Abstract
Background:Chronic diseases are usually accompanied by psychological abnormalities. Anxiety and depression occur in a significant number of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). These psychological problems are likely, to be the results of chronic physical symptoms such as pain and disability.Objectives:The aim of this study was the evaluation of mental health in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Iran.Patients and Methods:One hundred women with definite diagnosis of RA were evaluated in the outpatient clinic of the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences during one year period. Activity of RA disease was determined according to the Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS-28) scaling system and mental health was evaluated using the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28). Based on the cut of point score of 22, prevalence of psychological problems was determined and a comparison was made the between two groups (with and without psychological problems).Results:GHQ28 screening test showed that psychological problems were seen in 49% of studied patients. There were significant difference between duration of disease and DAS-28 score between the two groups (P = 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). Somatic symptoms were more frequent in patients with psychological problems (P = 0.001). Somatic symptoms in patient with high disease activity was also more frequent than the other group (P = 0.002). There was a significant positive correlation between the scores of DAS-28 and GHQ-28 (r = 0.329, P = 0.001).Conclusions:This study showed that a considerable portion of patients with RA may have mental problems. The probability of these problems increased with more severe and more prolonged disease.
Highlights
China is a country with a high prevalence of hepatitis B
Of the 2065 migrant workers tested for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg), 167 (126 male and 41 female subjects) tested positive for HBsAg; the overall positivity was 8.1%
Though in different regions of China there is different HBsAg positivity rate, an epidemiological study among the general population in Shandong revealed that the HBsAg prevalence among participants younger than 60 years of age was 3.39% in 2009 [12]
Summary
China is a country with a high prevalence of hepatitis B. Objectives: The present study was conducted to gain insight into the prevalence of hepatitis B and knowledge about hepatitis B among migrant workers in Shandong Province, China, as well as to explore a series of strategies for preventing and controlling the spread and prevalence of hepatitis B. Results: Of 2065 migrant workers tested for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg), 167 (126 men and 41 women) tested positive for HBsAg; the overall prevalence was 8.1%. As the most serious type of viral hepatitis, the interactions between the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and the host immune system is responsible for approximately one million deaths due to liver failure and cirrhosis [5, 6], and more than 75% of the hepatocellular carcinomas worldwide every years develop from HBV infections [7]. It is estimated that more than two billion people have been infected with HBV worldwide, one-third of whom are in
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