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

Background and Aims: Diabetes in older adults is associated with an increased risk of mental health disorders. Given the limited domestic research in western regions of Iran, this study aimed to compare the prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among older adults with and without type 2 diabetes in Kermanshah, Iran.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study included 542 adults aged 60 years and older (271 with diabetes and 271 without diabetes) who were recruited from comprehensive health centers in Kermanshah, Iran, in 2025. Participants were selected through multistage random sampling (stratified-cluster sampling). The mean age of the participants was 67.7 years, and most were women. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the standardized Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale–21 (DASS-21). Data analysis was performed using the independent-samples t-test and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS version 25, with a significance level of P < 0.05. Ethical principles were observed throughout the study.

Results: Mean scores for anxiety (7.7 ± 3.8 vs. 4.3 ± 3.1), stress (8.08 ± 3.7 vs. 5.1 ± 3.5), and depression (7.5 ± 4.29 vs. 4.5 ± 3.8) were significantly higher among older adults with diabetes than among those without diabetes (P < 0.05). The prevalence of moderate-to-extremely severe depression was significantly higher in the diabetic group (12.5% vs. 1.1%), as was the prevalence of moderate-to-extremely severe anxiety (24.7% vs. 6.3%) (P < 0.001). Analysis of covariance, after controlling for potential confounders including age, sex, educational level, and income, confirmed that these differences remained statistically significant (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Older adults with diabetes experience higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression than their non-diabetic counterparts. These findings highlight the need to integrate mental health screening into diabetes care programs for older adults.

Background and Aims: Metro construction projects, due to their technical complexity and numerous risks, require the implementation of Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) management systems at a mature and systematic level. This study aimed to develop a localized tool for assessing the maturity level of HSE management systems in metro construction projects.

Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023. First, the relevant components and indicators were identified through a review of the scientific literature and consultation with experts, and a preliminary assessment tool was developed. The content validity of the tool was confirmed, and its reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, which was 0.85. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed to determine the weights assigned to the indicators. The final version of the tool was administered in Tehran Metro construction projects, and the collected data were subsequently analyzed. This study was conducted in full accordance with ethical principles.

Results: The designed tool consisted of 6 components and 12 main indicators. The results showed that the highest weight belonged to “Emergency Preparedness and Response,” while the lowest weight was assigned to “Specialized Training.” The average HSE maturity score in the studied projects was at the “Managed” level (3.16 out of 5).

Conclusion: The developed tool demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability, providing a practical framework for assessing and enhancing HSE maturity levels in infrastructure projects. Given the substantial weight assigned to emergency preparedness, prioritizing crisis management planning, strengthening managerial frameworks, and controlling hazards in complex underground environments play a direct and pivotal role in advancing the maturity level of HSE management systems in such projects.

Background and Aims: Landfill leachate treatment, owing to the high concentrations of recalcitrant organic and inorganic compounds, requires the application of combined treatment processes. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of an integrated aerobic biological treatment and nanosilica adsorption system for the treatment of leachate from the Saravan waste landfill.

Materials and Methods: Following physicochemical characterization, leachate samples were treated in a laboratory-scale aerobic reactor for 25 days. The reactor effluent was subsequently brought into contact with nanosilica adsorbent for further pollutant removal. The effects of operational parameters, including contact time, pH, and adsorbent dosage, on pollutant removal efficiency were investigated. Ethical principles were observed throughout the study.

Results: The results indicated that the raw leachate had moderate to high biodegradability, making it suitable for biological treatment. The aerobic biological process achieved removal efficiencies of 73% for BOD₅, 60% for COD, and 57% for TSS; however, heavy-metal removal at this stage was limited. During the subsequent nanosilica adsorption step, under optimal conditions—45 min contact time, pH 4, and an adsorbent dose of 1 g/L, the removal efficiencies of BOD₅, COD, and TSS increased to 89%, 87%, and 87%, respectively. Regarding heavy-metal removal, applying nanosilica at a contact time of 75 min, a fixed adsorbent dose of 0.4 g/L, and pH values ranging from 7 to 10 resulted in the maximum removal efficiencies for metals from the biologically treated effluent.

Conclusion: Integrating aerobic biological treatment with nanosilica adsorption, provided that operational variables are carefully optimized according to the target pollutant, can serve as an efficient and scalable approach for treating landfill leachate with suitable biodegradability.

This study aimed to investigate the efficiency of an atmospheric cold plasma for the degradation of polystyrene microplastics from aqueous environments.

Materials and Methods: Experiments were conducted in a semi-batch cylindrical reactor equipped with an alternating-current power supply capable of delivering voltages of up to 50 kV at frequencies ranging from 1 to 50 kHz. Response surface methodology, based on a central composite design, was employed to investigate the effects of reaction time, voltage, airflow rate, initial microplastic concentration, and pH and to optimize the degradation efficiency. Microplastics were quantified by microscopic counting. In addition, reaction kinetics, the role of radical scavengers, the effects of interfering ions, and changes in COD and TOC were evaluated under the optimal conditions. The study was conducted in full compliance with applicable ethical protocols.

Results: The developed quadratic model demonstrated high predictive capability (P< 0.0001). A maximum removal efficiency of 77.7% was achieved at a reaction time 52 min, voltage of 30 kV, air flow rate of 14 L/min, pH of 9.6, and initial concentration of 509 particles/L. Mechanistic investigations revealed that hydroxyl radicals played the primary role, whereas superoxide radicals contributed secondarily to the oxidative degradation. The process kinetics followed a pseudo-first-order model. The effects of coexisting cations and anions on the reactive species were confirmed. The specific energy consumption values,  and , were determined to be 252.1 and 153.4 kWh/g, respectively, indicating favorable energy efficiency of the system.

Conclusion: Atmospheric cold plasma technology represents an efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly advanced oxidation process for removing polystyrene microplastics from water resources.

Background and Aims: Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, critique, evaluate, and communicate with various forms of media messages. Among media audiences, adolescents are the most susceptible to media influence. The present study was conducted to determine the media literacy status of first-year female high school students in Tehran during the 2024–2025 academic year.

Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 211 first-year female secondary school students selected through two-stage sampling were assessed. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire, whose validity and reliability were evaluated. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. Ethical considerations were observed throughout all stages of the study.

Results: The highest proportion of students (43.6%) belonged to the 13-year-old age group. More than half of the students (57.8%) had media literacy scores ranging from 65 to 101, while 40.8% had scores ranging from 102 to 140; the remaining students scored below 65. Good media literacy was observed among students whose fathers had a master’s degree (25.6%), whose mothers had a middle-school or lower-secondary education (55.7%), and whose fathers were self-employed (56.6%).

Conclusion: The findings showed that the students’ media literacy was at moderate to good levels. However, given the importance and necessity of media literacy, educational planning can help improve students’ media literacy and promote their more informed and conscious use of media.

Background and Aims: Self-efficacy and a healthy lifestyle are key factors influencing health promotion in educational settings. The present study aimed to examine the association between self-efficacy, health literacy, and a health-promoting lifestyle among school teachers in Mashhad, Iran.

Materials and Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024 on 230 teachers selected from four education districts of Mashhad using simple random sampling. Data collection instruments included the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile, the Sherer General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 with descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, t-tests, analysis of variance, and the general linear model. The study was carried out in full compliance with ethical principles and considerations at all stages.

Results: The mean self-efficacy score of the teachers was 65.91 ± 7.69, indicating a relatively desirable level. The mean scores for reading comprehension (theoretical) and numeracy (functional/practical) health literacy were 30.98 and 43.44, respectively. Health-promoting lifestyle had a mean score of 137.68 ± 20.14, placing it at a moderate level, with the lowest scores observed in the dimensions of stress management and physical activity. General linear model analysis revealed that self-efficacy was significantly and positively associated with a health-promoting lifestyle (R²=0.07, P<0.001), whereas its association with health literacy was not statistically significant.

Conclusion: The findings highlight the significant role of self-efficacy in improving health-promoting behaviors among teachers. It is recommended that educational interventions focused on enhancing self-efficacy be designed and implemented to foster healthy lifestyles among educators.

Background and Aims: Recent concerns regarding the presence of emerging contaminants in water resources have led to increased research on advanced oxidation processes as an effective approach for removing these persistent and recalcitrant compounds. Among these processes, semiconductor-based photocatalytic technologies have attracted considerable attention due to their ability to harness solar energy and generate electron–hole pairs. This article reviews and presents the fundamental concepts, characteristics, properties, and applications of ferroelectric semiconductors, particularly barium titanate in the degradation of emerging contaminants.

Materials and Methods: This study is a narrative review, with data collected from research and review articles published in reputable international journals over the past decade. Literature selection was based on topical relevance, novelty, and scientific quality. The extracted information was analyzed and categorized along key thematic areas, including crystal structure, intrinsic properties, photocatalytic mechanisms, environmental applications, and future perspectives. Ethical standards regarding research conduct and source citation were fully adhered to throughout the study.

Results: Recent studies indicate that ferroelectric photocatalysts based on barium titanate exhibit excellent performance in the removal of emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, synthetic dyes, and resistant organic compounds and for some pharmaceutical compounds, up to 100% removal efficiency has also been reported. The coupling of ferroelectric and piezocatalytic properties enhances charge carrier separation and significantly improves mineralization efficiency.

Conclusion: Barium titanate, as a ferroelectric photocatalyst, represents a promising candidate for the development of sustainable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly water treatment technologies. Understanding the relationship between ferroelectric properties and photocatalytic performance can pave the way for designing next-generation advanced materials for efficient real wastewater treatment.