Publications by authors named "Ali-Akbar Haghdoost"

Upper limb disabilities, if not managed, controlled and treated, significantly affect the physical and mental condition, daily activities and quality of life. Registries can help control and manage and even treat these disabilities by collecting clinical-management data of upper limb disabilities. Therefore, the aim of this study is to design, develop and evaluate a registry system for upper limb disabilities in terms of usability.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The uptake of HIV partner status notification remains limited in low- and lower-middle-income countries. This mixed-methods systematic review aims to summarize the barriers and facilitators of HIV partner status notification in these settings.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science from January 01, 2000, to August 31, 2023, for empirical qualitative and quantitative studies.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: To reduce the clinical burden of COVID-19, healthcare providers, and policymakers need a clear understanding of the illness severity during epidemic waves. This study aimed to identify the clinical severity of patients with COVID-19 during different stages of an epidemic wave (pre-peak, peak, post-peak) in four provinces in Iran.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of the data on COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals (25,382 cases), which were recorded in the Medical Care Monitoring Center.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The world is changing rapidly, mainly due to the impact of megatrends that have an impact on the entire human life, particularly in medical sciences. Medical research methodologies such as cohort studies provide very critical information, but it is not clear what would be its destination in the future. In this short article, we have tried to offer a somewhat different perspective on the future of cohort studies by analyzing the texts and their conclusions from the author's viewpoint.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • People who inject drugs (PWID) in Iran show varying levels of HIV-related risk behaviors, with a significant proportion engaging in unsafe injection and unprotected sex.
  • A survey conducted in 11 major cities found that 1.3% had dual risks, 4.5% engaged only in unsafe injection, and 11.8% had only unsafe sex, with correlations to factors like multiple partnerships and homelessness.
  • The study highlights the need for targeted interventions, especially for groups at higher risk, as none of the women surveyed reported dual risk behaviors, indicating potential gender differences in risk patterns.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

HIV partner notification is a key intervention to facilitate access to HIV testing and treatment. This qualitative study investigated the strengths and weaknesses of the HIV partner notification program in Iran. Additionally, it provides comprehensive recommendations to mitigate potential harms and maximize the benefits of partner notification services.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: This study measures the COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (CVE) against hospital admission and severe COVID-19.

Methods: This study is a test-negative case-control design using data from eight provinces in April, 2021 until March, 2022. The individuals were classified as cases and controls based on the results of the RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 and matched based on the timing of the test being conducted as well as the timing of hospital admission.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: With the COVID-19 outbreak in countries around the world, the countries' healthcare systems underwent an unprecedented shock. This study aimed to examine the resilience of the medical service delivery system in providing emergency services during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Methods: This study was conducted in a reference hospital in Kerman that provided emergency services to trauma patients.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Prisons often serve as high-risk environments for drug use, and incarcerated people are at a high risk for substance use-related mental and physical harms. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of non-injection drug use inside the prison and its related factors among incarcerated people in Iran.

Methods: We utilized data from three national bio-behavioral surveillance surveys conducted among incarcerated people in Iran in 2009, 2013, and 2017.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Abdominal surgery is considered a high-risk procedure for the development of surgical site infection (SSI). Few studies have evaluated the relative importance of surgical site infection risk factors in terms of consistency in abdominal surgery. Therefore, this comprehensive review article mapped and summarized the evidence aimed to determine the relative importance of the risk factors and incidence of SSIs in abdominal surgery.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Although observational studies are valuable sources of scientific evidence, they are prone to bias and confounding. This study aimed to assess the quality of observational studies in Traditional Persian medicine (TPM).

Methods: A systematic search was conducted in national and international databases up to the end of 2022 to identify observational studies on TPM.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: This study aims to identify policy content challenges related to high-risk sexual behaviors, stimulant drugs, and alcohol consumption in Iranian adolescents.

Methods: This qualitative study analyzed high-level and national documents pertaining to adolescent health, high-risk sexual behaviors, stimulant, and alcohol consumption in adolescents. The documents, which were published by public organizations between January 1979 and February 2023 and publicly available, were complemented by interviews with policymakers and executives.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Oral cavity cancers (OCCs) are the sixth most prevalent cancers in the world. There are strong evidences showing the risk of the cigarette smoking, alcohol use, poor oral hygiene and some types of diets in OCCs; however, few studies explored the relationship between opium and its derivatives (O&D) use and OCCs incidence. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between consumption of O&D and the incidence of OCCs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • This guideline is Iran's first systematic approach for diagnosing and managing hyperlipidemia in adults, addressing key clinical questions with evidence-based recommendations.
  • It sets specific thresholds for LDL-C (over 190 mg/dL) and triglycerides (over 500 mg/dL) to initiate drug treatment while emphasizing lifestyle changes as the primary intervention.
  • Statins are recommended as the first-line medication, with additional options proposed for high levels, and targets for LDL-C (<130 mg/dL) and triglycerides (<200 mg/dL) are specified for adults without comorbidities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: HIV partner notification services can help people living with HIV (PLHIV) to identify, locate, and inform their sexual and injecting partners who are exposed to HIV and refer them for proper and timely counseling and testing. To what extent these services were used by PLHIV and what are the related barriers and facilitators in southeast Iran are not known. So, this study aimed to explore HIV notification and its barriers and facilitators among PLHIV in Iran.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: This study investigated the quality of inpatient care provided to Afghan immigrants in Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic (February 2019 to March 2021). For this purpose, the services received by Afghan immigrants were compared with those received by Iranian citizens.

Methods: Two emergency services (traumas with 8080 victims and 8,686 patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 infection) were taken into consideration.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * Results show a significant decline in smoking and other NCD risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity between 2001 and 2016, but projected increases in prevalence of physical inactivity and obesity by 2030, highlighting ongoing health concerns.
  • * The findings underscore the need for effective public health interventions in Iran to promote healthy lifestyles and mitigate rising NCD risk factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), on 11 March 2020. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) combine the impact of morbidity and mortality, allowing for comprehensive comparisons of the population. The purpose of this study was to estimate DALYs due to COVID-19 in Iran for the first 2 years of the pandemic.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The Arbaeen Pilgrimage, a momentous religious journey drawing millions of participants annually, presents a profound spiritual experience. However, amidst its significance lie various health challenges that pilgrims encounter along the way. Addressing these challenges is vital to ensure the well-being of participants and the success of this extraordinary event.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Limited data show a potential link between bladder cancer and waterpipe smoking, prompting further investigation in this area of public health.
  • The study analyzed 717 bladder cancer cases against 3,477 controls, revealing a significant risk increase for exclusive waterpipe smokers, especially those smoking more than two heads per day or starting before age 20.
  • The findings suggest that waterpipe smoking could be a serious risk factor for bladder cancer, even in individuals who do not smoke cigarettes or use opium, highlighting the need for policy changes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Aim: Anxiety, stress, and depressive disorders as common mental health problems have adverse effects in different populations. Holy Quran recitation and listening can help reduce these disorders. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the Holy Quran on anxiety, stress, and depression.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Drug injection is a major health-related problem worldwide. Injection cessation and relapse to injection could significantly alter the risk of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among people who inject drugs (PWID). This study aimed to estimate the rate of injection cessation and relapse to injection among PWID in Iran.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: One of the critical factors affecting chronic diseases is the use of drugs, especially industrial substances, such as methamphetamine. Methamphetamine use is increasingly common among the younger members of society. Methamphetamine is not only physically and mentally destructive, but also has a significant impact on the families of abusers and society, and imposes a financial burden on society.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Opium use has been associated with an increased risk of cancers of the lung, oesophagus, and pancreas, and it was recently classified by the International Agency for Cancer Research as carcinogenic to humans. It is not clear whether opium also increases the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of our study was to assess the association between various metrics of opium use and the risk of CRC.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF