Health Science Reports

BACKGROUND: Genital self-image (GSI) is a major barrier to reproductive and sexual health for women. This practical randomized trial aims to evaluate the effect of psychosexual counseling based on a cognitive-behavioral approach to promoting GSI for reproductive-age married Iranian women. METHODS: Married women aged 15-49 years under the coverage of health centers will be invited to join the study. The study will be conducted using a multistage mixed method design in three phases...

BACKGROUND: Hydrocephalus or ventriculomegaly is a condition brought on by an overabundance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricular system. The major contributor to posttraumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) is traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), especially in individuals with occupations set in industrial settings. A variety of criteria have been employed for the diagnosis of PTH, including the combination of neurological symptoms like nerve deficits and headache, as well as an initial improvement followed by a worsened relapse of altered consciousness and neurological deterioration, which is detected by computed tomography-brain imaging that reveals gradual ventriculomegaly...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Early career researchers (ECRs) are a strategic sector in the academic community because they represent a scientific incubator for future academic scholars. Recently, growing evidence suggests that relevant doctoral researchers work under elevated levels of stress and frustration and that this has a significant impact on their personal health and research output and their future career development. This study aimed to analyse the well-being and mental health within ECR, focusing on coping strategies for stress, and to contribute and exploit a conceptual framework tailored to the academic context considering the specifics and challenges of academia...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Early identification and treatment of hypertension could lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases; which share the largest proportion of death. The findings of previous studies done in Ethiopia on undiagnosed hypertension were inconsistent. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of undiagnosed hypertension among adults in Ethiopia. METHODS: A protocol with registration number CRD42023395445 was registered to Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO)...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Gene polymorphisms are responsible for at least part of the variation in caries susceptibility despite similar environmental factors. Genes involved in enamel formation like matrix metalloproteinase-13 ( MMP-13 ) may participate in caries process. The aim was to investigate the association between MMP-13 rs478927 polymorphism and caries susceptibility in 6-years-old children from Birjand, Iran. METHODS: Six-years old children from Birjand, Iran, participated in this study...

BACKGROUND: As a public health concern, serious adolescent injuries constitute considerable global morbidity and mortality. Despite the proliferation of literature on this problem, the evidence on the determinants of injuries among in-school adolescents in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is insufficient. METHOD: The study analyzed data from the 2018 Global School-based Student Health Survey to examine the prevalence and determinants of serious injuries in a nationwide adolescent sample in SVG...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The number of social media users is growing with each passing day at full tilt, keeping pace with digitalization and technological advances. Despite several advantages, there are also certain negative aspects to using social networking sites (SNS) for communication, amusement, self-expression, impression management, and other purposes. This study sought to investigate the association between mental health status and flaunting behaviors in social media among the general population in Bangladesh...

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety are among the most critically recognized psychological complication of the COVID-19 pandemic. AIM: This study aimed to examine the two predictors among COVID-19 survivors in Ahvaz, Iran, in 2022. METHODOLOGY: Using a descriptive-analytical design, 347 COVID-19 survivors referred to hospitals in Ahvaz were meticulously examined. The database of the COVID-19 registration system contained primary information about the samples...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Mycobacterium tuberculosis , a bacterium that relies on its human host to achieve airborne transmission and existence, is the primary cause of tuberculosis (TB), a disease that is vital to public health. AIM: To update the society on tuberculosis diagnostic and treatment delays among patients in Uganda. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The review paper utilized different search engines, such as Pubmed Central, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and so forth, to conduct this review paper...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Traditional Mongolian Medical Education (TMME) was developed based on Manba Datsan (MD) in harmony with the Buddhist philosophy-medical system in Mongolia. It was developed intensively during the 17th-20th centuries and was interrupted for a while, but it is still a part of medical care in Mongolia, training traditional medicine doctors and nurses. Its historical roots are inextricably linked with medical and philosophical development not only among Mongolians, but also in some Oriental and Western countries...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To reduce death rates for critical patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs), coronavirus (COVID-19) lacks proven and efficient treatment methods. This cross-sectional study aims to evaluate how physicians treat severe and suspected COVID-19 patients in the ICU department in the absence of an established approach, as well as assess the rational use of the medication in the ICU department. METHODS: Between June 16, 2021, and December 10, 2022, a total of 428 prescriptions were randomly gathered, including both suspected (yellow zone) and confirmed (red zone) COVID-19 patients...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Nonsmall cell lung cancer accounts for over 85% of lung cancer incidences worldwide, and often has a poor prognosis. Proteasome inhibitors, such as bortezomib, have previously demonstrated evidence in preclinical and clinical models in the treatment of NSCLC both alone and as part of chemotherapeutic regimens. METHODS: Five databases were searched from inception to February 2023 to identify published clinical trial data and ongoing clinical trials on the use of proteasome inhibitors in treatment of NSCLC with a comprehensive search strategy...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Current clinical guidelines for treating left ventricular thrombus (LVT) are limited by inadequate evidence to inform the comparative efficacy of oral anticoagulants. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) to vitamin K antagonists (VKA) in patients with LVT. METHODS: Four standard databases were searched for relevant literature comparing the efficacy and safety between DOAC and VKA for LVT treatment, published before August 19, 2023...

INTRODUCTION: Poststernotomy mediastinitis (PSM) is a critical and life-threatening complication that can arise after cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the outcomes of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) and conventional methods in the management of mediastinitis following heart surgery with a focus on Asian populations. METHODS: For this retrospective study, we included and evaluated a total of 34 patients who had undergone cardiac operations between January 2011 and September 2021 and developed PSM...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a devastating illness and primary cause of death worldwide that arises from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Several large-scale studies found that 9p21.3, superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), and paraoxonase 1 (PON1) polymorphisms increase type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and/or coronary artery disease (CAD) risk. Our research aimed to investigate whether the SNPs of the 9p21.3 locus (rs28911698), SOD2 (rs4880), and PON1 (rs662) genes were associated with the risk of T2DM and/or CAD in the Iranian population...

Prehospital care (PHC) is critical to the comprehensive and effective functioning of a healthcare system. Given the disproportionate burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases in low-income nations, its significance cannot be understated. In spite of this, many of these nations lack a comprehensive PHC system. Setting up a cost-effective PHC system in this environment can be difficult and necessitate a variety of stakeholders at various healthcare delivery system levels. Therefore, it is necessary to consider these anticipated barriers and identify feasible solutions for its execution...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Experiencing nausea leads to decreased self-esteem and social isolation in hemodialysis patients and affects all aspects of their quality of life. Nausea and vomiting make hemodialysis unpleasant for patients leading to premature termination of hemodialysis. Therefore, based on this necessity, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of hemodialysis with cool dialysate on nausea in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: In this clinical trial, 60 eligible patients receiving hemodialysis were randomly assigned to the control (30 participants) and intervention (30 participants) groups...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The use of lidocaine aerosol for pediatric tonsil and adenoidectomy has been reported less frequently. We hope to improve the perioperative comfort of pediatric patients undergoing these procedures by applying lidocaine aerosol. METHODS: A total of 122 pediatric patients receiving tonsil and adenoidectomy were randomly divided into a lidocaine aerosol group (Group L) and a saline group (Group C), with 61 patients in each group; 2.4% alkaline lidocaine aerosol and saline were sprayed in the pharynx before induction...