BackgroundThe knowledge translation self-assessment tool for research institutes (SATORI) was designed to assess the status of knowledge translation in research institutes. The objective was, to identify the weaknesses and strengths of knowledge translation in research centres and faculties associated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS).MethodsThe tool, consisting of 50 statements in four main domains, was used in 20 TUMS-affiliated research centres and departments after its reliability was established. It was completed in a group discussion by the members of the research council, researchers and research users' representatives from each centre and/or department.ResultsThe mean score obtained in the four domains of 'The question of research', 'Knowledge production', 'Knowledge transfer' and 'Promoting the use of evidence' were 2.26, 2.92, 2 and 1.89 (out of 5) respectively.Nine out of 12 interventional priorities with the lowest quartile score were related to knowledge transfer resources and strategies, whereas eight of them were in the highest quartile and related to 'The question of research' and 'Knowledge production'.ConclusionsThe self-assessment tool identifies the gaps in capacity and infrastructure of knowledge translation support within research organizations. Assessment of research institutes using SATORI pointed out that strengthening knowledge translation through provision of financial support for knowledge translation activities, creating supportive and facilitating infrastructures, and facilitating interactions between researchers and target audiences to exchange questions and research findings are among the priorities of research centres and/or departments.

Background: In the past two decades, scientific publications in Iran have considerably increased their medical science content, and the number of articles published in ISI journals has doubled between 1997 and 2001. The aim of the present study was to determine how frequently knowledge transfer strategies were applied in Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). We were also interested in studying the determining factors leading to the type of strategy selected.

BackgroundMass media play an important role in keeping people up-to-date with the latest health news. This study aims at investigating the quality of health news disseminated in the print media, its course of production and factors affecting its quality.MethodsIn the quantitative section of the study, 410 health-related news items, published during a six-month span in the Iranian public press, underwent content analysis. In the qualitative section, focus group discussions were held with journalists, editors-in-chief and news gatekeepers.ResultsThe quantitative phase showed that 18% of the news articles were not fit for dissemination in public. The qualitative phase illustrated that multiple factors at various levels affect the quality of news, namely poor knowledge, inadequate motivations and context-related barriers.ConclusionsThe quality of health news reporting is not desirable. Educational interventions need to be carried out to raise awareness among researchers and journalists. Also, certain steps should be taken to increase motivations and strengthen infrastructures, including designing guidelines and monitoring news.

Background: Ageing is a major known risk factor that is a threat to human health. To date, many studies have investigated quality of life (QOL) among the elderly population in the Islamic Republic of Iran. However, their results were inconsistent. Aims: We designed this systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the overall mean score of QOL based on the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) among the Iranian elderly population. Methods: We searched international databases (Medline, Scopus and Science Direct) and national databases (Science In-formation Database, MagIran, IranMedex and Irandoc) up to February 2015. We included all cross-sectional studies that evaluated QOL among the Iranian elderly population using SF-36. Results: Of 2150 studies identified, 15 were included in the meta-analysis. The mean scores for QOL in the 8 scales were: 47.58, 51.75, 55.42, 55.78, 59.55, 51.54, 47.85 and 51.31 for physical-role, physical function, mental health, bodily pain, social functioning, emotional-role, general health, and vitality, respectively. Conclusions: Our results indicated that health-related QOL decreased with increasing age. QOL was worse in women than in men, especially in physical-role and general health scales. Elderly people who lived in a nursing home had lower QOL than those who lived in their own home. So, health policy-makers should design comprehensive programmes to improve health-related QOL for the Iranian elderly population. Keywords: ageing, elderly, quality of life, SF-36, Islamic Republic of Iran. Citation: Doosti-Irani A, Nedjat S, Nedjat S, Cheraghi P and Cheraghi Z. Quality of life in Iranian elderly population using the SF-36 questionnaire: systematic review and meta-analysis. East Mediterr Health J. 2018;24(11):

Background: In 1985 medical schools were integrated into the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education was created in Iran. Under this infrastructure education, research and service provision are unified, and it is expected that collaboration between researchers and decision makers become easier in such an integrated context. The question here is how the researchers behavior in the biggest medical university of the country towards collaboration is, i.e. how much do decision makers participate in different stages of research? Which factors affect it?Methodology: The samples under study were all Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) completed research projects that had gotten grants in 2004 and were over by the time this study was done. Two questionnaires were designed for this study: i) the research checklist which was filled for 301 projects, ii) the researcher's questionnaire, which was sent to principle investigators, 208 of which were collected. Multiple linear regression analysis was used for evaluating the potential factors affecting individuals 'collaboration score'.Results: Only 2.2 percent of TUMS' projects initiated in 2004 have had collaboration as a joint PI or coinvestigator from non-academic organizations. The principle investigators mean collaboration score was 2.09, where 6 was the total score. So the collaboration score obtained was 35%. The 'type of research' had significant association with the collaboration score which is shown in the linear regression; collaboration was seen more in clinical (p = 0.007) and health system researches (p = 0.001) as compared to basic research.