Prevalence of Substance Abuse Among Dormitory Students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Background: Adolescence is a risky period with high tendency towards drug abuse. Addressing the problem of drug abuse among students is essential.

Objectives: This study was carried out in 2013 with the purpose of investigating the prevalence of substance abuse among dormitory students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.

Effects of e-learning, lectures, and role playing on nursing students' knowledge acquisition, retention and satisfaction.

Background: Nursing education can maintain its dynamic quality when it moves toward innovation and modern methods of teaching and learning. Therefore, teachers are required to employ up to date methods in their teaching plans. This study evaluated the effects of e-learning, lectures, and role playing on nursing students' learning, retention, and satisfaction.

National report on the association of serum vitamin D with cardiometabolic risk factors in the pediatric population of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): the CASPIAN-III Study.

Objectives: As the first, to our knowledge, nationwide study in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), this study aimed to investigate the association of serum 25 hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] levels with cardiometabolic risk factors in a nationally representative sample of the pediatric population in Iran. The second objective was to provide the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D and the percentiles of serum 25(OH)D in the study population.

Methods: This national population-based study was conducted among 1100 Iranian students living in 27 provinces in Iran.

Salt intake and the association with blood pressure in young Iranian children: first report from the middle East and north Africa.

Background: This study aimed to assess the salt intake of Iranian children, and to assess the correlation of urinary electrolytes excretion with blood pressure.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2011-2012 among 3-10-year-old children, selected by multi-stage cluster sampling from urban and rural areas of Isfahan, Iran. The sodium (Na), potassium (K), and creatinine (Cr) were measured in a random sample of the children's first morning fasting urine.

Association of anthropometric indices with cardiovascular disease risk factors among children and adolescents: CASPIAN Study.

Background: For the first time in Iran, and to the best of our knowledge in Asia, we assessed the anthropometric indices most closely correlated to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in a large nationally representative sample of children and adolescents to be used as a simple tool for identifying those at risk.

Methods: This multi-center study was performed among a representative sample of 4811 school students (2248 boys and 2563 girls) aged 6-18 years, as part of the baseline survey of a national surveillance system. Anthropometric indices and CVD risk factors were measured using standard protocols, and their correlation was analyzed by using Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curves and partial correlation.