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Introduction: The worldwide emergence of COVID-19 has been associated with diverse consequences, including anxiety. Hope is believed to act as a motivation to enable one to cope with the anxiety. This study was conducted to identify the role of hope in alleviating anxiety due to the COVID-19 outbreak during the primary phase among community dwellers in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 3,565 subjects with the convenience sampling method. Data collection tools used included the COVID-19 knowledge checklist, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) questionnaires and Snyder Hope Scale. Participants were asked to fill in the questionnaires online. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics (multivariate linear regression analysis). Results: Participants’ mean scores of anxiety and hope were 6.06±4.52 and 31.27±4.52, respectively. The results indicated that 27.1% of the changes in the anxiety scores were predictable with some of the variables examined in this study. A high score of hope was directly associated with a lower level of anxiety. In addition, the number of hours spent following news and information on COVID-19 was significantly related to anxiety level. Moreover, female gender, urban residence, and having relatives suffering from COVID-19 were significantly related to a higher level of anxiety (P<0.05). Conclusion: The morbidity and mortality associated with the COVID-19 outbreak had brought a lot of anxiety among community dwellers. Hope, potentially, can contribute to overcoming anxiety. Therefore, health policymakers can introduce appropriate social interventions to enable the community to cope with stress and anxiety. Keywords: Generalised anxiety disorder, hope, mental health, pandemic

Purpose Students’ academic achievement is a multifaceted phenomenon. While depression can suppress academic performance, academic satisfaction can promote it. This study aims to investigate the relationship between depression and academic satisfaction among students studying at Shahroud University of Medical Sciences. Design/methodology/approach This cross-sectional study was carried out on 312 undergraduate students of Shahroud University of Medical Sciences. Data collection tools included demographic data form, University Student Depression Inventory and academic satisfaction scale. Data were collected by a simple random sampling method and self-reporting by the participants. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (multivariate multiple regression analysis and multivariate linear regression). Findings The participants’ mean depression and academic satisfaction scores were 71.92 ± 22.94 and 53.70 ± 9.69, respectively. In addition, the depression score was significantly and inversely correlated with students' academic satisfaction (r = −0.122, p-value = 0.031). Moreover, there was a significant correlation between students’ depression with marital status, level of the semester, interest in the field of study and study topic. Research limitations/implications This study emphasizes improving education, spiritual and social support and strengthens strategies to deal with depression and medical science students’ related factors. Originality/value Students of medical sciences are exposed to depression during their college years, which is related to their academic satisfaction.

Background. The worldwide emergence of COVID-19 has brought about various psychological consequences, including anxiety, fear of death, etc. Objectives. This study was aimed at determining the proportion of death anxiety and its covariates during the COVID-19 pandemic in Shahroud city, Iran. Material and methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,215 participants. Data was collected by convenient sampling method with online tools, including an awareness and attitude checklist toward COVID-19, Templar Death Anxiety Questionnaire and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) Questionnaire. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (multivariate linear regression analysis). The significant level for all tests was considered to be 0.05. Results. The results indicated that the mean score ± standard deviation of death anxiety and GAD were 6.46 ± 3.33 and 6.27 ± 4.83, respectively. Of all participants, 49.1% reported high death anxiety. Parallel to the high anxiety level, a significant increase in death anxiety was observed (p < 0.001). Moreover, factors such as younger age and the death of a family member due to COVID-19 were significantly correlated with death anxiety (p = 0.024 and p = 0.001). Conclusions. Assessing anxiety among exposed clients and applying anxiety reduction and coping methods, such as problem-solving techniques, as well as providing comprehensive and practical information on methods to control and adapt with this disease, are recommended to be implemented in health care systems.

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed a psychological burden on a wide range of people in the community, including COVID-19 patients and their family caregivers.Objectives. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of online psychoeducational support on the caring burden in family caregivers of individuals with COVID-19. Material and methods. This study was conducted on 70 family caregivers of patients with COVID-19 referred to Imam Reza Hospital in mashhad, iran in 2021 by using a convenience sampling method. The participants were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group received one week of online psychoeducational support in six online group sessions of 35 to 45 minutes. Data were collected using the Zarit Burden questionnaire at the beginning and one week after the intervention. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Independent t-Test, Chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test, Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon, and Paired t-Test). Results. At the baseline, the level of caring burden in the two groups was moderate and no significant difference was observed between the groups (p = 0.28). The total mean scores of caring burden before and after the intervention in the support group were 50.2 ± 10.5 and 46.0 ± 9.2, respectively, which significantly decreased after the intervention (p < 0.001). Consequently, the decrease in the burden mean score was significantly greater in the support group than in the control group (p = 0.04). Conclusions. It is recommended to implement online psychoeducational support for the caregivers of patients with COVID-19 to reduce their caring burden.

Objectives The COVID‐19 pandemic has imposed a significant psychological burden on many across society especially students studying medical sciences. This study intended to investigate the one‐year changes in the prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms during the COVID‐19 pandemic among medical science students. Methods A cross‐sectional study in Shahroud, Iran administering a convenience sampling method (January to February 2021). Online self‐reported questionnaires included Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale, Paloutzian‐Ellison Spiritual Well‐Being Questionnaire, Diener's Satisfaction with Life Scale and the University Student Depression Inventory. Data analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Independent t‐test and Multiple Regression Analysis). Results A total of 306 medical science students were investigated in this study. The mean scores 1 year after the outbreak of COVID‐19 were for depression (81.25 ± 26.04), spiritual well‐being (80.98 ± 18.06), self‐esteem (26.89 ± 2.20), and life satisfaction (19.68 ± 6.81). The results indicated that depression mean score was significantly higher in post outbreak assessment (71.92 ± 22.94 vs 81.25 ± 26.04) (P < .001). Fifty percentage of changes in depression can be predicted by studied variables. A high score of depression was directly associated with a higher level of self‐esteem. Moreover, increased interest in the field, scores of spiritual well‐being, and life satisfaction were inversely and significantly associated with depression. Conclusions Iran's education system has been significantly affected, with the addition to the COVID‐19 pandemic imposing a psychological burden such as depression, exacerbating this within medical science students compared to a year ago. Spiritual well‐being and life satisfaction as positive psychology constructs were recognized as protective factors against depression during the pandemic. Spiritual and social support should be integrated in psychological interventions within university settings for medical science students.

BackgroundOne of the factors associated with readmission is inappropriate sexual activity after myocardial infarction (MI). This study aimed to assess the effect of peer education on the sexual quality of life (SQOL) in patients with MI.MethodsIn this randomized controlled clinical trial, 70 patients with MI meeting the inclusion criteria were assigned to experimental or control groups using block randomization. Peer education for the intervention group was provided on the third day after MI. Education sessions lasted from 90 to 120 minutes. Data were collected using demographic, sexual quality of life-female (SQOL-F), and sexual quality of life-male (SQOL-M) questionnaires during the fourth week after MI.ResultsThere was no significant difference between the two groups before the intervention in terms of demographic and SQOL. The mean of SQOL in the peer education group was significantly higher than the control group at the 4-week follow-up.ConclusionsAccording to the results, using peer education is recommended for the sexual health care professionals.

Objectives Many women in recent years have been willing to undergo puncture surgery for childbirth, which, like other surgeries, has physical and psychological side effects such as incision, infertility, chronic pain, and anxiety. Therefore, it is important to reduce and improve these side effects. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of foot massage with orange essential oil on pain and anxiety in women undergoing cesarean section. Methods This randomized clinical trial study was conducted in 2019 on 80 women referred to Bahar Shahroud Hospital after cesarean section surgery. The samples were divided into two groups by intervention (foot massage with orange essential oil) and control (foot massage without orange essential oil). The Spielberger scale was used to determine anxiety scores after cesarean section. In the intervention group, the feet were massaged with orange essential oil, and in the control group, the orange essential oil massage was performed without oil. Anxiety before, immediately after, and 60 min after the intervention was measured and evaluated in both groups. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Significant levels were considered for all statistical tests (p<0.05). Results The anxiety score before the intervention in the two groups of intervention and control was 57.12 ± 3.12 and 57.07 ± 3.54, respectively, which were not significantly different, but immediately after the intervention, the anxiety scores in both groups decreased significantly so that there was a further decrease in the intervention group (52.10 ± 4.75 and 56.02 ± 3.77), 1 h after the intervention, the anxiety score in the intervention group decreased compared to the previous stage and increased in the control group (50.40 ± 3.74 and 56.85 ± 4.27). Conclusions Foot massage with orange essential oil can probably be effective as a proper nursing intervention in reducing anxiety after cesarean section surgery.