Feasibility of Colon Cancer Screening by Fecal Immunochemical Test in Iran.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in Iran, where there is no mass screening for the disease yet. We aimed to measure the feasibility of a pilot CRC screening program based on fecal immunochemical test (FIT) in Iranian population and the implications for scaling-up at the national level.

Methods: A single quantitative FIT was offered by health navigators to individuals aged between 45 and 75 years in primary health centers in rural and urban areas in Tehran.

The Frequency of Alcohol Use in Iranian Urban Population: The Results of a National Network Scale Up Survey.

Background: In Islamic countries alcohol consumption is considered as against religious values. Therefore, estimation of frequency of alcohol consumptions using direct methods is prone to different biases. In this study, we indirectly estimated the frequency of alcohol use in Iran, in network of a representative sample using network scale up (NSU) method.

The Impact of Social Structures on Deviant Behaviors: The Study of 402 High Risk Street Drug Users in Iran.

This study is a sociological analysis of the three dimensions of social structure including institutional, relational, and embodied structures that have an impact on the individuals' deviant behaviors in the society. The authors used a mix method to analyze the qualitative and quantitative data of 402 high risk abandoned substance users in 2008 in Tehran, capital city of Iran. The leading reasons of substance use were categorized into four fundamental themes as follows: stress, deviant social networks, and low social capital and weak social support sources.

National population size estimation of illicit drug users through the network scale-up method in 2013 in Iran.

Background: For a better understanding of the current situation of drug use in Iran, we utilized the network scale-up approach to estimate the prevalence of illicit drug use in the entire country.

Methods: We implemented a self-administered, street-based questionnaire to 7535 passersby from the general public over 18 years of age by street based random walk quota sampling (based on gender, age and socio-economic status) from 31 provinces in Iran. The sample size in each province was approximately 400, ranging from 200 to 1000.

Methanol mass poisoning in Iran: role of case finding in outbreak management.

Background: There are no guidelines addressing the public health aspects of methanol poisoning during larger outbreaks. The current study was done to discuss the role of active case finding and a national guideline that organizes all available resources according to a triage strategy in the successful management of a methanol mass poisoning in Rafsanjan, Iran, in May 2013.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed reviewing the outbreak Emergency Operation Center files.

Development of country-wide strategies to reduce the alcohol abuse.

Background: Evidence shows that in Iran alcohol abuse rate may be of concern, especially among the youth. The mental and social health and addiction Department of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education has designed a plan to prevent, treat, and rehabilitate the patients abusing alcohol in a time period of 2011-2015.

Methods: In a 6-month period, three guiding committees of experts in the field of alcohol abuse reviewed the literature.

Social hidden groups size analyzing: application of count regression models for excess zeros.

Background: In the case of sensitive questions such as number of alcoholics known, majority of respondents might give an answer of zero. Poisson regression model (P) is the standard tool to analyze count data. However, P provides poor fit in the case of zero inflated counts, when over-dispersion exists.

Descriptive Aspects of Injection Drug Users in Iran's National Harm Reduction Program by Methadone Maintenance Treatment.

Background: The Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education of Iran has recently announced an estimated figure of 200,000 injecting drug users (IDUs). The aim of this study was to pilot a national program using demographics, types of drug abuse and prevalence of blood-borne infections among IDUs.

Methods: In order to elicit data on demographics, types of drug abuse and prevalence of blood-borne infections among IDUs, a questionnaire was designed in the Bureau of Mental-Social Health and Addiction in collaboration with Iran's Drug Control Headquarters of the Police Department.

Lichen planus and Hepatitis C: a case-control study.

Background: The association of lichen planus with hepatitis C (HCV) has been widely reported in the literature. However, there are wide geographical variations in the reported prevalence of HCV infection in patients with lichen planus. This study was conducted to determine the frequency of hepatitis C in Iranian patients with lichen planus at Razi hospital, Tehran.