Sima Mirzaei Moghadam, Hassan Mahmoodi, Farzaneh Zaheri and Azad Shokri
The aim of this study is to investigate the gender inequalities in perceived stress and the influencing factors in infertile couples in Iranian society.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to investigate the gender inequalities in perceived stress and the influencing factors in infertile couples in Iranian society.
Design/methodology/approach
This cross-sectional study was conducted on infertile couples who were referring to Kurdistan Infertility Diagnosis and Treatment Medical Center in 2019. Demographic and clinical information questionnaire, Newton's Infertility perceived stress questionnaire, Rosenberg's standard self-confidence questionnaire and the multidimensional scale of social support were used. Multiple linear logistic models were also used.
Findings
A total of 560 couples (1,120 people) participated in the study. The average perceived infertility-related stress, self-esteem scores and social support and social-emotional loneliness were 173.95 ± 41.87, 13.99 ± 2.29 and 27.81 ± 7.33, respectively, which were significantly different scores across infertility cause and sex (P < 0.05). Males compared to females had lower perceived infertility-related stress (169.93 ± 42.51 vs 177.97 ± 40.86, P = 0.001) and self-esteem scores (14.33 ± 2.29 vs 13.66 ± 2.24, P < 0.001) and social support and social-emotional loneliness (32.92 ± 9.31 vs 30.94 ± 9.04, P < 0.001). The partners who reported themselves as infertile, compared significantly higher in perceived infertility-related stress than those who reported their spouse being infertile (194.24 ± 35.33 vs 141.90 ± 39.28), lower self-esteem scores (12.77 ± 2.21 vs 13.94 ± 1.56) and social support and social-emotional loneliness score (27.81 ± 7.33 vs 30.11 ± 7.70). Also, after taking potential confounders into account with increase in each score of self-esteem, 12.19 units of stress decreases (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 11.40–12.99) and with increase in each score of social support and social-emotional loneliness, 3.45 units of stress decreases (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 3.28–3.63).
Originality/value
There is perceived stress among infertile couples, and this rate is higher among infertile people and women. Therefore, it seems that specific intervention programs for infertile couples should be implemented based on the results of this study, and their stress levels in a way that self-esteem and support for both partners be increased and the perceived stress among women and infertile individuals be decreased.
Details
Keywords
Hehshmatollah Asadi, Omid Barati, Ali Garavand, Yaser Joyani, Masoumeh Bagheri Kahkesh, Nasim Afsarimanesh, Mehrdad Seifi and Azad Shokri
This study aims to identify health workforce challenges at Iranian hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify health workforce challenges at Iranian hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
This was a conventional content analysis study conducted in 2020. The population consisted of the managers (heads of hospitals, managers and matrons) and staff (nurses, physicians, etc.) of eligible hospitals. The participants were selected using purposive sampling, and data saturation was achieved after 28 interviews. The data were analyzed in MAXQDA10.
Findings
In total, 28 interviews were conducted with 10 women and 18 men. The challenges of hospital human resources were categorized into five main themes and 15 sub-themes. The main themes were the shortage of human resources, burnout, the need to acquire new knowledge and skills, the employees’ health and safety and the reward system.
Originality/value
Identification of challenges faced by human resources is the first step toward preventing human force shortage and psychological problems in the personnel. Implementing the recommendations of the present study would assist the proper management of hospitals’ human resources.
Details
Keywords
Azad Shokri, Ghobad Moradi, Amjad Mohamadi Bolbanabad, Mitra Satary, Mahin Shabrandi, Parsa Sadeghkhani, Aram Mohammadi, Armin Ghorishi, Ronak Veisy, Arshad Veysi, Bakhtiar Piroozi, Shina Amiri Hoseini, Sonia Darvishi and Heshmatollah Asadi
The purpose of the study is to investigate the perceived stigma among residents of Sanandaj, west of Iran, following COVID-19 pandemic.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to investigate the perceived stigma among residents of Sanandaj, west of Iran, following COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a cross-sectional study conducted from March to April 2020. The sample consisted of 1,000 participants who live in Sanandaj. The data collection tool was a self-report electronic questionnaire. ANOVA and T-test were used to analyze the data.
Findings
The mean perceived stigma for COVID-19 was 5.50±2.24 (IQR: 3.75–6.87) out of 10-point scale. The highest point was seen for perceived external stigma (6.73±2.49, IQR: 5–8.75) followed by disclosure stigma (4.95±3.92, IQR: 0–10). Interestingly, self-employers were more concerned about disclosing their illness than those with governmental jobs (25±3.93 vs. 4.31±4.14, P<0.05), and also had an overall higher stigma score; 5.72±2.23 vs. 5.19±2.37, P<0.05).
Originality/value
COVID-19 stigma is high among Iranians and more common among men, youngsters and self-employers.
Details
Keywords
Bakhtiar Piroozi, Azad Shokri, Hossein Safari, Amjad Mohammadi Bolbanabad, Siroos Hematpour, Ramyar Rahimi, Jalil Adabi and Jamal Mahmodpour
Responsiveness is one of the key components of good governance and one of the ultimate goals of health systems. The purpose of this study was to investigate the importance and…
Abstract
Purpose
Responsiveness is one of the key components of good governance and one of the ultimate goals of health systems. The purpose of this study was to investigate the importance and level of health system responsiveness (HSR) from the perspective of people with disabilities in Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
This cross-sectional study was carried out using multi-stage sampling in Kurdistan province in 2020. Of 1,067 participants, 889 and 520 had used outpatient and inpatient services, respectively. HSR questionnaire developed by World Health Organization was completed.
Findings
The dimensions of prompt attention (97%) and social support (81%) were the most and the least important dimensions for the respondents, respectively. In general, 43.6% of the respondents reported a “poor” status for HSR.
Research limitations/implications
Designing targeted interventions to increase the level of health system responsiveness, especially with a focus on dimensions that are important to respondents but have weak performance, such as communication, confidentiality and autonomy, is suggested based on the findings of this study.
Originality/value
This is the first study performed on HSR from the perspective of people with disabilities in Iran. The findings of this study could be of interest to health policy makers to understand and improve healthcare experiences for marginalized populations globally.
Details
Keywords
Vahid Shokri Kahi, Saeed Yousefi, Hadi Shabanpour and Reza Farzipoor Saen
The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel network and dynamic data envelopment analysis (DEA) model for evaluating sustainability of supply chains. In the proposed model…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel network and dynamic data envelopment analysis (DEA) model for evaluating sustainability of supply chains. In the proposed model, all links can be considered in calculation of efficiency score.
Design/methodology/approach
A dynamic DEA model to evaluate sustainable supply chains in which networks have series structure is proposed. Nature of free links is defined and subsequently applied in calculating relative efficiency of supply chains. An additive network DEA model is developed to evaluate sustainability of supply chains in several periods. A case study demonstrates applicability of proposed approach.
Findings
This paper assists managers to identify inefficient supply chains and take proper remedial actions for performance optimization. Besides, overall efficiency scores of supply chains have less fluctuation. By utilizing the proposed model and determining dual-role factors, managers can plan their supply chains properly and more accurately.
Research limitations/implications
In real world, managers face with big data. Therefore, we need to develop an approach to deal with big data.
Practical implications
The proposed model offers useful managerial implications along with means for managers to monitor and measure efficiency of their production processes. The proposed model can be applied in real world problems in which decision makers are faced with multi-stage processes such as supply chains, production systems, etc.
Originality/value
For the first time, the authors present additive model of network-dynamic DEA. For the first time, the authors outline the links in a way that carry-overs of networks are connected in different periods and not in different stages.
Details
Keywords
Yasaman Zibaei Vishghaei, Sohrab Kordrostami, Alireza Amirteimoori and Soheil Shokri
Assessing inputs and outputs is a significant aspect of taking decisions while there are complex and multistage processes in many examinations. Due to the presence of interval…
Abstract
Purpose
Assessing inputs and outputs is a significant aspect of taking decisions while there are complex and multistage processes in many examinations. Due to the presence of interval performance measures in various real-world studies, the purpose of this study is to address the changes of interval inputs of two-stage processes for the perturbations of interval outputs of two-stage systems, given that the overall efficiency scores are maintained.
Design/methodology/approach
Actually, an interval inverse two-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) model is proposed to plan resources. To illustrate, an interval two-stage network DEA model with external interval inputs and outputs and also its inverse problem are suggested to estimate the upper and lower bounds of the entire efficiency and the stages efficiency along with the variations of interval inputs.
Findings
An example from the literature and a real case study of the banking industry are applied to demonstrate the introduced approach. The results show the proposed approach is suitable to estimate the resources of two-stage systems when interval measures are presented.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no study to estimate the fluctuation of imprecise inputs related to network structures for the changes of imprecise outputs while the interval efficiency of network processes is maintained. Accordingly, this paper considers the resource planning problem when there are imprecise and interval measures in two-stage networks.
Details
Keywords
Shokoofa Mostofi, Sohrab Kordrostami, Amir Hossein Refahi Sheikhani, Marzieh Faridi Masouleh and Soheil Shokri
This study aims to improve the detection and quantification of cardiac issues, which are a leading cause of mortality globally. By leveraging past data and using knowledge mining…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to improve the detection and quantification of cardiac issues, which are a leading cause of mortality globally. By leveraging past data and using knowledge mining strategies, this study seeks to develop a technique that could assess and predict the onset of cardiac sickness in real time. The use of a triple algorithm, combining particle swarm optimization (PSO), artificial bee colony (ABC) and support vector machine (SVM), is proposed to enhance the accuracy of predictions. The purpose is to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on cardiac disease prognosis and improve overall performance in health care.
Design/methodology/approach
This research uses a knowledge-mining strategy to enhance the detection and quantification of cardiac issues. Decision trees are used to form predictions of cardiovascular disorders, and these predictions are evaluated using training data and test results. The study has also introduced a novel triple algorithm that combines three different combination processes: PSO, ABC and SVM to process and merge the data. A neural network is then used to classify the data based on these three approaches. Real data on various aspects of cardiac disease are incorporated into the simulation.
Findings
The results of this study suggest that the proposed triple algorithm, using the combination of PSO, ABC and SVM, significantly improves the accuracy of predictions for cardiac disease. By processing and merging data using the triple algorithm, the neural network was able to effectively classify the data. The incorporation of real data on various aspects of cardiac disease in the simulation further enhanced the findings. This research contributes to the existing knowledge on cardiac disease prognosis and highlights the potential of leveraging past data for strategic forecasting in the health-care sector.
Originality/value
The originality of this research lies in the development of the triple algorithm, which combines multiple data mining strategies to improve prognosis accuracy for cardiac diseases. This approach differs from existing methods by using a combination of PSO, ABC, SVM, information gain, genetic algorithms and bacterial foraging optimization with the Gray Wolf Optimizer. The proposed technique offers a novel and valuable contribution to the field, enhancing the competitive position and overall performance of businesses in the health-care sector.
Details
Keywords
Changiz Valmohammadi and Ali Ghassemi
The purpose of this paper is to identify the barriers of knowledge management (KM) implementation in Alborz Province industrial Parks Corporation and prioritize them using fuzzy…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the barriers of knowledge management (KM) implementation in Alborz Province industrial Parks Corporation and prioritize them using fuzzy analytical network process (FANP).
Design/methodology/approach
Through an in-depth review of the literature on KM and researcher findings from observations and interviews with experts, the main barriers of KM implementation, namely, organizational culture, organizational structure, human resource, technology and miscellaneous factors along with their related factors in the surveyed organization were identified. Then, based on the information gathered, an expert questionnaire was developed. Finally, the priority of each main barrier and their sub-factors were determined using FANP.
Findings
The results show that human resource and organizational culture factors with the weights of 0.66 and 0.22, respectively, have the highest ranking and therefore are the most important barriers. The technology factor with the weight of 0.00002 is the least important barrier in implementing KM in the surveyed corporation.
Research limitations/implications
One of the limitations of this study is the generalizability of the findings, which may be limited by the single case study method used.
Originality/value
There are fewer studies about KM barriers specifically with a focus on prioritizing them in organizations, especially in the context of Iran as a developing country. This study develops a comprehensive and solid mathematical technique to prioritize the identified barriers of KM implementation in the context of Iran.
Details
Keywords
Tayebeh Nikraftar and Reza Shokri
The purpose of this paper is, at first, to reveal the present concourse about barriers to coordination in government web then collect the dominant concourse about barriers to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is, at first, to reveal the present concourse about barriers to coordination in government web then collect the dominant concourse about barriers to alignment along the web of governmental machinery from the perspective of Iranian practitioners and scholars. Strengthening the coordination of government machinery is one of the purposes of the Iranian Government, but one of the important influences on coordination in government is the attitudes and perceptions of governing elites.
Design/methodology/approach
This study combines the strengths of both the qualitative and quantitative research traditions. It entails a set of sequential steps which involve the generation of ideas about the research topics; a sample of statements representative of different views (dominant concourse) was selected from the 107 statements (present concourse) mentioned above based on a two-round Delphi technique.
Findings
The statements of this concourse are organized in two main categories: policy and administrative barriers. Researchers utilized the Delphi technique to identify the 73 most important statements concerning the diversity of opinion within the present concourse.
Research limitations
Generalization of findings is not a major concern of this study, and selection of the sample in this study is not based on random sampling.
Practical implications
The paper includes implications for improving coordination in the Iranian Government. The results of this study have implications for policymakers to reform the government machinery and design mechanism for better performance.
Originality/value
This paper fulfills an identified need to study solutions for removing barriers to coordination in government. It proposed e-government as one mechanism for removing these barriers and strengthening consensus in Iranian Government machinery.
Details
Keywords
Behrouz Raftari, Heidar Khosravi and Ahmet Yildirim
The purpose of this paper is to obtain approximate analytical solution of the second order hyperbolic telegraph equation with initial conditions, by the homotopy analysis method…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to obtain approximate analytical solution of the second order hyperbolic telegraph equation with initial conditions, by the homotopy analysis method (HAM).
Design/methodology/approach
The HAM solutions contain an auxiliary parameter which provides a convenient way of controlling the convergence region of the series solutions.
Findings
Approximate analytical solution of the second order hyperbolic telegraph equation with initial conditions is obtained by the HAM. The HAM solutions contain an auxiliary parameter which provides a convenient way of controlling the convergence region of the series solutions.
Originality/value
In this work, approximate analytical solution of the second order hyperbolic telegraph equation with initial conditions is obtained by the HAM. To show the efficiency of the present method, several examples are presented.