Ehsan Mostafavi, Ali Akbar Haghdoost, Amin Doosti Irani, Saeid Bokaei, Sadegh Chinikar,
Volume 2, Issue 1 (1-2014)
Abstract
Introduction : This study was aimed to investigate the effects of risk factors, and environmental and climatic factors a ffecting the occurrence of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Iran. We used temporal modeling to predict the future occurrence of the disease in the country . Methods : We analyzed the data of 165 CCHF patients from all over Iran (e xcept the districts Zabol and Zahedan in Eastern Iran ) during 2000 to 2006. In this study, 130 districts with at least one reported case patient, and 780 districts with no reported case patient, as the control group, were included in the model. Logistic regression was used to design the temporal model of the disease at the district-month level nationwide with the purpose of predicting the occurrence of CCHF disease with in one month in a district. Results: The designed model indicated that the history of previous reports of the disease in a district increased the risk of further reports of the disease (odds ratio: 2.53 (95% CI: 1.61, 3.97), (P <0.001)). Moreover, w ith each one-million increase in the urban population, the odds of a report of the disease increased 20% (P =0.003). The odds of the occurrence of the disease were reduced by 9% w ith the increase in e ach degree of latitude (P =0.028). The odds of the occurrence of the disease increased 6.25 times w ith the increase in e ach kilometer of altitude (P <0.001). T he disease had a decreasing s ecular trend so that the occurrence of the disease was reduced by 10 % each year (P =0.008). Conclusion : Our findings showed that based on the history of CCHF in districts, and population and geographical features, hot zones may be defined with some acceptable accuracy. J Med Microbiol Infec Dis, 2014, 1 (2): 7 pages.
Maryam Fazeli, Mahsa Golahdouz, Rouzbeh Bashar, Masoumeh Arab Baferani, Amin Doosti Irani, Behzad Pourhossein, Sana Eybpoosh,
Volume 6, Issue 2 (4-2018)
Abstract
Introduction: Rabies is a highly fatal disease. However, it is quite preventable. Community awareness about rabies is one of the key components for prevention, which should be assessed and routinely monitored by standard questionnaires. We aimed to develop and validate a Persian knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire for rabies (PKAP-Rabies) in the general population of Iran. Methods: The questionnaire was developed based on existing literature and conducting focus group discussions with experts in the field. Content, face, and construct validity were checked by gathering the opinion of 10 experts in the field. Test-retest reliability was assessed by re-administrating the questionnaire to the same individuals after a 15-days interval. Results: The questionnaire consisted of 64 items, covering five domains including ‘demographics’ (19 items), knowledge about animal and human rabies (14 and 10 items, respectively), attitude towards rabies prevention in animals (6 items), and practice towards rabies prevention/control (14 items). The questionnaires were mainly filled by young (mean= 28.6, SD= 10.3 years) women (63.3%) with a university-level educational background (36.7%). Most knowledge questions had a proper difficulty level (average difficulty index= 20-80%). Wilcoxon test also showed proper test-retest reliability for this questionnaire (PWilcoxon > 0.05). Conclusions: The PKAP-Rabies questionnaire appeared to be feasible, valid and reliable for assessing KAP towards rabies in the general population of Iran with potential application in future large-scale surveys. Information from such surveys can provide insight into adopting prevention and control measures, and would allow us to evaluate the impact of current and upcoming interventions.
