IntroductionHealthcare-associated infections (HAIs) affect millions of patients worldwide annually. Hand hygiene (HH) has been identified as the single most important factor preventing HAIs. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge regarding hand hygiene practices amongst health care workers, and identifying the areas of gaps in their knowledge.MethodsThis cross-sectional analytic study was conducted in two university hospitals in Mashhad, Iran between May 2014 and September 2015. Data was collected using a translated version of the World Health Organization (WHO) Hand Hygiene Knowledge Questionnaire (revised 2009). The questionnaire contained questions on the participants’ age, gender, profession, year of the course, formal training in HH and 27 multiple choice and “yes” or “no” questions to assess HH knowledge. Data were entered into IBM SPSS Statistics, Version 16. Descriptive statistical methods and also analytical statistical methods include ANOVA and Independent-samples t-test were used in data analyzing.ResultsIn total, 161 respondents including 32 residents, 92 nurses and 37 nursing assistants enrolled in this study. All study groups had a moderate knowledge of HH. The score of 21% was ≤ 50% (poor) and only 10.6% had a good knowledge score (i.e. the score ≥75%). There was no significant difference in the knowledge level of the participants who had received formal training in HH and those who had not (p=0.68). Also, the mean knowledge score was not associated with age (p=0.12), gender (p=0.84), department (p=0.96) or profession (p=0.43).ConclusionThis study highlights the importance of applying the multimodal training program addressing providers’ knowledge regarding hand hygiene, as well as strategies for cognitive, emotional and behavioral methods such as patient engagement in hand-hygiene interventions.

Background: The respiratory system is the most vulnerable system in the cement industry. This study was conducted to determine the effects of occupational exposure to cement dust on the respiratory system more thoroughly. Material and Methods: In this cross sectional study an interviewer-administered questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics and respiratory symptoms was completed and pulmonary function tests were carried out on 100 exposed and 120 non-exposed workers at the cement factory in Mashhad, Iran. The data was statistically analyzed by SPSS 16. Results: The mean of age and work duration in the exposed group was 37.5±6.3 and 10.7±5.4 years compared with the non-exposed group that was 36.1±7.1 and 10.1±5.7 years, respectively. Levels of exposure to inhalable cement dust in the exposed group were 23.13 mg/m 3 (higher than national occupational exposure limits for such particles). Among the exposed group, respiratory symptoms as cough (6% vs. 0.8% of the non-exposed) and sputum (7% vs. 0.8% of the nonexposed) were significantly more prevalent (p < 0.05). Forced expiratory flow 25-75% (FEF 25-75% ) was significantly lower in the exposed workers compared with non-exposed ones (p < 0.05). Also forced expiratory volume in 1 s / forced vital capacity (FEV 1 /FVC) and FEF 25-75% had a reverse correlation with the length of employment (p = 0.000 and p = 0.003, respectively). Conclusions: The findings of this study showed that occupational exposure to cement dust could be a significant factor of respiratory system dysfunction. Strict implementation of a respiratory protection program is recommended in cement industries. Med Pr 2015;66(4):471-477

Background The rising burden of premature mortality for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in developing countries necessitates the institutionalization of a comprehensive surveillance framework to track trends and provide evidence to design, implement, and evaluate preventive strategies. This study aims to conduct an organization-based prospective cohort study on the NCDs and NCD-related secondary outcomes in adult personnel of the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS) as main target population. Methods This study was designed to recruit 12,000 adults aged between 30 and 70 years for 15 years. Baseline assessment includes a wide range of established NCD risk factors obtaining by face-to-face interview or examination. The questionnaires consist of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, lifestyle pattern, fuel consumption and pesticide exposures, occupational history and hazards, personal and familial medical history, medication profile, oral hygiene, reproduction history, dietary intake, and psychological conditions. Examinations include body size and composition test, abdominopelvic and thyroid ultrasonography, orthopedic evaluation, pulse wave velocity test, electrocardiography, blood pressure measurement, smell-taste evaluation, spirometry, mammography, and preferred tea temperature assessment. Routine biochemical, cell count, and fecal occult blood tests are also performed, and the biological samples (i.e., blood, urine, hair, and nail) are stored in preserving temperature. Annual telephone interviews and repeated examinations at 5-year intervals are planned to update information on health status and its determinants. Results A total of 5287 individuals (mean age of 43.9 ± 7.6 and 45.9% male) were included in the study thus far. About 18.5% were nurses and midwives and 44.2% had at least bachelor’s degree. Fatty liver (15.4%), thyroid disorders (11.2%), hypertension (8.8%), and diabetes (4.9%) were the most prevalent NCDs. A large proportion of the population had some degree of anxiety (64.2%). Low physical activity (13 ± 22.4 min per day), high calorie intake (3079 ± 1252), and poor pulse-wave velocity (7.2 ± 1.6 m/s) highlight the need for strategies to improve lifestyle behaviors. Conclusion The PERSIAN Organizational Cohort study in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences is the first organizational cohort study in a metropolitan city of Iran aiming to provide a large data repository on the prevalence and risk factors of the NCDs in a developing country for future national and international research cooperation.

Background: Work place violence (WPV) is one of the workplace factors that can affect many aspects of the emergency staff's life. In this study, we are investigating the relationship between WPV and occupational stress. Methods: We surveyed emergency department (ED) staff in a cross-sectional study design in three Mashhad Hospitals between 2017 and 2018. World Health Organization WPV and occupational stress questionnaire was used and 171 out of 200 collected data were analyzed. To investigate the relationship between different variables, t-test and logistic regression were implemented.Results: In general, 58 (34.5%) participants had reported a physical assault, 116 (71.6%) verbal abuse, and 76 (44.4%) bullying/harassment within the past year. Males reported more experience of physical assault (P less than 0.001), verbal abuse (P less than 0.04) and bullying/harassment (P less than 0.01). The educational level and time shifts were associated with the frequency of physical violence and bullying/harassment (P less than 0.03), respectively.We noticed an association between the job stress scales and some types of work place violence including physical assault (P=0.02), bullying/harassment (P=0.006) and demands scale in recent cited violence (P=0.07). Conclusion:We presented considerable prevalence of WPV among ED staff. Improving workplace condition and reducing occupational stress could be decrease WPV frequency.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) among medical students during COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate their association with related sociodemographic features and other psychological symptoms. In this cross-sectional study, students from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences with no major exam in the preceding or following month were surveyed during April to August 2021 through stratified available sampling. Data were collected by a structured online questionnaire distributed through social media platforms. OCS were assessed using Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) and COVID-related stress was evaluated using COVID Stress Scale (CSS). Overall, 347 students with a mean age of 22.67 ± 2.56 years were included in this study, of whom 30.3% had probable obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD; OCI-R score ≥21). Mean CSS scores in students with and without probable OCD were 38.64 ± 19.82 and 26.72 ± 16.63, respectively (P < 0.005). Total CSS score was significantly correlated with OCI-R score (r = 0.38, P = 0.001). Around one-third of the medical students reported significant OCS during COVID-19 pandemic, which was associated with higher COVID-19-related stress. Further research provides insight into management of OCD and related disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.