Journal of Occupational Health and Epidemiology

157-164

Authors: M Khorsandi , N Sharafkhani * , M Shamsi , M Ranjbaran

Background: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is an important occupational injury. Musculoskeletal injuries, especially CLBP, are prevalent in the nurses, and can lead to reduced productivity, work absenteeism, and work disability. The purpose of this study was to determine nurses' knowledge of the risk factors of low back pain (LBP) and their self-efficacy in coping with the risk factors, and to evaluate CLBP preventive behaviors in nurses. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional research was performed on 133 nurses selected randomly from 3 government hospitals affiliated with Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran. The data collection tool was a questionnaire on demographic characteristics, knowledge, self-efficacy, and practice of the nursing staff in CLBP preventive behaviors. Data was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical methods and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results: The mean age of the nurses was 32.1 ± 5.3. Our findings showed that in terms of LBP the nursing staff had average level of knowledge with a mean score of 60.2 ± 19.69 out of 100, average level of self-efficacy with a mean score of 55.9 ± 10.6 out of 100, and poor practice with a mean score of 43.9 ± 6.9 out of 100. The correlation between knowledge, and self-efficacy and practice was not significant, but self-efficacy showed a significant correlation with practice and being married (P < 0.05). Conclusions: According to our study, most participants lacked appropriate knowledge, self-efficacy, and practice with regard to CLBP preventive behaviors. Since back pain strongly affects the performance and service quality of the caregivers, the Iranian Ministry of Health and the related universities should make necessary educational and managerial arrangements to present educational programs aimed at CLBP prevention in the form of university courses, posters, films, workshops, and etcetera.

174-182

Authors: MH Beheshti , R Hajizadeh *

Background: The employees of welfare centers, due to the special conditions of their work, may be exposed to excessive occupational stress and workload. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of workload and occupational stress on the general health of female employees of public welfare centers. Materials and Methods: This was a correlational research on 63 female employees of 3 welfare centers. The data were collected using the Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI), NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software by computing the Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients and the stepwise regression. Results: The general health score of 66% of staff of the welfare centers was higher than the cutoff point, as limit determinant of health and non-health. Among the different dimensions of general health, social disorders obtained the highest score; 74% of staff had social problems. The workload score of 12% of women was higher than 70 (high workload) and the workload score of 71.42% of women was between 40 and 70 (intermediate). Mean score of General Health Care of mentally ill disabled, and elderly employees was, respectively, 21.12, 27.21, and 24.90. The Occupational Stress Inventory score of the study population was 151.04, indicating that welfare employees were not exposed to high rates of stress in their work environment. Conclusions: The results of the study suggest that authorities should pay special attention to ergonomics factors affecting the general health of welfare employees, especially with respect to social disorders. Moreover, personality traits should also be considered in employing of individuals

188-194

Authors: Z Salem , M Sheikh Fathollahi * , Z Hashemi , M Shahabinejad

Background: It seems that weight gain and body composition changes occur during the first year of college. The aim of this study was the comparison of body composition among freshmen medical sciences students one term after entering Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, South East of Iran. Materials and Methods: All freshmen medicine (n = 73) and nursing-midwifery students (n = 57) of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences who had registered for the fall of 2013 were participated in this descriptive study. After obtaining written consents from the participants, their demographic information was collected. Then, using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), body composition of all the students was measured and recorded. Data were analyzed using independent two-sample t-test, paired t-test, and Wilcoxon signed-ranks test. Results: The difference between medical and nursing/midwifery students in terms of changes in body fat percentage (1.92 ± 2.87 versus -0.29 ± 2.21, respectively) (P < 0.001) and body water content (-0.13 ± 1.34 versus 0.35 ± 1.20, respectively) (P = 0.038) was statistically significant. Moreover, the difference in changes of fat free mass was statistically significant across the two groups (P = 0.026). Body fat percentage had decreased in the native students compared to the nonnatives (P < 0.001). The frequency of students with malnutrition and minimum fat percentage criteria had decreased, while it had increased to the recommended range at the end of the first semester. Conclusions: There was a statistically significant difference between medical and nursing/midwifery students in terms of fat percentage, fat free mass, and total body water content. It seems that the differences between the two groups might be because of being native or nonnative students.

203-207

Authors: M Rezaeian *

Background: We are living in an era in which different branches of science are growing very rapidly. Therefore, retrieving and summarizing all new valid findings on a specific subject is one of the most important priorities of scientists. The aim of the present article is to categorize different review studies within the health domain based on their approach to retrieving and summarizing original findings. Methods: The most relevant articles have been selected and summarized in order to accomplish the aim of the study. Results: Narrative reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses from published data, and individual participant data meta-analyses are different types of review studies. More recently, prospectively planned pooled analyses have also been introduced. Conclusions: Diverse types of review studies have been developed one by one over the course of time based on their approaches to retrieving and summarizing original findings. Therefore, they have their own especial applications and scientists of different disciplines need to know their advantages and disadvantages.