Journal of Behdasht dar Arseh (i.e., Health in the Field)

Background and Aims: Vegetables are one of the essential food items in life and the main source of important elements for the human body, therefore, an increase in the concentration of heavy metals in vegetables can cause significant harm to human health. This study was conducted in 2022 with the aim of assessing the health risks of heavy metals in lettuce in the Varamin Plain region.

Materials and Methods: The present descriptive study was conducted to measure the concentration of heavy metals in 48 lettuce samples. Lettuce samples were taken from agricultural land and greenhouses using two irrigation methods with water and wastewater. The concentration of heavy metals was measured using an MP-AES device. All stages of this research were conducted in accordance with ethical and research standards.

Results: The finding of the present study showed that the average concentration of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead in lettuce leaves in agricultural land irrigated with effluent was 0.51, 0.40, 0.09, and 0.46 mg/kg, respectively, in irrigated lettuce leaves with groundwater were 0.62, 0.4, 0.29, and 0.84 mg/kg, respectively, and in greenhouse lettuce leaves irrigated with underground water were 0.53, 0.23, 0.20, and 0.70 mg/kg, respectively. The non-carcinogenic risk assessment showed that arsenic and cadmium posed a higher risk than one for adults and children, and the carcinogenic risk of these two metals ranged from 10^-6 to 10^-4, which was within an acceptable range.

Conclusion: Considering the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of arsenic and cadmium for adults and children, corrective actions and continuous monitoring of lettuce in the Varamin Plain region appear necessary.

Background and Aims: Textile industries have various types of hazards that cause accidents. One of the ways to prevent workplace accidents is to identify hazards and evaluate them. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the hazards of one of the textile companies using the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) method.

Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive-cross-sectional study, and the FMEA method was used to conduct the study. In this study, two dyeing and rolling halls in the textile industry were evaluated. After calculating the Risk Priority Number (RPN), the hazards were ranked, and the necessary corrective actions were proposed. All stages of this research were conducted in accordance with ethical and research standards.

Results: In this study, 145 root causes of potential hazards were identified, of which 71 were recognized as high-risk hazards. The highest risk score was related to the non-functioning of the emergency stop switch. The lowest risk score was related to the steam leakage from steam pipes. The most hazardous activity was found to be the printing of dyes on the fabric. Events leading to death and amputation had the highest frequency.

Conclusion: The results showed that after identifying the sources of error, it is possible to prevent the failures and increase the efficiency of the process by preventing damage to materials, operations, and personnel. The present study considers the FMEA method effective in assessing the hazards in the textile company. The results of this method can also be used to reduce the risk level to an acceptable level.

Background and Aims: Spiritual health provide individuals with a sense of purpose, direction, and resilience in the face of challenges and crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the social effects of the Coronavirus outbreak and its relationship with spiritual health among the health ambassadors of Khoy city.

Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 300 health ambassadors selected through random cluster sampling. Data was collected using a questionnaire on demographic characteristics, spiritual health, and the social impacts of COVID-19. Spearman correlation tests and ordinal regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. Ethical considerations were observed throughout the study.

Results: The findings revealed that 64% of the health ambassadors had moderate spiritual health, and 63% experienced moderate social effects of COVID-19. The ordinal regression analysis showed that individuals with higher spiritual health were 2.16 times less likely to experience the social impacts of COVID-19 compared to those with low spiritual health (CI=3.53-1.31; P=0.002; OR=2.15). Additionally, participants with a good economic status had 4.35 times higher chances of having good spiritual health compared to those with low economic status (CI=9.79-1.93; P=0.001; OR=4.35).

Conclusion: Given the mitigating role of spiritual health in the social effects of COVID-19, implementing educational programs aimed at improving spiritual health in the community may be an effective approach to addressing the social impacts of the pandemic.

Background and Aims: Considering the importance of nutrition in the growth and health of adolescents, this study aimed to determine the effect of education based on Bloom's taxonomy on the level of self-efficacy and nutritional behavior of female students.

Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2022 in Mashhad, Iran. In the first part of the study, 236 female students aged 13-15 years were enrolled using cluster sampling. In the second part, 70 students (35 in the experimental and 35 in the control group) were selected. The educational program for the experimental group was conducted in 4 sessions. Data were collected using food frequency, self-efficacy, and stages of behavior change questionnaires, which were validated for content and face validity and Cronbach's alpha. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 21 and appropriate descriptive and analytical tests. Ethical considerations were taken into account in all stages of the study.

Results: The results showed no significant change in the stage of change in the control group before and after the intervention (P<0.05). In the intervention group, the number of participants in the pre-contemplation stage decreased from 23.5% before the intervention to 14.7%; however, there was no change in the action and maintenance stages. Additionally, there was a significant difference in self-efficacy scores between the intervention and control groups (P<0.05).

Conclusion: This study was effective on the level of self-efficacy and behavior change in the pre-action stages, but did not have much effect on the higher stages of action. Therefore, designing programs with other models and longer durations for these individuals is recommended.

Background and Aims: Self-medication among university students, as educated members of society, is a significant public health concern. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of students towards self-medication with antibiotics at Tehran Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences, 2021.

Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted during the academic year 2021-2022 among 438 students at the Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran. The participants were selected using a convenience sampling approach. Data was collected through a researcher-made questionnaire, the validity of which had been confirmed by an expert panel. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, which yielded values of 0.84 for the awareness items, 0.78 for the attitude items, and 0.80 for the performance items. For data analysis, both descriptive and analytical statistical methods were employed using SPSS software version 25. Ethical considerations were taken into account throughout the study design, data collection, and analysis stages.

Results: The results of this study indicated that the level of awareness among the student participants regarding the self-administration of antibiotics was moderate in 82.4% of cases and good in 14.8%. Regarding their attitudes, 81.3% of the participants exhibited a moderate stance, while 57.8% of the students displayed a poor performance in relation to the self-administration of antibiotics. More than half (61%) of the participants had engaged in the self-administration of antibiotics, with the primary reasons being obtaining a satisfactory outcome from previous self-administration and lacking sufficient time to consult a physician.

Conclusion: Given the relatively high rate of self-medication with antibiotics among the students, it is necessary to implement educational interventions and change their attitudes and habits regarding seeking medical attention when sick.

Background and Aims: Smoking is a major preventable risk factor for various diseases and a leading cause of death worldwide. Identifying the challenges associated with smoking behavior and cessation can be instrumental in improving the quality of life for the elderly population. The aim of this review was to explore the challenges in smoking cessation among the elderly.

Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the PubMed database, and a total of 211 articles were retrieved. After applying the inclusion criteria, 46 articles from the past 5 years were selected for further analysis. Finally, 22 articles were deemed relevant and included in the review. Ethical considerations were observed throughout the study.

Results: The reviewed studies consistently demonstrated a relationship between higher smoking rates and lower education levels, poverty, and social deprivation. Social pressure from other smokers and regular exposure to smoking environments were frequently reported as key barriers to successful smoking cessation.

Conclusion: While limited research has been conducted on smoking cessation among individuals aged 50 and above, the existing evidence has identified several individual, psychological, social, and environmental factors that hinder smoking cessation in the elderly population. Further research is warranted to determine the effectiveness of interventions and the factors influencing smoking cessation in the elderly.

Background and Aims: Assessing the status of pesticide residues in agricultural products is crucial for ensuring public health. This study aimed to investigate the concentration of pesticide residues in grapes and grape juice in Iran from 2000 to October 2022.

Materials and Methods: Relevant studies were selected from 2000 to 2022 using Persian and English keywords in Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, After reviewing 396 studies, 11 were selected. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software was used for meta-analysis. Due to the heterogeneity of the study data, a random effects model was employed. Ethical considerations were adhered to throughout the study.

Results: Results indicated that the mean concentrations of diazinon, ethion, chlorpyrifos, malathion, and oxydemeton methyl in grapes were 3, 4.4, 3.4, 2.5, and 518.5 times the maximum residue limit (MRL) for grapes, respectively. The mean concentrations of other pesticides were below their MRLs in grapes. For grape juice, the mean concentrations of all pesticides were below their MRLs.

Conclusion: Considering that the mean concentration of five pesticides in grapes exceeded the permissible limits, it is recommended to take measures such as improving pesticide spraying methods and adhering to pre-harvest intervals to reduce pesticide residues and ensure the quality of grapes and its derivatives.

Background and Aims: Surveillance is a critical component of public health. In this field, a new discipline called public health informatics has emerged to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of public health services through the use of various information technologies. The aim of this study was to review public health informatics and its applications.

Materials and Methods: This was a narrative review. The keywords used included "health surveillance," "public health informatics," "surveillance systems," and "registry." The search was conducted in the PubMed and Scopus databases, as well as Google Scholar. Relevant papers were retrieved, and the data were reported narratively.

Results: The findings indicate that public health informatics can be employed for active monitoring and surveillance, supporting effective decision-making, preventive measures, health promotion, disease prevention, and improving population health. Additionally, public health informatics has a wide range of applications in various public health domains, such as primary care, disease prevention, disease control, and health education. Some of the information technologies used in public health informatics include electronic health records, telehealth, and point-of-care diagnostics.

Conclusion: Public health informatics is an evolving field, where the application of technologies is constantly changing to meet the needs of the community. It appears that the application of this science plays a significant role in improving public health conditions, and greater attention should be given to it by health systems.