Background: Health literacy is one of the most important determinants of noncommunicable diseases prevention. Health literacy is associated with elevated risks for poorer access to care, adverse health outcomes, and increased hospitalization and health costs. Aims: This study aimed to determine the level of health literacy among the general adult population in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study during 2014-2015 with a multistage cluster sampling approach, we administered a pilot-tested standardized questionnaire to assess different domains of health literacy (i.e., reading, comprehension, communication/decision-making and Interpretation/judgment skills, individual and social empowerment, health information access and health information use) among 8439 (3935 males) individuals aged 18-60 years. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics and multivariable linear regression method using SPSS (20) were applied to identify the factors associated with health literacy among Iranian adults. Results: The mean health literacy level was 10.2±3.8 (out of 20). Only 18% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 17.15-18.78) of the participants had adequate health literacy, while 45.7% (95% CI: 44.64-46.78) had inadequate, and the 36.3% (95% CI: 35.21-37.33) had moderate health literacy. In the adjusted linear regression model, education level (the smallest β = 4.35, P < 0.001), age (β = 0.01, P = 0.002), female sex (β = 0.45, P < 0.001), residency in rural areas (β = 0.26, P < 0.001) and having permanent job (β = 1.03, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with more health literacy. Conclusion: Our findings highlighted that the Iranian adult population has an insufficient level of health literacy, which calls for comprehensive education planning to improve the levels, with special attention to certain subpopulations (e.g. illiterate populations) and domains (e.g. individual empowerment).

Background: Stigmatizing attitudes among healthcare providers are an important barrier to accessing services among people living with HIV (PLHIV). This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the status and correlates of HIV-related stigma among healthcare providers in Kerman, Iran. Methods: Using a validated and pilot-tested stigma scale questionnaire, we measured HIV-related stigma among 400 healthcare providers recruited from three teaching hospitals (n=363), private sectors (n=28), and the only voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) center (n=9) in Kerman city. Data were gathered using self-administered questionnaires at participants’ workplace during Fall 2016. To examine the correlates of stigmatizing attitudes, we constructed bivariable and multivariable linear regression models. Results: The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of stigma score was 25.95 ± 7.20 out of the possible 50, with higher scores reflecting more stigmatizing attitudes. Paramedics, nurses’ aides, and housekeeping staff had the highest, and VCT personnel had the lowest average stigma scores, respectively. Multivariable regression analyses showed that prior experience of working with PLHIV (β=-2.48; P=.03), exposure to HIV-related educational courses (β=-2.03; P=.02), and <10 years of work experience (β=-2.70; P<.001) were associated with lower stigma scores. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the need for health managers to provide training opportunities for healthcare providers, including programs that focus on improving HIV-related knowledge for healthcare providers. Enforcing policies that aim to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination among healthcare providers in Iran are urgently needed.

There are increasing concerns regarding the toxic effects of chlorpyrifos (CPF) on human health. Curcumin (CUR) is a yellow pigment isolated from turmeric ground rhizome of Curcuma longa Linn., which has been identified as an antioxidant agent. This study was designed to examine the protective effect of CUR and vitamin E (Vit E) on CPF-induced lung toxicity. Rats were divided into seven groups: control, CPF (13.5 mg/kg, orally), CPF + CUR (100 and 300 mg/kg, respectively, orally), CPF + α-tocopherol (Vit E, 150 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), CPF and CUR (100 and 300 mg/kg, respectively) in combination with α-tocopherol. The regimens were administered once daily for 28 days. At the end of the treatment period, lungs were collected for evaluation of oxidative factors and histopathological parameters. CUR and Vit E led to a decrease in lipid peroxidation in the lungs of the CPF-injected animals (48% and 51%, respectively). Glutathione peroxidase inhibited by CPF (91.9 nmol/min/mg protein) was induced again by CUR and Vit E (167.1 and 171.8 nmol/min/mg protein). CUR and Vit E caused a significant induction of superoxide dismutase (103.4 U/mg protein). Catalase activity almost returned to normalcy in CPF-intoxicated rats subjected to CUR + Vit E treatment ( p < 0.001). Lung sections from CPF-treated rats displayed histopathological damages, while coadministration of CUR and Vit E resulted in apparently normal morphology with a significant decrease in injuries ( p < 0.05). Our findings revealed that coadministration of Vit E and CUR to CPF-treated animals prevents the oxidative damages in the lung tissues.

BackgroundThe high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level has been shown to have a significant role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis. Low vitamin D levels have been shown to be correlated with dyslipidemia, but limited data exist on indigenous children.ObjectivesWe aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on HDL-C levels in school-aged Iranian children.MethodsIn this prospective controlled clinical trial, 47 healthy children (23 boys) aged 10 - 14 years, students of Birjand (Iran) elementary schools, were selected and randomly divided into two groups. The study group received a vitamin D supplement (1000 mg capsule) daily for one month, and placebo tablets were prescribed to the controls. Before and after the treatment course, the serum HDL-C and 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels of both groups were measured. The data were analyzed by SPSS, ver. 16, and Chi-square tests, Fisher’s exact test, paired-sample t-tests, and Pearson’s correlation were used, wherever appropriate. The significance level was set at P < 0.05.ResultsForty children completed the study; their mean age was 11.5 ± 1.175 years. The mean serum levels of both HDL-C and vitamin D showed a significant rise following the treatment in the study group (P = 0.007 and P < 0.001, respectively), whereas both variables decreased slightly in the control group (P = 0.27). There was no statistically significant difference in the mean serum levels of HDL-C and vitamin D between the two groups after the intervention (P = 0.11 and P = 0.20, respectively).ConclusionsVitamin D supplements seem to have a positive impact on serum HDL-C levels and may be effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases in the long term.

Due to the high rate of drug resistance among malignant melanoma cases, it seems necessary to introduce an efficient pharmaceutical approach to melanoma treatment. For this purpose, Curcumin (Cur) and Chrysin (Chr), two natural anti-cancers, were co-encapsulated in PLGA-PEG nanoparticles (NPs), characterized by DLS, FTIR and FE-SEM and investigated for their effects on MMPs, TIMPs and TERT genes expression in C57B16 mice bearing B16F10 melanoma tumours. The results showed that the expression of MMP-9, MMP-2 and TERT genes were significantly decreased in all treated groups compared to the control. This reduction had the highest amount in CurChr NPs group and then CurChr group for each three genes. Likewise, the expression of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 genes was significantly increased in all treated groups, compared to the control. Combination groups showed the highest rise in expression of these two genes and the observed increase was greater in nano groups. Moreover, the highest melanoma tumour growth inhibition was detected for CurChr NPs, followed by CurChr = Cur NPs > Cur > Chr NP > Chr. Overall, it is speculated that the nano-combination of Cur and Chr into polymeric NPs with a one-step fabricated co-delivery system may be a promising and convenient approach to improve their efficiency in melanoma cancer therapy.