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Objective Individuals with chronic mental disorders face various challenges, which are not merely confined to the individual but also involve family caregivers and specialists in the field. Psychological and social rehabilitation assists in improving the functioning of individuals with mental disorders and facilitates their return to mainstream life. This study aims to investigate the challenges encountered in the rehabilitation process of these individuals. Materials & Methods This study employed a qualitative directional content analysis method. The sample consisted of 13 individuals with chronic mental illnesses, 3 family members, and 6 specialists with experience in patient care. Following ethical approval and obtaining informed consent, in-depth, unstructured interviews were conducted, aligning with the research objectives. Purposeful sampling and maximum diversity strategies were utilized to select and invite participants subjected to in-depth, semi- structured interviews. Data analysis followed Granheim and Lundman's approach. Results The analysis of the interviews revealed that the essence of this study is "striving to respond to weakened identity." The categories and subcategories extracted in this study include social limitations (social exclusion, societal negligence), instability (turbulent lifestyle, family as an overlooked entity, and economic pressures), therapeutic challenges (treatment inconsistency, therapist-related challenges, the complex nature of the illness, and postdischarge concerns), structural and macro challenges (social media neglect, incomplete perspectives, financial and credibility challenges) and loss of agency and volition (identity weakening, lack of balance between independence and support). Conclusion The rehabilitation of individuals with chronic mental disorders faces various challenges at individual, interpersonal, familial, organizational and structural levels. Strengthening the psychological and social aspects of rehabilitation can provide a better and more sustainable basis for treatment for these patients. Enhancing the roles and interventions of psychological and social rehabilitation teams, coordinating therapeutic interventions, supporting the families of patients, socializing behaviors toward these patients and their families, and paying more attention to the psychological and social rehabilitation of patients can result in better short-term and long-term outcomes for various stakeholders involved in the rehabilitation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morbidity and mortality rates of COVID-19 pandemic are increasing, and many families have lost their loved ones. This study explored the experiences of families living in Iran who lost a loved one to COVID-19. The researchers apply a descriptive phenomenological approach and draw on in-depth interviews with 18 family members who had lost at least one family member because of COVID-19. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method. After reviewing and comparing the consistency of the codes, crisis in crisis, circumstances of death and its consequences, and lack of preservation of patient dignity were extracted as main categories. Neglecting grieving families and related issues can lead to delays and difficulties in the process of recovery and intensification of their psychosocial pressures. Acquiring more knowledge about different impacts of COVID-19 will be helpful for providing timely and better rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Encountering the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nurses face many challenges due to various strategies and resources that can compromise the quality of care. This study aimed to identify nursing care challenges for patients with COVID-19 from nurses' viewpoint in Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive qualitative study was conducted in one of the main admission centers in Isfahan to treat patients with COVID-19. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 19 nurses from April 2020 to June 2020. The recorded interviews were transcribed and then analyzed through inductive content analysis. Results: The challenges of nursing care for patients infected with COVID-19 from the nurses' viewpoint were categorized into 11 subcategories and four main categories: work overload in disaster (lack of nurses with adequate clinical qualification and restrictions on the compliance of the infection control protocols), immersion in an ocean of psychological and social tensions (personal and family tensions, work environment tensions, perception of organizational injustice, and social stigma), quality of care in fragile condition (self-preservation rather than patient care and contradictory patient care standards), and disaster preparedness, response, and management (passive resource management, information system challenges, and lack of guideline-supported protocols). Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that policymakers should actively participate in supporting nurses in the form of reducing physical and mental stress in pandemics such as COVID-19. Having the right perception of the challenges nurses face in such crises can contribute to providing patient safety, improving the quality of care, maintaining organizational resources, and properly managing the disaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world struggles to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that the psychosocial aspects related to health are attended to in addition to biological aspects. To this end, the present study aimed to explore the challenges and concerns facing people affected by COVID-19. This qualitative study was conducted using the content analysis method. A total of 25 people affected by COVID-19 were selected purposefully and administered semi-structured interviews. The sampling continued until data saturation. Coding and analysis of data were performed simultaneously using the Granheim method. After reviewing codes, checking the consistency and comparing categories, 5 categories, and 15 subcategories were explored. The most important psychosocial challenges of COVID-19 included the lack of accurate and timely dissemination of information, the intensification of economic problems, psychological instability, weakness in social prevention, and the suspension of social rituals. Identifying the psychosocial challenges and problems of people who faced by pandemic diseases such as COVID-19, and developing appropriate and timely planning for managing them can lead to designing effective strategies for prevention, treatment, and recovery of affected communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Various foods are known to have beneficial effects on health when consumed whole; however, there is a trend towards preparing foods from processed ingredients, and it remains unclear whether the benefits of the whole food are retained. The purpose of this study was therefore to examine whether different processing techniques affect the lowering of cholesterol and the vascular effects of black beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). RESULTS: Beans were prepared by overnight soaking and boiling – the standard method – and by micronization, extrusion, or dehulling and boiling, and they were then fine milled. Beans prepared by the standard method were also coarse milled. These five materials were incorporated into semi‐purified diets (30% wt/wt) and fed to spontaneously hypertensive rats for 4 weeks. Body weight, blood pressure, and aorta morphology were unaltered by the diets. Fasting total cholesterol was significantly reduced in rats fed micronized beans compared with extruded beans (both fine‐milled) or the bean‐free diet, while boiling combined with coarse milling lowered low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. The lack of cholesterol lowering in rats fed extruded bean compared to micronized was not explained by the amount or composition of dietary fiber or resistant starch. Differences in the polyphenolic profile as determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were also unable to explain the variations in cholesterol‐lowering capacity. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that processing of black beans alters the health effects observed with the whole pulse, and suggests that products prepared with processed ingredients will need to be tested empirically to establish whether the biological effects are maintained in vivo. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The growth of the elderly population, on the one hand, and the increase in exposure to accidents and disasters, on the other hand, have highlighted the attention on the issues of the older adults in disasters. This study aimed to investigate the changes in the lives of the elderly after the earthquake. Materials and Methods: The present qualitative study was conducted using the content analysis method. The study data were collected through in-depth and semi-structured interviews. In total, 26 participants were interviewed in this study, including 4 specialists (an accident and disaster specialist, an elderly specialist, a psychologist, a social worker), 18 older adults, and 4 caregivers of the older adults. The data collection and data analysis process were performed simultaneously, and the Granheim and Lundman approach was used in this regard. Results: In this study, two main categories were found about changes in the lives of the elderly after the earthquake: re-victimization and post-accident growth. Re-victimization category consisted of the subcategories of "increased dependency", "declining physical and mental health", "poverty and deprivation", and "avoidance of work and family activities", and post-accident growth included the subcategories of "individual growth", "self-regulatory behaviors", and "reinforcing the houses". Conclusion: Clarifying the nature and life changes of the elderly after the earthquake can enhance the knowledge of service providers. This information helps them make the necessary plans to prevent and reduce the problems that the elderly face after the earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While the main concern of Iran has been the risk of drought, and the Iranian authorities are always trying to find the solutions and prepare projects for the supply of their citizens' water, this country suddenly experienced a massive flood that affected more than 31 provinces in 2019. This study was conducted to extract lessons learned from the health system response and management of Iran in the 2019 floods. Materials and Methods: This report was designed and implemented using a multi-method model with both quantitative and qualitative methods. Results: In this year, more than 42 million Iranian citizens were affected by the flood. The medical centers provided services for more than 1137000 people. Also, 85 people died and 19 outbreaks were identified in the flooded areas. Conclusion: Preventing flood victims to have access to humanitarian help and illegal measures concerning international cooperation seems to be immoral and at least sanctions should not be included in helping people in disasters, especially the health system is considered. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of ability to predict climate change, and it is necessary to focus on this issue. the "all-hazards" approach should be taken into consideration for the effective management of these incidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hospitals are vital infrastructures that provide health services during emergencies and disasters. However, in recent years, disasters have led to hospital losses and interruptions in medical services. Consequently, the concept of resilience has garnered significant attention. Despite extensive research, the lack of clarity in explaining hospital resilience poses challenges in effective assessment and identifying key priorities for enhancing disaster risk management. Recently, the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) introduced a conceptual framework for the conceptualisation of hospital resilience, defining it through six interconnected components and four resilience capacities. Identifying specific indicators and characteristics for hospital resilience components based on the EMRO framework. This protocol outlines the method for conducting a scoping review to identify such indicators and characteristics to develop a comprehensive hospital resilience assessment tool., Methods and Analysis: This scoping review will adhere to the six-step protocol proposed by Arksey and O'Malley. It aims to comprehensively understand current knowledge about resilient hospital characteristics and identify effective components and indicators for assessing hospital resilience. The review will encompass available articles indexed in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. Additionally, searches will explore the grey literature on Google Scholar, the WHO's website and regional offices. There will be no publication date restrictions applied to the search. Quantitative and qualitative content analyses will assess and categorise the study results. Our protocol was drafted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Protocols extension for scoping reviews., Ethics and Dissemination: This protocol describes a scoping review within a doctoral thesis focused on health in emergencies and disasters, specifically hospital resilience. The study, associated with ethics code number (IR.USWR.REC.1402.120), aims to develop a comprehensive assessment tool for hospital resilience. Once peer-reviewed and published, the findings will inform experts, policymakers and relevant organisations in emergency and disaster management., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Introduction: Timely arrival of emergency medical services (EMS) is pivotal for effective prehospital care, and efforts by EMS leaders and policymakers to reduce response times, especially in cardiac arrests responsible for 70%-80% of coronary heart disease-related deaths, underscore the global urgency. With approximately 55 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests per 100 000 people annually, survival rates hinge on timely cardiopulmonary resuscitation, emphasising its initiation within a 4-6 min window. Trauma, causing 6 million deaths and nearly 40 million injuries a year, further underscores the need for prompt prehospital care. Acknowledging these challenges, health systems have incorporated community first responder (CFR) models, where trained community members provide initial aid, aiming to bridge the crucial gap until professional help arrives. This scoping review intends to explore the experiences of various countries with CFR models, including their conceptual and theoretical frameworks, recognising CFR as a critical solution for reducing response times in prehospital emergency care., Methods and Analysis: Arksey and O'Malley's approach will be followed in this scoping review. Our protocol was drafted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols extension for Scoping Reviews. The study objective is to comprehensively understand and map current knowledge about CFR model characteristics and identify effective components and indicators. The review will encompass available articles indexed in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science without restrictions on date of publication. Additional searches will explore grey literature on Google Scholar and reliable websites in the field of EMS. Articles published in languages other than English and those inaccessible in full text will not be considered for inclusion., Ethics and Dissemination: Since the study data are accessible from publicly accessible secondary sources, no ethical approval is necessary. Peer-reviewed publications will be used to report the study findings., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

As the world struggles to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that the psychosocial aspects related to health are attended to in addition to biological aspects. To this end, the present study aimed to explore the challenges and concerns facing people affected by COVID-19. This qualitative study was conducted using the content analysis method. A total of 25 people affected by COVID-19 were selected purposefully and administered semi-structured interviews. The sampling continued until data saturation. Coding and analysis of data were performed simultaneously using the Granheim method. After reviewing codes, checking the consistency and comparing categories, 5 categories, and 15 subcategories were explored. The most important psychosocial challenges of COVID-19 included the lack of accurate and timely dissemination of information, the intensification of economic problems, psychological instability, weakness in social prevention, and the suspension of social rituals. Identifying the psychosocial challenges and problems of people who faced by pandemic diseases such as COVID-19, and developing appropriate and timely planning for managing them can lead to designing effective strategies for prevention, treatment, and recovery of affected communities.

Objective: Social capital, or the resources that an individual can draw on through his or her social networks and the value ascribed to these resources by the individual, has been hypothesized to be an important factor in the development of mental health problems following a natural disaster. Nevertheless, little research has been conducted in this area. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential buffering effect of the 2 types of social capital-bonding and bridging social capital-on the association between severity of trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a large sample of earthquake survivors in Iran., Method: Participants were 600 adults who survived the Azarbaijan earthquake in Iran. Participants were selected using a multistage sampling method. PTSD symptoms were reported in 37% of the participants, 95% CI [34%, 41%]., Results: Consistent with prior research, significant differences were found between areas that were highly affected and areas that were less affected by the disaster. Although both bonding and bridging social capitals were negatively related to PTSD symptoms, this buffering effect against PTSD symptoms was about 2 times as large for bridging capital than for bonding social capital., Conclusion: While bridging and bonding social capital are both significant protective factors for mental health outcomes following natural disasters, bridging social capital may be more important. Future directions for this area of research are discussed, as are policy implications for disaster preparedness and postdisaster interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Background: Despite the growing interest in the study of disasters, there is limited research addressing the elderly population that lead to prejudiced beliefs that older adults are more vulnerable to disasters than younger adults. This study aimed to compare positive mental health between elderly and young earthquake survivors., Method: Data for this study, consisting of 324 earthquake survivors, were obtained from a population-based cross-sectional survey conducted in Iran, 2015. The long-term effect of earthquake was assessed using the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form questionnaire. A one-way multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) using SPSS (version 22) was used in data analysis., Results: Older adults scored significantly a higher level of overall positive mental health (mean [M]=34.31, standard deviation [SD]=10.52) than younger age group (M=27.48, SD=10.56, t =-4.41; P <0.001). Results of MANCOVA revealed a statistically significant difference between older and young adults on the combined positive mental health subscales ( F (3,317) =6.95; P <0.001), after controlling for marital status, sex, and employment status., Conclusion: The present findings showing a higher level of positive mental health among elderly earthquake survivors compared with their younger counterparts in the wake of natural disasters suggest that advancing age per se does not contribute to increasing vulnerability., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.