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

Background and Aims: Hamadan Province, located in western Iran, covers 20,000 square kilometers and has a population of 1.7 million. The onset of COVID-19 and the cessation of public gatherings significantly affected air quality. This study aimed to examine the air quality in Hamadan Province over two years prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, during the pandemic, and after its resolution.

Materials and Methods: This research adhered to ethical standards. Daily air quality data were obtained from five monitoring stations. After validation, the data were analyzed during the three aforementioned periods. Descriptive results were presented as means and standard deviation, and parameters were evaluated using SPSS software with the Post Hoc Bonferroni tests.

Results: During the COVID-19 period, the average concentrations of CO₂, O₃, and PM₁₀ decreased compared to pre-COVID-19 levels, while PM_2.5, SO₂, and CO concentrations increased. After COVID-19, the average concentrations of NO₂, O₃, and SO₂ decreased compared to the COVID-19 period, conversely, PM₁₀ and CO concentrations increased, with PM_2.5 maintaining a stable average concentration. The highest average concentrations of NO₂ and O₃ occurred in summer, CO in autumn, and SO₂ in winter.

Conclusion: The mandatory lockdown during the COVID-19 period significantly impacted the air quality of the province. The subsequent ban on Mazut fuel in power plants and industrial units also had a notable effect on air quality. Therefore, traffic control and the simultaneous prohibition of Mazut fuel are recommended to improve air quality in this province.

Background and Aims: Nurses working in medical centers are exposed to various occupational hazards and burnout, which are factors that contribute to decreased motivation and dissatisfaction among nurses. This study aims to determine the relationship between occupational hazards, burnout, and job satisfaction among nurses.

Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical research utilized a cluster sampling method and involved three questionnaires: occupational hazards, Maslach's Burnout Inventory, and Spector's Job Satisfaction Survey, administered to 240 nurses in the inpatient wards of educational-therapeutic hospitals affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and linear regression in SPSS-26 software. Ethical considerations were observed throughout the research.

Results: The results indicated that there is a significant inverse relationship between occupational hazards (r=-0.42) as well as burnout (r=-0.56) with job satisfaction among nurses (P<0.05). Furthermore, a direct relationship was found between occupational hazards excluding biological hazards and burnout levels. Linear regression analysis revealed that both occupational hazards and burnout could predict job satisfaction.

Conclusion: The findings highlight the significant impact of occupational hazards and burnout on job satisfaction among nurses. By enhancing nurses' knowledge and skills and improving the work environment, it is possible to reduce burnout and hazards, thereby increasing job satisfaction and preventing potential adverse effects.

Background and Aims: Odor emission in compost production facilities is a significant environmental and health challenge. This study investigates the extent of odor reduction using three additives: copper sulfate, ferric chloride, and wastewater treatment sludge containing ferric chloride.

Materials and Methods: In this study, the effects of additives were examined in aerated compost reactors, including a control group and various concentrations of the additives. The composting process for each treatment was conducted under identical and optimized conditions in terms of biological processes. Gas sampling was performed on days 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 of the composting process using a portable Phocheck device and an impinger. Ethical considerations were taken into account at all stages of the study implementation.

Results: By adding 7.5 grams of ferric chloride per kilogram of waste, the odor number decreased from 22.28 in the control treatment to 11.07 OU/m³ (a reduction of 67%). The reduction in odor caused by H₂S in the treatment with a combination of 7.5 grams of ferric chloride and 25 grams of sewage sludge per kilogram of waste was 41% and 45% higher than in the other treatments, respectively. Additionally, these additives altered the intensity classification from strong odor levels in controls to mild or very mild classifications in test treatments.

Conclusion: The addition of optimal amounts of these additives effectively reduced odor emissions without adversely affecting the composting mechanism. The results indicated that while copper sulfate was effective in reducing odor emissions, its impact was less significant compared to ferric chloride and wastewater sludge.

Background and Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted mental health. Death anxiety and feelings of happiness are two influential components of mental well-being. Given the differences between youth and older age, this study aimed to compare the levels of death anxiety and happiness during the pandemic in these two groups in Isfahan.

Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study conducted in Isfahan in 2021. The sample included 155 elderly individuals and 155 young adults who visited health centers. Participants were selected using a stratified random sampling method based on the population registered in the 'Sib' system. Data were collected using a questionnaire containing demographic information, the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, and the Templer Death Anxiety Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 21 with descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage) and inferential statistics (independent t-test, chi-square test, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and Pearson correlation). Ethical principles were observed at all stages of the study.

Results: The mean scores for death anxiety in the elderly and young adult groups were 8.34 ± 3.06 and 7.15 ± 3.38, respectively. The mean happiness scores were 39.77 ± 11.14 and 45.43 ± 10.38, respectively. An inverse relationship was found between death anxiety and happiness (P < 0.001, r = -0.482).

Conclusion: Considering the impact of the epidemic on mental health, it is recommended that mental well-being of different age groups, especially the elderly, be prioritized in crisis situations.

Background and Aims: This study aimed to investigate the willingness to marry among students of Azad University, Technical and Engineering, and Medical Sciences Universities in Babol.

Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. The statistical population consisted of 414 participants who were selected through a multi-stage method (quota-random sampling) in the academic year 2023. Data were collected using two questionnaires: the Willingness to Marry Questionnaire (23 items across four subscales: reaction to marriage, readiness for marriage, attitudes towards marriage outcomes, and barriers to marriage) and the 32-item Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-32), both rated on a five-point Likert scale. Data analysis was performed using ANOVA and linear regression. Ethical considerations were observed throughout all phases of the study.

Results: According to the participants, the ideal age for marriage was 25–29 years. Data analysis using a linear regression model revealed a statistically significant relationship between willingness to marry and variables such as age and interpersonal problems. However, other variables, including gender, educational level, place of residence, and university type, showed no significant association.

Conclusion: Considering the negative impact of interpersonal problems on students' willingness to marry, pre-marriage education and life skills training could foster positive attitudes toward marriage.

Background and Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic is the most significant health challenge of the present era. Medical interns and trainees play a crucial role in treating, caring for, and monitoring patients, with decision-making and adaptability skills being key factors influencing their performance. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the status of decision-making and adaptability skills and their relationship among medical interns and trainees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 210 medical interns and trainees from Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences were enrolled during the academic year 2021-2022. Participants completed questionnaires assessing demographic information, individual and social adaptation skills (California Adaptation Scale), and decision-making styles (Scott and Bro). Ethical considerations were adhered to throughout the study. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26 software.

Results: The findings revealed that 48.19% of students exhibited favorable decision-making skills, 46.36% had average skills, and 5.45% demonstrated unfavorable skills. A significant majority of students reported favorable personal adaptation (93.64%) and average social adaptation (24.1%). Decision-making skills were significantly correlated with individual and social adaptation as well as demographic variables such as age, father's education, and place of residence (P<0.05). Regression analysis indicated that individual, social, and overall adaptation, along with demographic factors (place of residence and father's education), accounted for 59% of the variance in decision-making skills.

Conclusion: Adaptability skills and certain demographic variables (place of residence and father's education) are predictive of medical students' decision-making skills.

Background and Aims: This study examines the effects of temperature, ambient humidity, and wind on the transmission and spread of viruses from coughs, aiming to determine safe social distancing measures to prevent pandemic spread.

Materials and Methods: To simulate the transmission and dispersion of cough droplets, a laboratory setup was designed. The setup included a hydraulic circuit, a blower system, a temperature control system, and a humidity generator to simulate cough droplet dispersion, wind, ambient temperature, and humidity, respectively. In this study, image processing was used to assess droplet transmission and dispersion. Ethical considerations were observed throughout the study.

Results: Image processing indicated that, while keeping humidity constant and varying temperature between 17.1°C and 46.7°C, temperature changes did not significantly affect droplet dispersion. Similarly, maintaining a constant ambient temperature while varying humidity between 10% and 80% showed no significant impact on droplet dispersion. Under these conditions, droplets reached heights of 1.55 meters and 1.05 meters after traveling distances of 1.6±0.10 meters and 1.2±0.10 meters, respectively. Wind speed and direction significantly influenced droplet transport and dispersion.

Conclusion: Wind speed and direction are the key parameters influencing the transmission and dispersion of cough-generated viruses, and the safe social distance is determined based on these factors. Generally, in a wind-free environment, a safe social distance of 1.63±0.10 meters is recommended.

The rapid growth of poultry, allowing for weight gain in less than 50 days within industrial poultry systems, can be attributed to advancements in breeding, physiology, nutrition, and housing conditions. Contrary to common belief, this accelerated growth is not due to the injection of growth-enhancing hormones, which has led to the widespread misconception of "hormonal chicken." From both technical and economic perspectives, the provision and administration of such large quantities of hormones is neither feasible nor practical. The primary concern regarding poultry meat consumption should focus on antibiotic residues, which pose a significant risk of contributing to antibiotic resistance in humans.