: Coronaviruses are a large family and a subset of Coronaviridae that include common cold viruses and other severe diseases like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV), and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This is an ecological study based on statistics of the prevalence of coronavirus disease until 30 April 2020, based on the reports sent to the World Health Organization (WHO). This study investigates the distribution of the incidence and trend of the incidence rate of COVID-19 in countries, and its relation with the human development index (HDI) until 30 April 2020. The results showed that the most cases of coronavirus disease until the mentioned date were in the United States of America (1,003,947 cases), Spain (212,917 cases), Italy (203,591 cases), the United Kingdom (165,225 cases), and Germany (159,119 cases), in sequence. The results exhibited a significant positive correlation between the incidence of COVID-2019 and HDI in the world (r = 0.470, P < 0.0001).

Background:The aim of present study is to determine the spatial-temporal epidemiology of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in Iranian children. Methods: This ecological study was performed using an exploratory mixed design. The study population consists of 3769 children with ALL who were reported in the National Cancer Registry Program of Iran from 2006 to 2014. Data analysis was conducted using Mann-Whitney U, joinpoint regression analysis, Global Moran's I and Anselin Local Moran's I. Results: The average annual incidence rate of ALL was 2.25 per 100 000 children under 15 years of age during the study period, which was 1.37 times higher in males. The average annual percentage change (AAPC) of the disease was 7.1%, which is higher than that of developed countries. The incidence of ALL was higher in spring and summer and its peak incidence was at the age of 2-5. Spatial autocorrelation of the ALL was 0.358 and significant (P value <0.001). The high-risk cluster of ALL was identified in Fars and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces and the low-risk cluster in Kermanshah, Zanjan and Kurdistan provinces. Conclusion:The incidence of ALL is on rise in Iranian children and appropriate healthcare services are required to prevent new cases of this disease in high-risk areas.

The most common type of childhood cancers is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The present study was conducted to determine the spatial-temporal epidemiological status of ALL in Iran. METHODS: Using an exploratory mixed design, this ecological study examined 3769 under-15 children with ALL who were reported in the National Cancer Registry of Iran during 2006 to 2014. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U, Getis-Ord General G (GOGG), Optimized hot spot analysis (OHSA), and the Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) at α2 range and the significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: The average annual incidence rate of the disease was 2.25 and the cumulative incidence rate was 21.31 per 100,000 under-15 children. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of patients' age were 5.90 ±3.68 and the peak incidence was observed among 2-5-year olds. No significant difference in the mean age between boys and girls (P = 0.261). The incidence of ALL was seasonal and more common during spring and summer. The Getis-Ord General G index was 0.358 and significant (P-value <0.001). Hot spots were identified in south, central and eastern Iran and cold spots in north and west of Iran. PCC between CIR and latitude was negative (r=-0.5086 P=0.0035) but between CIR and longitude was positive (r= 0.3474 P =0.0555). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to developed countries, the incidence of ALL in Iranian children is lower but increasing. Can be argued that the incidence of ALL is due to the synergism interaction between environmental, infectious, geographical and genetic risk factors.

Background: Drug use has always been suggested as the first preventable agent of various diseases and deaths around the world. Nowadays, this problem is more prevalent among young people and students of universities that are at risk. Objectives: Due to the newness of the case and legal restrictions on the consumption of psychoactive drugs in Iran, there are no statistics regarding the prevalence of consuming these drugs; therefore, it was decided to determine the prevalence and causes of tendency towards the consumption of psychoactive drugs among students of Yazd Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. Methods: The present research was a cross sectional study, through which 250 students of Yazd University of Medical Sciences were selected using systematic random sampling and investigated in 2015. Data was collected through a self-made questionnaire and then analyzed using the SPSS software version 22 at a significance level of P = 0.05 using frequency tables, chart, Chi-square, and logistic regression test. Results: The prevalence of psychoactive drugs consumption was 5.6%. The most important factor of tendency towards consumption of psychoactive drugs among students has been failure to meet their emotional needs (35.7%), yet taking pleasure has been the mainspring for consuming these drugs in most cases (50%). There was a statistical significant relationship between psychoactive drugs consumption and age, place of residence, drug history in parents, and being exposed to cigarette smoke throughout the day (P < 0.05). The most commonly estimated odds ratio (OR = 13.08) was related to non-native students. Conclusions: Due to the relatively high prevalence of psychoactive drugs consumption in students of medical sciences as messengers of health, holding life skill workshops and consulting with students, providing appropriate recreational facilities seem essential in order to reduce the prevalence and prevent this dilemma.

Introduction: Nursing is as a clinical profession that is improving day to day. One of the important problem at hospitals is that nursing management are not aware of the competency of new entrance nurses. So, this study was done to assess competency of new nurses Emam Hasan hospital at Bojnurd. Methods: This study was the first stage of an action research. Nurses with under 10 working years were selected by census sampling. Task-based checklists based on profession nursing task, 13 clinical competencies were chosen for OSCE stations with Checklists for every competency. Content validity and inter-rater reliability were done. The data was analysis with Spss20 and doing descriptive (Frequency, mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson Correlation Coefficient), and considering levels of significance (P < 0.05). Results: This study showed that clinical competency was in moderate level. It was significant relationship between clinical competency and sex, the college in which they have graduated while there are any significant relationship between clinical ward. Conclusions: The program in order to enhancing clinical competency should be done for new nurses to figuring out good quality of delivery nursing care. Also, it's needed to assess periodically clinical competency in nurses with any working year and wards. Applying retraining program systematically and according to nurses' needs can improve nurses' clinical competency and clinical practices.

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Background The COVID-19 epidemic has brought significant changes and complexities to nurses’ working conditions. Given the crucial role of health workers, particularly nurses, in providing healthcare services, it is essential to determine the nurses’ workload, and its association with the quality of work life (QWL) during COVID-19 epidemic, and to explain the factors predicting their QWL. Methods A total of 250 nurses, who provided care for patients with COVID-19 in Imam Hossein Hospital of Shahrud, and met the inclusion criteria, were considered the samples in the present cross-sectional study in 2021–2022. Data were collected using the demographic questionnaire, NASA Task Load Index (TLX), and Walton’s QWL questionnaire, which were analyzed using SPSS26 and based on descriptive and inferential statistical tests. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant for all cases. Results The nurses’ mean scores of workload and QWL were 71.43 ± 14.15 and 88.26 ± 19.5, respectively. Pearson’s correlation test indicated a significant inverse relationship between workload and QWL (r=-0.308, p < 0.001). The subscales with the highest perceived workload scores were physical demand and mental demand (14.82 ± 8.27; 14.36 ± 7.43), respectively, and the subscale with the lowest workload was overall performance (6.63 ± 6.31). The subscales with the highest scores for QWL were safety and health in working conditions and opportunity to use and develop human capabilities (15.46 ± 4.11; 14.52 ± 3.84), respectively. The subscales with the lowest scores were adequate and fair compensation, work and total living space (7.46 ± 2.38; 6.52 ± 2.47), respectively. The number of children (β = 4.61, p = 0.004), work experience (β= -0.54, p = 0.019), effort (β = 0.37, p = 0.033) and total workload (β= -0.44, p = 0.000) explained 13% of the variance of nurses’ QWL. Conclusions The study’s findings showed that a higher workload score is associated with nurses’ lower perception of QWL. In order to improve the QWL of nurses, reducing the physical and mental demands of their workload and strengthening overall performance is necessary. Additionally, when promoting QWL, adequate and fair compensation and the work and living space should be considered. The researchers suggest that hospital managers should make more significant efforts to develop and promote the QWL of nurses. To achieve this goal, organizations can pay attention to other influential factors, primarily by increasing organizational support.

Background: Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is one of the major causes of physical and mental disabilities, which are preventable and treatable. This study aimed to investigate physical growth and to evaluate the effectiveness of performed therapeutic interventions on normality of serum T4 and TSH levels in children with CH of Yazd city. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was performed on all neonates with CH, who were born during years 2006 and 2008. The growth pattern of height, weight and head circumference during the first five years of children with CH and the effectiveness of performed therapeutic interventions on normality of serum T4 and TSH levels were evaluated. The collected data were analyzed using the 22nd version of the SPSS software. Results: The pattern of height, weight, and head circumference of the girls with CH was comparable with the growth pattern of NCHS of healthy individuals. The pattern of height and weight growth of boys with CH gradually became similar to the growth pattern of NCHS of healthy boys. However, there was a decline in their head circumference growth trend after six months of age. Also it was revealed that therapeutic interventions had an appropriate effect on normalization of serum TSH, T4 levels and growth pattern in CH children under treatment. Conclusions: After treatment and care for these patients, the growth patterns and serum T4 and TSH levels of these children reached a normal and desirable range.