Journal of community health research

74-84

Authors: Aliakbar Vaezi , Mohammad Hassan Lotfi, Maryam Shaker

Introduction: The elderly are among the most vulnerable group in the society, and elder abuse is poses a challenge in the domain of elderly care and support. The present study was conducted with the aim of exploring the effect of implementation of an elderly respect education program in families on the elder mistreatment in the city of Yazd in 2016. Methods: The present study was an experimental study of the field trial type that was conducted on 80 elderly people over the age of 65 years who were covered by Yazd Comprehensive Health Service Centers. This sample was randomly divided into two groups: the intervention group (n= 40) and non-intervention group (n= 40).The sampling units were invited for participating in the study through phone call by healthcare providers. Then, the interviewer completed the questionnaire, after introducing himself and giving explanations on the objective of the study. The data collection tool was the Elder Abuse Scale that included 49 items in eight subscales: care neglect, psychological abuse, physical abuse, financial abuse, authority deprivation, rejection and financial and emotional neglect. In the next step, the families of the elderly in the intervention group were invited to participate in the educational program. The content of this program included different elder abuse subjects, the importance of respecting the elderly in the family and the society, and the role of families in supporting and protecting the elderly. One month after the end of the educational program for families, the elderly in both the intervention group and non-intervention group were invited to be interviewed and the questionnaire was completed. Data analysis was done using software SPSS and through the independent t-test and chi-squared test. Results: Analysis of the mean of elder abuse dimensions in the intervention group indicated that there was a significant difference between the scores before and after the intervention (P< 0.05). The highest level of abuse was seen in the dimension of emotional neglect with the mean of 25.3 and the lowest was seen in the dimension of rejection with the mean of 2.7.The study of the mean of abuse dimensions in the elderly non-intervention group, no significant difference was seen before and after the intervention (P> 0.05). The highest level of abuse was seen in the dimension of emotional neglect and the lowest in the dimension of rejection. Conclusion: The findings indicated that the implementation of the program for educating elderly respect in family was effective in abuse reduction. Therefore, training elderly respect programs are recommended. Also, clarification of this phenomenon from different aspects is better to be considered as a priority.

95-104

Authors: Ali Dehghani , Marzieh Sobhani , Mahmoud Nouri Shadkam, Hossein Fallahzadeh, Masoud Mohammadi, Aboalfazl Sharifi

Introduction: One of the most valuable indicators determining the health status of a community is the birth weight of infants. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate risk factors affecting low-birth-weight infants born to mothers visiting community health centers in the city of Yazd in Iran. Methods: The present study was a retrospective cohort research on 280 mothers visiting to community health centers in two groups of mothers with infants weighing less than 2500 grams (case) and those with babies weighing more than 2500 grams (control). The data were also collected by interviewing mothers and reviewing the information inserted in their health records. Such data were then entered into the SPSS software (Version 19) and analyzed through Chi-square test, independent t-test, as well as logistic regression analysis. Results: The mean and the standard deviation of birth weight in the case group were 2171.4 ± 339.85 grams and they were equal to 3222.5±390.78 grams in the control group. Besides, the results of the analysis revealed that maternal education (P= 0.05), type of delivery (P= 0.02), birth order (P= 0.02), maternal occupation (P= 0.03), pregnancy-induced hypertension (P= 0.008), and gestational age (P= 0.000) were correlated with low-birth-weight infants. Conclusion: Considering that low birth weight was related to factors that could be controllable in most circumstances, measures such as training mothers, promoting quality of prenatal care, and planning for childbearing among mothers are recommended.

112-118

Authors: Zohreh Bakherad , Javad Feizy

Introduction: Aflatoxins (AFs) are a group of mycotoxins created as metabolic items for the most part by three types of Aspergillus including Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus and the uncommon Aspergillus nomius. Eighteen aflatoxins have been identified up to now, but only six of them have been found in food and feed. Methods: The occurrence of aflatoxins in 32 samples of roasted red skin peanut was determined using HPLC with a Chromolith column. All samples were purchased from retail shops and local markets in Mashhad city. The method was based on the extraction of samples and aflatoxins determination after post-column derivatization by Kobra Cell and fluorescence detection at excitation and emission wavelengths of 365 and 435 nm, respectively. Results: Mean levels of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2 and total aflatoxins were found to be 57.17, 2.56, 12.51, 1.42 and 85.16 ng g-1, respectively. Aflatoxins B1 (AFB1) was detected in 12 samples (37.5%) with a mean value of 57.17 ± 90.32 ng g-1 and a maximum level of 243.61 ng g-1. AFB1 levels exceeded Iran maximum tolerate limit (5 ng/g) in 7 out of 32 peanut samples. 21.8% of these peanut samples exceeded the maximum tolerate limit set for total aflatoxins by codex and Iran (15 ng g-1). Conclusion: According to the obtained results, more effort is needed to control aflatoxin levels in Mashhad’s peanut. This survey provides valuable information on aflatoxin contamination in peanut products marketed in Iran as well.

127-133

Authors: Naghmeh Ghorashi, Abbas Alavi Rad

Introduction: The national trend indicates that various provinces of Iran have experienced attaining economic growth exclusive of parallel observing a boost in CO2 emissions. It is clear that the effects of CO2 emissions on health indicators such as death rate, infant mortality, and health expenditures have been ignored by policy makers over the past decades. Methods: This study utilizes 1989-2016 panel data of the three economic sectors (agriculture, industry and services) of Iran to examine the effect of financial development on CO2 emissions using Pooled Mean Group (PMG) and Mean Group (MG) Regression techniques for the first time in previous literature in Iran. The potential impact of government size and capital stock on CO2 emissions is also analysed. Results: According to empirical results, in the long-run, government size and capital stock increase CO2 emissions, while financial development compact it. However, the results show these variables don’t have statistically significant effect on CO2 emissions in short-run. Conclusion: The study opens up new policy insights to control the environment from degradation by financial development on economic sectors. It recommends that policy makers should realize the potentiality of the financial development in minimizing the CO2 emissions. Therefore, the policy makers need to facilitate more financing at lower costs for investment in environmental projects.