same time. Correlates of alcohol consumption and drug injection were male sex [odds ratio (OR)Alc = 5.7], age (ORAlc = 0.96 and ORDI = 0.98), bachelor or higher education level (ORAlc = 1.34), non-Iranian nationality (ORAlc = 0.05 and ORDI = 0.18), food score (ORDI = 0.92), smoking (ORAlc = 2.05), substance use (ORAlc = 1.12), opposite sex relationship (ORAlc = 1.6), homosexual relationship (ORAlc = 3.56 and ORDI = 2.69), and mental disorder (ORAlc = 0.99). Conclusion: Based on our findings, it seems that the homeless youth are more desired to use alcohol and drug injection, whereas the prevalence of alcohol consumption and drug injection in homeless youth was higher than general youth population in Iran. Therefore, some suitable solutions are needed to prevent the homelessness. Also, the effective variables that were identified in this study for alcohol use and drug injection can help design and implement beneficial interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: This study aimed at investigating the burden of injuries, including spinal cord injuries and limb amputation, caused by the Bam earthquake. Materials and Methods: The data related to morbidity of spinal cord injuries were collected from records provided by State Welfare Organization of Iran. Then, morbidity and mortality data for amputation and also mortality of spinal cord injuries were obtained from a previous study using the network scale-up method. Then, we followed the World Health Organization guidelines to assess the burden of this disease, and then years of life lost (YLL) and years of life lost due to disability (YLD) were calculated. Results: The disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) caused by the spinal cord injury were 15,435 years. YLL due to premature mortality was 13,134 and YLD was 2301 years and the number of DALY caused by limb amputation was equal to 2184, all of which were due to YLD. Conclusions: According to the results of the present study, spinal cord injuries and amputations resulting from the earthquake impose many burdens on society. This provides outcomes and evidence for policymaking and planning in the field of health care for policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed at investigating the effect of Iranian traditional remedy prepared from Apium graveolens and Trachyspermum copticom (AT) on the severity and frequency of symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD). Material and Methods: In total, 150 FD patients were included in this randomized double-blind trial, based on the ROME III diagnostic criteria, and they were divided into three intervention groups namely, AT, Placebo and omeprazole. Then, severity and frequency of symptoms during this eight-week trial were measured. Obtained information was analyzed using Chi-square test and repeated measures test. Result: In general, the severity and frequency of symptoms after the 4th week significantly decreased in the AT group as compared to the omeprazole and placebo groups, and continued to reduce by the end of the eighth week. General reduction of symptom severity and frequency in the omeprazole group was significantly different from the placebo group by the end of the 4th and 8th weeks. With respect to each individual symptom, AT markedly improved symptoms, such as burning, pain, early satiation, fullness, bloating, belching and nausea, as compared to placebo-treated group. Moreover, AT significantly improved symptoms, like vomiting, and nausea, except for pain, as compared to omeprazoletreated subjects. Conclusion: According to the results, AT, as Iranian traditional remedy, was more effective than omeprazole and placebo in reducing the symptoms in FD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional disability refers to conditions in which a person is not able to fulfill the daily chores and activities on his/her own or requires assistive devices to perform them. The objective of this study was to investigate the functional disability of the elderly in Kerman, Southeastern Iran and its relationship with handgrip strength. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 110 elderly participants (58 man and 52 woman) living in nursing homes in Kerman in 2014. Data were collected using functional disability standard questionnaire and Jamar Dynamometer so as to measure grip strengths of the elderly. Moreover, data were analyzed by statistical tests at a significance level of 0.05 using SPSS software. The measured grip strength of women was significantly lower than that of men (P< 0.05). The grip power of the women in the age group of 60-70 yrs was approximately equal with the grip power of men in the age group of 90-100. With age increase, grip strength would decline in both genders. Furthermore, there was a strong and direct correlation between functional ability and handgrip strength. In addition, there was a significant relationship between the increase in functional disability of the elderly and decline in their grip strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic kidney disease is asymptomatic until its last stages and though it is increasing globally, we are faced with paucity of a population-based model to assess this disease, particularly in developing countries. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and trends of CKD according to a new estimation method. Methods: Using multiplier method, we estimated the numbers of different stages of CKD based on the number of patients with end stage renal failure from 2006 to 2016. The required multipliers were extracted from a simulation of the disease in Kerman following a dynamic model. The 95% uncertainty interval was computed using Monte-Carlo technique with 10,000 iterations. Results: The prevalence of CKDA (GFR<=90mL/min/1.73m2) and CKDB (GFR less than 60mL/min/1.73m2) patients were estimated to be 7.6% (95% uncertainty interval (UI), 5.7-9.1%) and 1.1% (95% UI, 0.8-1.3%), respectively in 2011. The method revealed that the prevalence may rise up to 25.7% (95% UI, 18.2-32.5%) and 3.7% (95% UI, 2.7-4.5%) for CKDA and CKDB, respectively in 2016, indicating approximately 3.3 times increase for both figures. Conclusion: This study predicted an increase in the prevalence of CKD in the future. This may be due to the increasing life expectancy of the population, the increase in the prevalence of non- communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, or patients' survival due to receiving better support. Therefore, the policymakers should be concerned and well informed about this increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low Back pain (LBP) is the most common type of musculoskeletal disorder (MSDs) in transfer tasks such as nursing personnel. Financial and economic costs expended for these disorders affect not only the individual, but the organization and society as well. The aim of this study was to evaluate associated factors in the incidence of LBP among nursing personnel according to risk assessment methods related to the patient's transfer. The present analytical study was conducted on 243 nurses in Kerman, Iran in 2014. The instruments for gathering data were Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), MAPO and PTAI checklists. The data was analysed using SPSS.16 software. The prevalence of LBP among nursing personnel was 69.55%. Based on MAPO index, 48.2% of wards had moderate level of risk. In addition, the results of PTAI index also showed that 76.5% of the studied subjects were at the second risk level (moderate risk) of LBP. Work experience, work shifts and the final score of PTAI index were factors that affected prevalence of LBP the most. In this regard, we recommend the modification of factors such as guidance in work posture, use of patient transfer equipment and guidance in their use, work arrangement, mental strain of patient transfer, physical load of patient transfer and Frequency of manual patient transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This This paper aims at determining the influence of contextual factors on information seeking behavior. This survey investigates search tactics used and users' perceptions of the search results on the Web by postgraduate students at Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This study was conducted through a mixed method. Thirty postgraduate students voluntarily participated. The study was carried out in the first semester of the academic year 2012-2013. The data was gathered using two questionnaires and log files recorded with Camtasia Studio software. The findings indicated that more than half of the participants (53.3 percent) used Google, short queries were more used than long queries, advanced search options were used rarely (23 percent), and the participants view few search result pages. According to the results, the contextual factors significantly influenced the search time, search tactics (including querying and navigating) and users' perceptions of the search results (including ease of use, usefulness, satisfaction and relevance judgment). Navigating tactic was primarily used by the participants. Among different aspects of users' perceptions of the search results, ease of use and relevance judgments were significantly different based on the contextual factors, whereas scanning, extracting, and confidence were less affected by the contextual factors. The findings suggest practical implications for information retrieval systems designers to design systems with better user interface in order to meet the needs of users with different knowledge and skills. Doing this, it leads in promotion of search process and improvement of search results quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Iran, similar to other countries, had faced H1N1 flu outbreak in 2009. In order to assess its transmission dynamic, we estimated its force of infection (β) and basic reproductive number (R0). Methods: Within a middle size primary school in Iran, we actively followed students and detected flu-like syndrome among students and their families in the first three months of academic year; October through December 2009. We estimated the probability of disease transmission within families (β) fitting random effects Poisson regression model. Moreover, R0 within the school was computed based on the number of detected cases. Results: In 452 students, 204 influenza-like syndromes were detected. The estimated β within families was 0.10; increasing one infectious member within each family was associated with 30% increase in this number. The estimated R0 for the first month was 1.21 (95% C.I.: 0.99, 1.47); corresponding numbers for the first two and first three months were 1.28 (95% C.I.: 1.05, 1.54) and 1.32 (95% C.I.: 1.11, 1.59), respectively. Conclusion: It seems that the dynamic transmission of H1N1 virus was more or less comparable with that in other seasonal species. Our findings showed that the virus mainly circulated among students within schools. In addition, it seems that the transmission rate within families was relatively high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Maternal mortality, a preventable tragedy, is an indicator of development, poverty and democracy. Therefore, prevention of maternal deaths is one of the main goals in many countries. Iran is one of the developing countries which aim to reduce maternal mortality through introduction of a new policy at national level. This study aimed to explore the extent to which this policy is practiced at peripheral levels. Methods: The data were collected through interviews with relevant people, observation, and review of the documents. Results: The results showed that there is a gap between policy and practice which can be explained by inadequate training programs, inadequate collaboration, lack of guidelines and instigation of a specific investigation into maternal deaths. Conclusions: This study suggests a number of considerations such as an initiative to collaborate, developing a guideline and presenting training programs before such policies are launched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: One of the factors affecting the life of elderly people is the extent of social support they receive from people around them. The present study was designed to determine social support among the elderly in Shiraz city, Iran, in 2015. Methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study with a sample size of 143. To collect the data, the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ) was used. Linear regression was used to analyze the data, and SPSS version 19 was applied for analysis. Results: Among 143 elderly participants, 43 were male (30.1%) and 100 were female (69.9%). Multivariate analysis indicated that among the factors studied, age, education and previous job (self-employed and housewife) were significantly related to both social networks and social satisfaction (p <0.00). Discussion: This study aimed to investigate the demographic factors associated with social support for the self-referred elderly residents of two care centers in Shiraz. After controlling for the possible impact of confounding variables, the study showed that age, education and previous job were significantly associated with both social network and satisfaction. Conclusions: Among the factors studied, age, occupation and education of the elderly people had the greatest roles in social support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]