Sara Dadipoor

Introduction: Concerns arises about smoking products waste, which can contain different hazardous pollutants such as toxic metals. This study aimed to survey the toxic metals content of fruit-flavored and traditional waterpipe bowl water. Methods: The traditional waterpipe bowl water samples were collected from the four most popular fruit-flavored tobacco brands (Al-Mahmoud, Al-Fakher, Nakhl, and Mazaya), as well as from four widely favored flavors (blueberry, Dosib, cream orange, and mint-gum). Additionally, 10 samples of traditional waterpipe bowl water were gathered. The concentrations of toxic metals in these bowl water samples were measured using ICP-MS analysis. Results: The mean concentration of toxic metals in waterpipe bowl water samples from Al-mahmoud, Al-Fakher, Nakhla, Mazaya, and traditional tobacco ranged from 0.37 (Cd) to 3.36 (Pb); 0.33 (Cd) to 3.27 (Pb); 0.34 (Cd) to 3.02 (Cr); 0.24 (Cd) to 3.09 (Cr), and 1.38 (Cd) to 6.24 (Pb) μg/L, respectively. The mean levels of all toxic metals (except As) in different fruit-flavored tobacco brands and traditional waterpipe bowl water samples were significantly different (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that toxic metal concentrations in waterpipe bowl water vary significantly among different tobacco brands and tobacco types. This highlights the need for monitoring and regulation of toxic metal content in waterpipe tobacco products to reduce potential health risks to users and environment.

Introduction: Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women, and mammography remains the most effective method for its early detection. However, mammography screening uptake among Iranian women remains low, with reported participation rates generally below 25%. Understanding the factors influencing screening behavior is therefore essential for designing effective ...

Background and Aims: Dental caries in children remains a global health challenge. Fissure sealant therapy (FST) is an effective preventive measure, yet parental acceptance remains low. This study aimed to identify predictors of parental FST behavior for children aged 6–12 years in Bandar Abbas, Iran, using the health belief model (HBM). Methods: The present cross‐sectional descriptive‐analytical study was conducted in Bandar Abbas in 2023. A total number of 449 parents to children aged 6–12 years were included. A multi‐stage cluster sampling method was used. The data were collected using a researcher‐made questionnaire to explore demographic information, knowledge questions, and HBM model constructs. Descriptive statistics, correlation matrix, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The findings showed that the mean scores of perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, cues to action, and self‐efficacy in the group that performed preventive behavior were significantly higher than the group that did not show the behavior of interest. There was also a significant and positive correlation between the constructs of perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, self‐efficacy, and cues to action with FST behavior ( p < 0.001). In urban areas, with an increase in perceived susceptibility (95% CI (1.26,1.96):OR = 1.56), perceived severity (95% CI (1.03,1.27):OR = 1.17), cues to action (95% CI (1.01,1.34):OR = 1.16), and self‐efficacy (95% CI (1.21,1.91):OR = 1.50), the odds of the preventive behavior increase significantly. In rural areas, with an increase in perceived susceptibility (95% CI (1.01,1.28):OR = 1.13) and self‐efficacy (95% CI (1.05,1.28):OR = 1.18), the odds of preventive behavior increase significantly. Conclusion: As the findings showed, the HBM can be an appropriate model to predict the adoption of FST in parents. These findings can improve and advance knowledge about the predictors of FST adoption. These findings can be used to develop effective educational and promotional interventions to increase FST adoption among parents and improve children's oral health.

Background and Aims: There is contradictory research evidence for the relationship between hookah smoking and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. The increasing popularity of hookah smoking and its effects on health has become a significant concern. This study aimed to explore the effect of hookah smoking on the risk of H. pylori infection in Bandar Abbas, Iran.Methods: The current case‐control study was conducted on 320 participants over 15 years of age (160 patients and 160 controls) between October 2023 and January 2024. The case group was found with a positive H. pylori test, and the control group with a negative test result. Then the status of hookah smoking and other variables was compared between these two groups. For data collection, a multi‐section researcher‐made checklist was used to explore demographic information, tobacco consumption, and physical examinations. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were run to determine the risk factors.Results: The mean ± SD of the case and control age groups were 38.18 ± 13.39, 35.70 ± 13.30, respectively. The results showed no statistically significant relationship between hookah smoking and the prevalence of H. pylori infection among the participants (OR: 1.49, p value: 0.170). Participants younger than 18 had 55% lower chances of the H. pylori (OR: 0.45, p value: 0.015). Compared to the single, the married had 72% lower chances of H. pylori infection (OR: 0.28, p value: 0.001). Those with a university degree had 61% lower chances of transmitting H. pylori than the illiterate or those with primary education (OR: 0.40, p value: 0.044).Conclusions: The present findings provide significant insights into the relationship between hookah smoking and H. pylori infection. As the findings showed, hookah smoking may not be a contributing factor in getting H. pylori infection. The results point to the complexity of factors influencing H. pylori incidence.

There is limited information regarding organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) residues in tobacco products found in the Iranian market, especially in various types of waterpipe tobacco. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the concentration of OCPs in various waterpipe tobacco—both fruit-flavored and regular—and compare it with cigarette tobacco. Additionally, by analyzing the OCPs levels in fresh tobacco compared to tobacco wastes, an estimate has been made for the quantity of pesticides released into smoke during consumption. Our results indicated that the average detection frequency (DF) of pesticide residues was 46% for fruit-flavored tobacco, 82% for regular tobacco, and 42% for cigarette tobacco. Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCHs) isomers were the predominant pesticides in all three types of tobacco with the mean of 43.11 ± 31.81, 89.63 ± 56.08, and 41.65 ± 35.37 ng/g for fruit-flavored tobacco, regular tobacco, and cigarette tobaccos, respectively. Both the levels and DF of pesticides in post-consumption wastes were significantly reduced compared to that in fresh tobacco (p < 0.05). For all tobacco types—fruit-flavored, regular, and cigarette—notable OCPs residues were released into the gas phase, with cigarette tobacco having the highest rate at approximately ~ 37% because of greater combustion temperatures. The research points out some limitations, particularly the disregard for bowl water and charcoal as elements of waterpipe waste, which could lead to an overestimation of pesticide levels in inhaled smoke. Further studies are needed on the environmental impact of tobacco wastes and promoting for better waste management practices as well as public awareness.

Tobacco smoke is a significant contributor to indoor air pollution and poses serious health risks. This study surveyed the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in smoker household dust and the association between PAHs in dust and symptoms of sick building syndrome (SBS). Sixty samples of settled household dust (20 samples from homes with waterpipe smoker, 20 samples from homes with cigarette smoker, and 20 samples from smoke‐free home as control group) were collected from Bandar Abbas City. Two residents of each home, who did not smoke, also completed a survey about SBS symptoms. The concentrations of PAHs were determined using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). The average Σ PAH concentrations were 1039.66 ± 75.37, 917.51 ± 63.15, and 330.08 ± 58.22 ng/g in dust samples from homes with waterpipe smokers, homes with cigarette smokers, and smoke‐free homes. In waterpipe and cigarette smoker homes, a significant relationship was observed between the Σ PAHs levels and reports of headache, skin dryness, skin itching, dryness and inflammation, and abnormal fatigue. The cancer risk of exposure to PAHs via household dust in adults and children based on home groups was waterpipe smokers residents > cigarette smokers > nonsmokers. Total cancer risk from PAH exposure in all three home groups was higher than 1.00E − 4. Multidisciplinary cooperation and participation, including tobacco control, environmental science, medicine, and health promotion, are needed for the effectiveness of management strategies to have a sufficient understanding of the routes of exposure, mechanisms of damage, and identification of vulnerable groups and how to control exposure.

Background: Hookah smoking has pointedly increased worldwide and could have different harmful health effects. However, long term hookah smoking effects on chronic diseases has not been well studied. This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between hookah smoking with metabolic syndrome and diabetes.Methods: In this prospective study, the baseline data from 3695 participant (35−70 years old) of Bandar‐e‐Kong cohort study in Hormozgan province, Iran were used. In this study, data were collected through the questionnaires designed in the Kong cohort study and 25 mm of blood sample. All analyses were performed using SPSS version 27.0 and the ggplot2 package in RStudio version 2023.06.1 + 524. p < 0.05 was considered a significant difference.Results: The prevalence of hookah smoking was 17.3% in total. Also, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia were 35.6, 15.2, 31.2, and 78.0%, respectively. Our results showed that there were statistically significant relationship between hookah smoking and metabolic syndrome, hypertension and diabetes (p < 0.05). In the case of dyslipidemia, hookah smoking was also associated with increase in dyslipidemia (p < 0.05).Conclusions: More evidence is needed to understand the mechanism of hookah smoking and these health effects. As well as, health education and increasing public awareness about the health effects of hookah smoking and implementation of smoking prohibition policies are highly recommended.

Background: The present research aimed to explore the relationship between tobacco consumption and menopause characteristics in women in southern Iran. Materials and Methods: The current cross-sectional study used the basic data of Bandar Kong Cohort in southern Iran. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on these 867 postmenopausal women . The data collection instrument was a questionnaire based on a review of the related literature, actual experiences, and the existing instruments utilized in cohort studies in Iran and foreign countries. The chi-square test, independent samples t test, and logistic regression analysis were employed for analyses in SPSS. Results: Overall, 867 postmenopausal women were included in the study. Their average age was 57.42±6.34 years. Menopause-smoker women had a lower level of education and body mass index (BMI), and the difference was statistically significant. In the present study, the widows, divorcees, and others used at least one tobacco product such as cigarettes, waterpipe, opium, or alcohol to a greater extent than the married. There was a significant difference between the economic status of postmenopausal women and their tobacco consumption. Conclusion: The findings of the present study demonstrated no significant relationship between tobacco and menopause. However, there was a significant relationship between the level of education and BMI and smoking in postmenopausal women. Considering the increase in life expectancy in women and the aging of the population in recent years, the number of postmenopausal women has increased in society. Thus, it is necessary to hold training for lifestyle modification for menopausal women.

Background and Aims: About one‐fifth of patients with COVID‐19 need to be hospitalized. Predicting factors affecting the hospital length of stay (LOS) can be effective in prioritizing patients, planning for services, and preventing the increase in LOS and death of patients. The present study aimed to identify the factors that predict LOS and mortality in COVID‐19 patients in a retrospective cohort study.Methods: A total of 27,859 patients were admitted to 22 hospitals from February 20, 2020 to June 21, 2021. The data collected from 12,454 patients were screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data were captured from the MCMC (Medical Care Monitoring Center) database. The study tracked patients until their hospital discharge or death. Hospital LOS and mortality were assessed as the study outcomes.Results: As the results revealed, 50.8% of patients were male and 49.2% were female. The mean hospital LOS of the discharged patients was 4.94. Yet, 9.1% of the patients (n = 1133) died. Among the predictors of mortality and long hospital LOS were the age above 60, admission to the ICU, coughs, respiratory distress, intubation, oxygen level less than 93%, cigarette and drug abuse, and a history of chronic diseases. Masculinity, gastrointestinal symptoms, and cancer were the effective variables in mortality, and positive CT was a factor significantly affecting the hospital LOS.Conclusion: Paying special attention to high‐risk patients and modifiable risk factors such as heart disease, liver disease, and other chronic diseases can diminish the complications and mortality rate of COVID‐19. Providing training, especially for those who care for patients experiencing respiratory distress such as nurses and operating room personnel can improve the qualifications and skills of medical staff. Also, ensuring the availability of sufficient supply of medical equipment is strongly recommended.

Background and Aims: The stress associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic significantly affects people's lives, especially older adults. The present study aimed to identify risk factors leading to the perceived stress associated with COVID‐19 among the adults over 60 years old of Southern Iran.Methods: This cross‐sectional study was conducted in December 2021 in Bandar Abbas among older adults. The COVID‐PSS‐10 (Perceived Stress Scale) questionnaire was distributed among the older adults receiving healthcare services from health centers in Bandar Abbas selected through a convenient sampling method. Then, answers to the questions resulted in the score (without units).Results: A total number of 456 participants between 60 and 90 years with an average age of 64 ± 5.12 years took part in this study. The mean ± SD score of total perceived stress was 16.45 ± 8.36 (the mean score of stress was 10.30 ± 6.16 and coping was 6.15 ± 3.83). Of the total, 129 participants (28.28%) were grouped as the high‐stress group. Results showed that the 70–79 years age group had higher odds of belonging to the stressed group than the 60–69 years age group (odds ratio = 2.336). Moreover, participants with a diploma were 57% more stressed than illiterate participants. The latter perceived less stress and had lower odds of belonging to the high‐stress group. The employed were 61% less likely to be categorized in the stressed group than the unemployed. Among women, 43% were less likely than men to be in the high‐stress group.Conclusion: As the present findings showed, the risk factors of perceived stress induced by COVID‐19 are old age, low education, unemployment, and masculinity. Therefore, planning to improve stress‐coping skills such as entertainment, strengthening social relationships, physical activity, and the peace of mind of this population are suggested under the supervision of geriatric specialists and psychiatrists.