Mozaffar Hosseininezhad; Hannan Ebrahimi; Seyed Mohammad Seyedsaadat; Babak Bakhshayesh; Motahareh Asadi; Amir Reza Ghayeghran
Volume 16, Issue 1 , January 2017, , Pages 7-14
Abstract
Background: Stroke is the leading cause of death and functional disability. While there have been major advances regarding the management of stroke, a significant proportion of people are still unaware of stroke-related symptoms and risk factors. This study was performed to assess the awareness of stroke’s ...
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Background: Stroke is the leading cause of death and functional disability. While there have been major advances regarding the management of stroke, a significant proportion of people are still unaware of stroke-related symptoms and risk factors. This study was performed to assess the awareness of stroke’s warning signs and risk factors among a sample of Iranian population.Methods: A total of 649 participants were randomly selected using systematic randomization from the list of telephone numbers obtained from the telephone directory. Demographic characteristics were recorded. Participants were asked to answer questions regarding the awareness about stroke, its warning signs and risk factors.Results: Patients’ mean age was 32.0 ± 12.2 years old, and 56.4% were women. Hypertension and history of stroke were major risk factors, and loss of consciousness, vertigo and ataxia were major warning signs of stroke correctly identified by respondents. Multiple linear regressions showed that age (β = 0.277, P < 0.001), academic level of education (β = 6.41, P = 0.01), housewifery (β = 8.9, P < 0.001), jobs related to medical care (β = 13.17, P = 0.016) and previous information about stroke (β = 18.71, P < 0.001) were significant predictors of the overall awareness about stroke.Conclusion: The awareness of people about stroke, its risk factors and warning signs were good in this study. The awareness toward stroke can be associated with factors such as age, academic level of education, job and previous information about stroke. Further studies are recommended to program public multimedia and health education in academies and colleges.
Hamidreza Hatamian; Elham Bidabadi; Seyed Mohammad Seyed Saadat; Niloufar Seyed Saadat; Ehsan Kazemnezhad; Hamed Ramezani; Babak Bakhshayesh
Volume 12, Issue 2 , June 2013, , Pages 41-46
Abstract
Background: Although the precise etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) is unknown, it seems that both genetic and environmental factors are important. Recent studies suggest that low serum vitamin D levels are important environmental factor in MS. The aim of this study was to compare the serum levels of ...
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Background: Although the precise etiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) is unknown, it seems that both genetic and environmental factors are important. Recent studies suggest that low serum vitamin D levels are important environmental factor in MS. The aim of this study was to compare the serum levels of vitamin D between MS patients and healthy subjects, and to determine its association with disability in MS patients.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 52 patients with MS were randomly recruited and matched for age and sex with 52 healthy subjects. Demographic characteristics and serum vitamin D levels for both groups, as well as duration of disease Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) for MS patients were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed by independent samples t-test and multiple linear regression analysis.Results: The mean serum vitamin D levels were 26.5 ± 16.3 ng/ml in MS patients vs. 37.1 ±19.7 in healthy subjects (P = 0.003). A linear regression analysis showed no significant association between vitamin D levels and EDSS score of patients with MS (P = 0.345), after adjusting for the covariates.Conclusion:Our findings did not suggest a protective association for serum vitamin D levels against disability in MS patients.
