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Background: The study aimed to assess the interactive effects of industrial noise type, level and frequency characteristics on hand motor skills using the Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test and the Hand Tool Dexterity Test., Methods: A total of ten nonsmoking male volunteers with normal hearing and vision were selected for this study. The study followed a full 3×3×2 factorial design. Independent variables were noise type (steady, intermittent and fluctuating), noise level (75, 85 and 95 dBA) and frequency characteristics ("roar" <2000 Hz and "hiss" >2000 Hz)., Results: For Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test, the lowest speed is related to steady hiss noise at 75 dBA and the highest speed is related to fluctuating roar noise at 95 dBA. The speed is being significantly affected by the frequency characteristic (P = 0.041) and noise type (P = 0.025). The effect of hiss noise on speed is greater than roar noise (P = 0.038). There is a significant difference (P = 0.035) between continuous noise and fluctuating noise. For the Hand Tool Dexterity Test, the lowest speed is related to fluctuating hiss noise at 95 dBA and the highest speed is related to steady roar noise at 95 dBA. The speed is being significantly affected by the frequency characteristic (P = 0.002), noise type (P = 0.0001) and noise level (P = 0.005). The effect of hiss noise on response variable to be greater than roar noise (P = 0.008). There is a significant difference (P = 0.0001) between steady noise and the two other types of noise, and also there is a significant difference between 75 dBA and 85 dBA level (P = 0.003)., Conclusions: The results showed that on hand motor skills, speed response was influenced by three characteristics: the type of noise, frequency characteristics and noise level. Also, the effect of the hiss noise was more than the roar noise.

Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

Objectives: To assess burnout level during an outbreak of COVID-19 and to identify influencing factors between frontline nurses and nurses from other wards., Methods: This cross-sectional study makes comparison between two groups of nurses including frontline (exposure group) and other nurses working in usual wards (non-exposure group) in Torbat Heydariyeh city, Iran. Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI), Job stress questionnaire (JSQ), and questionnaires of hospital resources, family support, and measuring the fear of COVID-19 were used as research instruments., Results: The scores of job stress and burnout in the exposure group with COVID-19 infection were significantly higher than in the non-exposure group (p=0.006 and p=0.002, respectively). Although, in univariate linear regression, employment status (p=0.047), experience in taking care of patient confirmed or suspected with COVID-19 infection (p=0.006), hospital resources (p=0.047), and job stress (p < 0.001) were considered as significant risk factors for COVID-19-related burnout. In multivariate regression analysis, job stress (p=0.031, β=0.308) was considered as an only factor that has a significant relationship with COVID-19-related burnout., Conclusions: The burnout level in frontline nurses was higher than other nurses, the most important influencing factor was the job stress. Regarding to negative effects of burnout on both physical and mental health nurses, it is suggested that a strong strategy be considered to reduce nurses' burnout to be able to control ongoing and future outbreaks successfully., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright by the Universidad de Antioquia.)

Introduction: Mental stress amongst pre-hospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workers is an iceberg phenomenon; owing to unique occupational stressors faced by them. This study was aimed to examine the mental health status of pre-hospital EMS workers and its correlation with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Work Environment Scale (WES)., Methods: This cross-sectional study incorporated 224 emergency EMS members from urban and road EMS bases in eastern Iran in 2018. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian version (PTSD-C), and Work Environment Scale (WES) were used as research instruments. Data were analyzed via SPSS Statistics software (version 21); while p<0.05 was considered significant., Results: The mean age of participants was 31.91±6.9 years; 36(16.1%) had PTSD ≥50, which increased with age (p-0.01), number of offspring (p-0.022) and time working at the EMS (p-0.002). Mean WES scores were 73.41±12.27; with a significant impact of marital status (p-0.007), the number of offspring (p-0.023), qualification (p-0.019) and less time working at the EMS (p-0.008). Mental distress was recorded in 89(39.7%) individuals. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that members at higher risk of mental distress were; those with associate's degree (adjusted OR 3.192; 95% CI, 1.456-6.998), individuals with 1 or 2 offspring (adjusted OR 2.03; 95% CI, 0.992-4.156; adjusted OR 3.380; 95% CI, 1.483-7.704, respectively), and those with PTSD equal or higher than 50 (adjusted OR 2.504; 95% CI, 1.063-5.903), with a reverse impact of WES (p>0.05)., Conclusion: PTSD adversely affected mental health and clinical performance of the subjects; while work-place environment augmented working spirit as well as psychological resilience. Strategies aiming at stress-dilution and improvements in a professional environment cannot be over-emphasized., (© 2020 Abbaspour et al.)

Background: Children under five years old are the most vulnerable in home-injuries. More than half of the accident happens at home. Intervention programs are effective ways to reduce the risk of injuries. The use of cultural strategies has been recommended for effective interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate cultural adaptability in interventional studies which were performed to prevent injuries caused by domestic accidents in children under five years old in all countries. Methods: This systematic review has been conducted from June to July 2016. Iran Medex, Magiran, SID from Persian databases and Scopus, Web of Science, Science direct, Pub Med, Biomed central from English databases were employed. Available cultural adaptation guidelines were used to compare the cultural adaptation strategies. A search of studies had been conducted from the creation of databases until July 2016. Results: Overall, 15 studies were entered into the analyses. The interventional approach in 11 studies was an educational approach. Consequently, 8 studies from 11 reported that they had significantly achieved all expected outcomes. Three studies had used behavioral change models or theories to achieve the desired changes. Seven studies had considered socio-cultural strategy in their interventions, and six studies had reported achieving outcomes. Only seven studies acquired a minimum score of cultural adaptation. Conclusion: In this systematic review, an educational intervention was effective in preventing child injuries. If cultural strategies are taken into consideration in interventions, they will have a change in behavior in this regard. Also, theoretical frameworks and models can be effective., (© 2019 Iran University of Medical Sciences.)

Background: Non-specific low back pain (LBP) has a direct impact on the quality of life, active days at work and health care costs., Aim: This study was conducted to determine the relationship between LBP and thoracic kyphosis angle among dentists., Material and Methods: This cross-sectional and descriptive-analytical study carried out in the form of census among 84 dentists employed in a specialised clinic in Iran. Dentists LBP prevalence and intensity and thoracic kyphosis angle were evaluated respectively with the self-administered body map questionnaire, visual analogue scale and flexicurve ruler. Statistical data analysis was done using SPSS software, version 22., Results: The data showed that the prevalence of LBP in dentists was 44.9% and intensity of LBP was reported about 71.9 ± 19.34. Pearson correlation coefficient between thoracic kyphosis angle and dentist's characteristics was not significant except for work experience. The single linear regression model showed that 1.3% of thoracic kyphosis angle changes was positively dependent on LBP. Also, the present study proved that thoracic kyphosis angle changes were positively dependent to 2.6%, 10.8% and 5.7 percent of age, work experience and Body Mass Index (BMI), respectively., Conclusion: Despite the lack of significant statistical relation between LBP and thoracic kyphosis angle, there is a high prevalence and intensity of LBP among Dentists. To reduce the risk of work-related LBP among dentists, managing factors such as BMI, work postures and exercises during work should be taken into consideration., (Copyright: © 2019 Hamed Nadri, Bita Rohani, Gholamheidar Teimori, Shahram Vosoughi, Fatemeh Fasih-Ramandi.)