Depression is the most common mood and psychiatric disorder. The aim of this comprehensive study was to provide a complete picture of the prevalence and risk factors of depression. The study employed a systematic review methodology, searching Iranian and international databases. After screening and evaluating the articles, a synthesis of 53 articles was accumulated. A meta-analysis of the studies showed that the prevalence of children and adolescent depression was 43.55% using the BDI, 15.87 % using SCL-90, and 13.05% using CDI. Also, the prevalence of depression was higher among girls than boys based on the BDI and CDI results. The most important factors contributing to depression were: the female sex, poor inter-parental relationship, poor adolescent-parent relationship, low socio-economic status (SES), state of parenting styles, low level of parental education, and poor academic performance. The comparatively high prevalence of depression among Iranian adolescents call for further investigation and measures.

Women may bear the brunt of domestic violence, but children are also inflicted by the consequences of violence between their parents. We sought to evaluate the lifetime prevalence of exposure to physical violence between parents among some senior secondary school students in Tehran. The study was conducted on senior secondary school students in all 19 educational districts of the Iranian capital, Tehran, in the academic year of 2005-06 using a multi-stage sampling. Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 1,495 students participated in this survey, with the prevalence estimated at 22.8%. More than half of the subjects had witnessed domestic violence between their parents; the prevalence of exposure among the girls was twice that among the boys. The most frequent act of violence was beating the partner with bare hands and the perpetrators of the violent acts were predominantly the fathers. Exposure was long-lasting; and in those with more than one exposure, the mean duration of exposure was 5.1 years. The most prevalent rates of exposure to domestic violence came from Educational Districts 15 and 10. The fact that a considerable portion of the teenagers in the present study had witnessed physical violence between their parents bears testimony to the high frequency of this form of violence in Tehran households. It is noteworthy that the socio-economic status of the families and parental divorce and estrangement increased the likelihood of exposure to domestic violence in our series.

The objective of this study was to explore patterns of drug use and sexual risk behaviors among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Iran. We surveyed 500 PWID in Kermanshah concerning demographic characteristics, sexual risk behaviors, and drug-related risk behaviors in the month prior to study. We used latent class analysis (LCA) to establish a baseline model of risk profiles and to identify the optimal number of latent classes, and we used ordinal regression to identify factors associated with class membership. Three classes of multiple HIV risk were identified. The probability of membership in the high risk class was 0.33, compared to 0.26 and 0.40 for the low and moderate risk classes, respectively. Compared to members in the lowest-risk class (reference group), the highest-risk class members had higher odds of being homeless (OR = 4.5, CI: 1.44–8.22; p = 0.001) in past 12 months. Members of the high risk class had lower odds of regularly visiting a needle and syringe program as compared to the lowest-risk class members (AOR = 0.42, CI: 0.2–0.81; p = 0.01). Findings show that sexual and drug-related HIV risk clusters among PWID in Iran, and emphasize the importance of developing targeted prevention and harm reduction programs for all domains of risk behaviors, both sexual and drug-use-related.

Background:In recent years, with socioeconomic changes in the society, the presence of women in the workplace is inevitable. The differences in working condition, especially for pregnant women, has adverse consequences like low birth weight. Objectives: This study was conducted with the aim to model the relationship between working conditions, socioeconomic factors, and birth weight. Patients and Methods: This study was conducted in case-control design. The control group consisted of 500 women with normal weight babies, and the case group, 250 women with low weight babies from selected hospitals in Tehran. Data were collected using a researchermade questionnaire to determine mothers' lifestyle during pregnancy with low birth weight with health-affecting social determinants approach. This questionnaire investigated women's occupational lifestyle in terms of working conditions, activities, and job satisfaction. Data were analyzed with SPSS-16 and Lisrel-8.8 software using statistical path analysis. Results: The final path model fitted well (CFI =1, RMSEA=0.00) and showed that among direct paths, working condition (β=-0.032), among indirect paths, household income (β=-0.42), and in the overall effect, unemployed spouse (β=-0.1828) had the most effects on the low birth weight. Negative coefficients indicate decreasing effect on birth weight. Conclusions: Based on the path analysis model, working condition and socioeconomic status directly and indirectly influence birth weight. Thus, as well as attention to treatment and health care (biological aspect), special attention must also be paid to mothers' socioeconomic factors.

We used four methods (direct count, indirect count, wisdom of the crowd, and unique object multiplier) to map and estimate the population size of street children in six major cities in Iran in 2017. In aggregate for the six cities, the number of street children was estimated at 5296 (interquartile range [IQR] 4122-7071) using the median of the four methods. This corresponds to a rate of 16.3 (IQR 12.5-24.5) per 10,000 children age 5-18 years old, or 3.2 (IQR 2.4-5.3) per 10,000 total population. The total number for street children in the country is estimated at 26,000 (IQR 20,719) children. Results can help policymakers advocate for resources, plan programs, and evaluate the reach of programs for street children. The maps created through the course of the population size estimation exercise can also guide outreach efforts to provide street children with health and social welfare services.

To document the socioeconomic situation of street children in Iran and to ascertain the part played by this in becoming a street child, we classified and evaluated studies on this issue from the recent decade according to their strengths and weaknesses. The results will be helpful in policy-making and planning for this group. The study employed a systematic review methodology, searching Iranian and international databases, and many universities and related organisations in Iran. After the quality of studies had been evaluated by three researchers, the findings of 40 research studies were classified, described and analysed. The research finds that street children in Iran come from crowded, low-income families; many of them were rural-urban migrants and Afghans with families who immigrated to Iran; most of their parents had a lower than high school education and many of their fathers were unemployed or had low-income jobs; the majority of these children were unskilled workers who would work many hours of the day for negligible incomes. We conclude that low socioeconomic status was prevalent among the street children's families in Iran and seems to be an important factor in the street-connectedness of the children.

BackgroundLow birth weight is one of the most important public health issues in developing and developed countries and identifying its etiology is important for prevention.ObjectivesConsidering the unknown impact of physical activity on low birth weight, this research was conducted to investigate the relationship between physical activity and low birth weight.Patients and MethodsThis research was conducted using a case-control design. The control group was made of 500 women with normal birth weight infants and the case group included 250 women with low birth weight infants from the selected hospitals in city of Tehran. The information was gathered using a researcher-made questionnaire which was prepared for determining the relationship between mothers’ lifestyle during pregnancy and infants' low birth weight using social determinants of health approach. In this questionnaire, scope of physical activity was investigated in three groups of athletic activities, activities at home and leisure activities. Activity intensity was determined using MET scale and the data were analyzed in SPSS software using independent t-test, Chi-square and logistic regression.ResultsIn the present research, based on the results of multiple logistic regression test, an increase in the time spent on sport activities (OR = 2.20) and home activities (OR =1.44) (P = 0.003) was accompanied by increased chance of giving birth to low birth weight infants; in contrast, one hour increase of leisure activities decreased the probability of low birth weight infants by 0.32 (P = 0.008).ConclusionsAn increase in the time spent on sport and home activities, even after considering other influential factors, was related to low birth weight.

Introduction and objectiveGlobally, children who work and live on the streets are at higher risk of undesired behavioral health outcomes, including increased drug use and abuse. Considering the rapid growth of this population in Iran and the lack of program planning that is partly due to a scarcity of research-based information, this study was conducted in 2013 to investigate drug use among street children in Tehran.1MethodWith a qualitative design, we conducted a Rapid Assessment and Response Survey of street children in Tehran, 2012–2013. Data were also obtained from 10 focus group discussions with street children using semi-structured questionnaires and 27 in-depth interviews with key informants in governmental, non-governmental, and international organizations.ResultsThe variation in age at first use, type of drugs, and pattern of drug use were found based on ethnicity. Consuming of Alcohol was reported to be more among an ethnic group. Drug use problems were commonly described among families of street children. Children whose parents had drug-use problems described using drugs earlier than other children. Informants reported that families with drug-related problems used children for procurement of drugs. Children themselves described using drugs to cope with stress, and to reduce physical and psychological stressors and problems, such as fatigue, sadness, and pressure, resulting from frequent failures in life.ConclusionThese results suggest that intervention and prevention programs dealing with drug use of street children in Iran should include family and peers when addressing drug use by street children.