Iranian Journal of Public Health最新文献

Background: We aimed to conduct a systematic evaluation of the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion in treating insomnia, and to provide evidence-based guidance for clinical practice.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed, CNKI, and other databases to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and clinical controlled trials of acupuncture or moxibustion for the treatment of insomnia. The search was conducted up to May 2025. The articles were screened based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and the quality of the literature was assessed using the Cochrane 5.1.0 bias risk assessment tool. Meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.4 software.

Results: A total of 1215 subjects were included in 25 relevant articles. Meta-analysis demonstrated that acupuncture or moxibustion significantly increased treatment effectiveness (odds ratio [OR] =4.94, 95% CI: 3.52-6.92, P<0.00001) while substantially reducing symptom scores: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (weighted mean difference [WMD] =3.81, 95% CI: 2.95-4.66, P<0.00001), Self-rating Depression Scale (WMD=10.77, 95% CI: 5.43-16.11, P<0.00001), and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (WMD=8.25, 95% CI: 4.21-12.28, P<0.00001). The incidence of adverse reactions was relatively low.

Conclusion: Acupuncture or moxibustion therapy demonstrates potential advantages in the treatment of insomnia and warrants further investigation in a clinical setting.

Since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, personal protective equipment, particularly face masks, has been central to infection control and reducing associated mortality. Global mask mandates, combined with widespread vaccination, helped curb peak pandemic phases. In 2023, the WHO reclassified COVID-19 as an ongoing health priority rather than an emergency, prompting reassessment of mask policies in healthcare settings. Yet, hospitals remain high-risk, especially with the concurrent "triple epidemic" of COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus. This review summarizes current evidence on mask efficacy, adherence, and policy changes to determine whether, when, and under what conditions mask use can be safely eased in clinical settings.

Background: Outbreaks of waterborne and foodborne illnesses arise from the consumption of contaminated food or water. Factors contributing to these outbreaks include improper food storage, inadequate hygiene during food preparation, and environmental contamination. This descriptive-analytical study aimed to investigate the epidemiology and time series modeling of waterborne and foodborne disease outbreaks in West Azerbaijan Province from Jan 2016 to Dec 2023.

Methods: Data recorded in the health deputy's portal system were utilized for analysis. The variables examined included age, sex, number of patients, hospitalizations, fatalities, presenting symptoms, and spatial and geographical data related to the outbreaks. Box-Jenkins models were employed for time series analysis. Descriptive statistics were computed using SPSS 26 software, while modeling was conducted using R Studio 2021.09.2 and Minitab 22.2.1 software.

Results: During the study period, 1306 outbreaks were reported, resulting in 2686 cases of illness, 792 hospitalizations, and 7 fatalities. The causative agent of waterborne and foodborne outbreaks was identified through laboratory testing in 43% the cases. Entamoeba histolytica (31%) was the most commonly identified pathogen, followed by E. coli (27%), and Shigella (18%). The most common locations of outbreaks were in cities (57.9%) and at home (86.9%). The ARIMA(0,0,0)(1,0,0)12 model was determined to be the most effective model for predicting future cases.

Conclusion: Water- and foodborne diseases pose a significant threat due to their rapid spread, with incidence rates increasing from 5.25 per 100,000 (2016) to 9.51 per 100,000 (2023). Fruits, juices, meat, and drinking water were primary contamination sources. Public education on food handling and safe water access are crucial for reducing disease transmission.

Background: We conducted a systematic review which aimed to assess acceptability of implanon used based on reported side effects, continuation rates and user satisfaction in Muslim-majority Asian countries.

Methods: We followed PRISMA guideline and searched SCOPUS and Medline databases for original articles that dealt with implanon, conducted in Muslim-majority Asian countries and had either continuation rates or side effects or satisfaction rate. The risk of bias of the selected studies was assessed using ROBINS-I V2 Risk of Bias tool.

Results: The literature search successfully identified 7 potentially relevant articles, whereby 5 of them met the inclusion criteria. 5 articles were retained in the final synthesis with 619 total participants. Implanon's documented side effects such as menstrual irregularity and weight gain, is tolerable due to its high efficacy. Implanon has low discontinuation rates among users and has a high satisfaction rate.

Conclusion: Implanon is widely accepted in Muslim-majority Asian countries with a positive impact on family planning.

Reviewing the research trends of technology adoption in tourism in reaction to the recent global health crisis provides insights into the evolution of the academic discourse of this topic and the role of technology adoption, especially in terms of attaining sustainability. This narrative review was conducted to explore the patterns of technology adoption in tourism in response to the health crisis. The findings reveal a growing scholarly focus on this topic, as well as geographical, methodological, and theoretical concentrations. Technology adoption was seen as the immediate reaction to the crisis and a tool to ensure sustainability by facilitating resilience and recovery after the pandemic. The review highlights the dual role of technology in emergency response and long-term sectoral resilience. However, ethical and structural challenges remain, necessitating better governance of tech integration in tourism.

Background: The importance of the role of nurse technicians lies in the fact that they are becoming the main providers of health care for psychiatric patients, in addition to providing them with appropriate care. We aimed to examine predictors of quality of life of nurse technicians caring for psychiatric patients.

Methods: The sample consisted of 260 nurse technicians caring for psychiatric patients at the Special Hospital for Psychiatric Diseases "Dr Slavoljub Bakalović" in Vršac and the Special Hospital for Psychiatric Diseases in Kovin, Serbia. The following instruments were used in the study: a questionnaire to collect sociodemographic characteristics, the World Health Organization Quality of Life Self-Assessment Questionnaire - Short Version, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, the Brief Resilience Scale, and the Fatigue Assessment Scale - FAS Serbian and the Zarit Stress Interview.

Results: On the physical and mental aspects of the quality of life of medical technicians, the greatest negative impact is the physical aspect of fatigue (P=0.036) and anxiety (P=0.017), and the positive impact is the number of household members (P=0.001). On the environmental aspect of the quality of life, the greatest negative impact is the burden of caregivers (P=0.000).

Conclusion: Due to unique working environment of care-giving medical nurses, the quality of life has become very considering aspect. Fatigue, stress, anxiety can have a cumulative effect of those individuals, and lead to the burnout syndrome.

Background: Prostate cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death among men worldwide, with an estimated 375,304 deaths in 2020 and a mortality rate of 7.7 deaths per 100,000. It stands as the leading cause of cancer mortality in 48 countries. We aimed to analyze the prostate cancer mortality trend in Montenegro for the period 1990-2018 using regression techniques.

Methods: The data concerning prostate cancer mortality in Montenegro from 1990 to 2018 was collected. Mortality rates were age-standardized to the World Standard Population for estimating both overall and gender-specific trends. The joinpoint, linear and Poason regression were applied for trend assessment.

Results: In Montenegro, during the period from 1990 to 2018, 1,184 individuals died from prostate cancer. The average annual number of deaths was 40.8, with an average age-standardized rate of 8.3. For the period 1990-2018, rates statistically significantly increased on average by 2.4% annually [AAPC (95%CI)=2.4% (1.4-3.4); P<0.001]. An increase in mortality rates was observed among individuals aged 65-74 by 1.1%, which was not statistically significant (P=0.452), and among those aged 75-84 by 2.7%, which was statistically significant [AAPC (95%CI)=2.7% (1.3-4.1); P<0.001]. Almost 50% of all deaths occurred in men aged 75-84, and nearly a third in the age group 65-74.

Conclusion: The rising trend in prostate cancer mortality indicates the need for more effective prevention, screening, early diagnosis, and treatment measures for prostate cancer in Montenegro with special focus on older men.

Background: Short-video addiction is prevalent among adolescents and threatens their development. This study aimed to examine the relationships among physical exercise, self-control, subjective emptiness, and short-video addiction in adolescents and the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: A total of 889 adolescents were recruited from 3 middle schools in Zhejiang Province, China. Data collection was conducted from April to June 2025 using a questionnaire.

Results: The mean score of short-video addiction in adolescents was 3.01; physical exercise was negatively correlated with short-video addiction (r=-0.626, P<0.001); self-control (effect=-0.106, 95% CI [-0.175, -0.047]) and subjective emptiness (effect=-0.360, 95% CI [-0.492, -0.260]) mediated the relationship between physical exercise and short-video addiction; and the chain mediation model shaped by self-control and subjective emptiness had a statistically significant effect (effect=-0.064, 95% CI [-0.115, -0.025]).

Conclusion: Physical exercise contributes to mitigating short-video addiction in adolescents by enhancing self-control and alleviating psychological emptiness. Relevant interventions should integrate physical activities to improve adolescents' self-management abilities, satisfy their psychological needs, and lay a foundation for the prevention and treatment of this addictive behavior.

Background: Poorly sleeping is a common problem for heart failure patients and can significantly decrease their quality of life. Among heart failure patients, the widespread issue of poor sleep quality can lead to a diminished quality of life. The present study aimed to review systematically the evidence focused on the determinants of sleep quality factors in heart failure patients.

Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search for observational studies in both English- and Persian-language databases from Feb 1991 to Jan 2023. The search strategy included keywords such as "sleep quality" and "heart failure" and risk factors. All screening and extraction steps were carried out by two researchers.

Results: The initial search yielded 10,357 articles. After screening, 37 studies (30 cross-sectional studies, 1 longitudinal study, 2 correlational studies, 1 prospective observational study, 2 case-control studies and 1 descriptive-analytical study) were included. We categorized the identified factors as demographic, habits and lifestyle, medication use, and psychological. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is the most commonly used sleep quality assessment tool.

Conclusion: Mental health-related and lifestyle factors such as depression, fatigue, female sex, and high BMI play important roles in disrupting sleep quality. In addition, it is necessary to develop new assessment tools for sleep quality specified for HF patients.