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We aimed to identify the prevalence of SARS-CoV2 and its related factors among suspected health sector workers (HSWs) by conducting a descriptive analytical study on the SARS-CoV2 registered data in Shahroud region, Iran. Among the 267 suspected HSWs, 15.7% were confirmed vs. 29.1% of the suspected non-HSW cases, and the difference between two groups was significant. Among the related variables, after adjusting for age and sex, being asymptomatic (OR = 0.43), having fever (OR = 3.28), inpatient (OR = 7.14), and no history of flu vaccination (OR = 2.33) were significantly associated with the confirmed HSWs. It is recommended that all HSWs be screened and close contacts of confirmed cases be followed up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current scenario, financing suffers from problems related to lack of specific line for UFFP, lack of resource pooling, delay in payment to physicians, and conflict of interests among family physician team. As a result, this policy brief was formulated based on the role of FPs in public access to general practitioner (GP) services in the referral system on one hand, followed by the impact of it on health costs reduction on the another hand, and further considering the necessity of financing system audit to find a sustainable resources for this program to be implemented at a national level in the country of Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knowing the pattern of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in each region is vital for enhanced health planning. This study was designed to evaluate the epidemiologic pattern of unintentional acute CO poisoning in major cities of Fars province, southwest of Iran. Methods: This one-year cross-sectional study was carried out on unintentional CO poisoning incidents in Fars province, Iran, during the year 2011. The target population was people living in 7 major cities under supervision of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences including Shiraz, Eghlid, Neyriz, Khorambid, Marvdasht, Darab and Bavanat. Results: During 2011, 111 CO poisoning events occurred in the catchment area. These events involved 420 individuals (50.2% men) who were present during the poisoning event, of which 281 individuals with mean age of 27.8 ± 14.8 years were poisoned (46.5% men). The majority of CO poisoning events (77.3%) occurred in colder months of the year. Most events happened in urban areas (61.3%). The most common source of CO was water heater (27.5%) closely followed by gas stove (24.8%). The majority of poisoned patients were asleep during the event (150/281: 53.3%). The main causes of CO generation were inbound gas return (62.2%) and inappropriate ventilation (28.8%). The fatality rate of CO poisoning was significantly higher in men compared to women both in involved individuals and poisoned patients (P = 0.035, < 0.001; respectively). Moreover, poisoned victims who were asleep during the accident were more likely to die than those who were awake (14.3 vs. 3.7%, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Generally, the incidence and fatality rate of CO poisoning in the current study were comparable to those of the world statistics, but higher than in developed counties. Attention and emphasis on the safety of gas heaters, stoves, and other gas-powered appliances in residential places should be enforced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Due to the importance of holding effective scientific Olympiads for medical sciences students, this study aimed to evaluate experts’ viewpoints in regard to their necessity, costs, achievements, barriers and solutions. Methods:In this qualitative study, required data were collected using open-ended questions through self-development questionnaires, which were filled out by experts. Data were analyzed through content-analysis methods. To select participants, a purpose-based sampling method was applied up to the point of information saturation. Thus, this study was performed with 20 individuals. Results:The main necessity and philosophy of holding Olympiads expressed by the experts were: promoting health sector performance, extension of interrelationships between universities, development of scientific competition and incensement of students’ creativity. The majority of participants believed that the achievements of holding these Olympiads are negligible versus their costs. The most important barriers were: absence of appropriate relationships between universities, lack of proper support for holding these Olympiads, the low motivation of professors, noninterested students and the shortage of resources and facilities. Furthermore, the most important solutions included: performance evaluation of previous Olympiads, increasing incentives and motivations as well as suitable planning. Conclusion: According to experts’ viewpoints, although holding scientific Olympiads is necessary for medical students, during past years, the achievements of such Olympiads versus theirs costs seem negligible and there are lots of barriers in the path of achieving their goals and philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Despite all the advantages of urban family physician program (UFPP), there is still a gap between UFPP and what is actually achieved by the community after its implementation in Iran. In response, this study attempted to review published studies related to the barriers to the implementation of the UFPP in Iran as well as potential solutions to improve it. Further, a qualitative study was conducted to learn the perspectives of experts at the national level and in the Fars province in order to better understand the program's challenges., Methods: This study was conducted in two phases. First, a scoping review was done, aiming to identify the common barriers and potential solutions to implementing UFPP in Iran. Second, a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted to investigate the views of decision- and policy-makers regarding barriers to and solutions for implementing the UFPP in the Fars province over the last decade. The findings were classified using the five control knobs framework (organization, financing, payment, regulation, and behavior)., Results: The most common barriers to UFPP were: 1) organization (ununited stewardship function of the Ministry of Health, weak management and planning, inadequate training of human resources, and a weak referral system); 2) financing (fragmented insurance funds, insufficient financial resources, and instability of financial resources); 3) payment (inappropriate payment mechanisms and delay in payments); 4) regulation (cumbersome laws and unclear laws); and 5) behavior (cultural problems and conflict of interests). On the other hand, several solutions were identified to improve the implementation of UFPP, including: enhancing the role of government; improving the referral system; providing comprehensive training for UFPP providers; considering sustainable financial resources; moving towards mixed-payment mechanisms; employing appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks; enhancing community awareness; and elevating incentive mechanisms., Conclusion: Our research found that, despite the UFPP having been in place for a decade in Iran, there are still significant challenges in all five components. Therefore, the promotion of this program requires solving the existing implementation challenges in order to achieve the predetermined goals. The ideas in this study can be used to improve the current program in Fars Province and bring it to other cities in Iran., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (©2023 Pacini Editore SRL, Pisa, Italy.)

Background: Family physician (FP) is one of the best strategies to reform health system and promote population health. Due to the different context, culture, and population, implementing this reform within cities would be more challenging than in rural areas. This study aimed to assess the challenges and strengths of Urban FP Program in Fars Province of Iran., Materials and Methods: It was a qualitative study using framework analysis for collecting and interpreting data. The participants included health policy-makers, top managers, and involved health staff selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Participating in the program or working as a physician in urban areas were among inclusion criteria. Three focus groups with experts as well as the content analysis of national documents were also performed. The research tool was a semi-structured interview guide. Interviews and focus groups were recorded and transcribed word by word. The framework of triangle for data analysis and the content was analyzed using MAXQDA 2010 software., Results: The participants' mean age was 44.9 ± 6.4 years, with a mean work experience of 13.2 ± 7.4 years. The transcripts revealed six themes and 17 subthemes. The emerging themes included three challenges and three solutions as following: social problems, financial problems, and structural problems as well as resistance reduction, executive meetings, and surveillance., Conclusion: Resolving staff shortage, decreasing the public resistance, and eliminating unnecessary referrals were among the strategies used by Fars, during FP implementation. To be successful in implementing this program, the required perquisites such as infrastructures and culture growth must be undertaken. The current study suggests the establishment of the electronic health record to improve the pace and quality of service provision as well as reducing violations., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.