SeyedAhmad SeyedAlinaghi, Behnam Farhoudi, Bahar Ataeinia, Omid Dadras, Mostafa Hosseini, Sirous Jafari, Elham Mazaheri-Tehrani, Ramin Alasvand, Mohammad Shahbazi and Minoo Mohraz
The aim of this study was to compare the defined indicators of tuberculosis (TB) control program in the intervention and control prisons, after implementation of the national…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study was to compare the defined indicators of tuberculosis (TB) control program in the intervention and control prisons, after implementation of the national clinical protocol for TB and HIV management in Iranian prisons, suggesting active health service provision in all steps of service provision.
Design/methodology/approach
This was quasi-experimental study conducted among inmates of two prisons in Iran. Great Tehran prison was purposively chosen as the intervention prison and Karaj prison was purposively chosen as control prison as well. Intervention and control prisons were compared in terms of the TB indicators within three periods (before intervention, during implementation and follow-up period) from October 2013 to June 2014.
Findings
Number of inmates with TB symptoms who underwent TB workup was four times more in intervention prison compared to control prison (9.3 vs 2.5 cases out of 1,000 inmates per month in the case prison compared to the control prison). Such difference was also significant in the intervention prison, comparing before and during the intervention period. The patient finding in case prison increased significantly after the intervention (223.6 vs 81.8 cases out of 100,000 inmates per year). The number of TB cases who received HIV testing increased from 50 to 100%.
Originality/value
Active health service provision has significantly improved indicators in the intervention prison. The authors recommend implementation of this guideline in all prisons of Iran. Integration of other diseases with high burden among prisoners is also recommended in the active health services provision.
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Fatemeh Sheikhshoaei, Nader Naghshineh, Sirous Alidousti and Maryam Nakhoda
There are many challenges in the development of a digital library (DL) and their complexity can be approached effectively with a maturity model. In a maturity model, the features…
Abstract
Purpose
There are many challenges in the development of a digital library (DL) and their complexity can be approached effectively with a maturity model. In a maturity model, the features of a phenomenon are divided into different levels and at each level, they are first improved before going on to the improvement or realization of the next level. The purpose of this study is to design a digital library maturity model (DLMM) in Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
The DLMM was designed using a qualitative approach, meta-synthesis and the Delphi technique. First, the maturity features of a DL were identified by assessing 68 sources of study concerning DLs and maturity models using meta-synthesis. The maturity features were then validated by experts using the three-round Delphi technique. Finally, the experts were asked to categorize these features into the five levels of the capability maturity model (CMM) as the base model.
Findings
By analyzing these sources, three categories, seven concepts and 35 codes for the maturity features of a DL were identified. The majority of previous studies focused on the use of hardware/software systems as the backup and empowerment of DLs and the concept of DL content. The maturity features were then validated by experts using the three-round Delphi technique. Like the base model, DLMM has five levels, and most features were categorized into the third and fourth levels by the experts. Features such as human resources, needs assessment of DL and readiness to create a DL were included in the second level.
Originality/value
This work adds the concept of the maturity model to the literature of DLs.
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Helda Tutunchi, Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi, Shiva Hoojeghani, Sirous Tabrizi, Nazila Farrin, Laleh Payahoo and Alireza Ostadrahimi
This paper aims to evaluate the prevalence of general obesity (GO) and abdominal obesity (AO) in the north-west of Iran and investigate the association with food choices and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to evaluate the prevalence of general obesity (GO) and abdominal obesity (AO) in the north-west of Iran and investigate the association with food choices and socioeconomic status (SES).
Design/methodology/approach
In this cross-sectional study, 500 subjects aged ≥ 18 years were studied. Data on their basic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, dietary habits and physical activity were collected. The authors examined the association between GO and AO with SES and food choices using multiple logistic regression analysis.
Findings
The prevalence of GO and AO was 26.6 and 43.4%, respectively. A positive association was observed between age and GO (p for trend <0.001) and AO (p for trend 0.005) in both sexes. However, a negative correlation was detected between education and income with GO and AO (p for trend <0.001). Two or more servings of fruit consumption a day were associated with lower odds of obesity. It was observed that the odds of GO and AO decreased by three or more servings of daily fruit. The consumption of dairy products in two or more servings a day led to a reduction in odds of GO and AO. The consumption of five or more servings of legumes, beans and nuts a week was associated with lower odds of GO and AO.
Originality/value
Educational attainment, greater income and a higher intake of some specific food groups were associated with lower odds of obesity in the area. More population-based investigations are required to develop effective preventive strategies to control the status of being overweight and obesity in different regions.
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Maryam Khashij, Mohammad Hossein Salmani, Arash Dalvand, Hossien Fallahzadeh, Fatemeh Haghirosadat and Mehdi Mokhtari
This paper aims to investigation of processes for Pb2+ elimination from water/wastewater as a significant public health issue in many parts of world. The removal of Pb2+ ions by…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigation of processes for Pb2+ elimination from water/wastewater as a significant public health issue in many parts of world. The removal of Pb2+ ions by various nanocomposites has been explained from water/wastewaters. ZnO-based nanocomposites, as eco-friendly nanoparticles with unique physicochemical properties, have received increased attention to remove Pb2+ ions from water/wastewaters.
Design/methodology/approach
In this review, different ZnO-based nanocomposites were reviewed for their application in the removal of Pb2+ ions from the aqueous solution, typically for wastewater treatment using methodology, such as adsorption. This review focused on the ZnO-based nanocomposites for removing Pb2+ ions from water and wastewaters systems.
Findings
The ZnO-based nanocomposite was prepared by different methods, such as electrospinning, hydrothermal/alkali hydrothermal, direct precipitation and polymerization. Depending on the preparation method, various types of ZnO-based nanocomposites like ZnO-metal (Cu/ZnO, ZnO/ZnS, ZnO/Fe), ZnO-nonmetal (PVA/ZnO, Talc/ZnO) and ZnO-metal/nonmetal (ZnO/Na-Y zeolite) were obtained with different morphologies. The effects of operational parameters and adsorption mechanisms were discussed in the review.
Research limitations/implications
The findings may be greatly useful in the application of the ZnO-based nanocomposite in the fields of organic and inorganic pollutants adsorption.
Practical implications
The present study is novel, because it investigated the morphological and structural properties of the synthesized ZnO-based nanocomposite using different methods and studied the capability of green-synthesized ZnO-based nanocomposite to remove Pb2+ ions as water contaminants.
Social implications
The current review can be used for the development of environmental pollution control measures.
Originality/value
This paper reviews the rapidly developing field of nanocomposite technology.