Married Participants Research Articles

Sustainable Consumption Behavior Measurement of Three Generations Using Descriptive Variables

Purpose: this study aimed at measuring the sustainable consumption behaviors of generations X, Y and Z using various descriptive variables. Methodology: the convenience sampling method was used for the data of this cross-sectional study collected during March 15-20, 2023, which obtained 244 usable survey data. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 26. Descriptive statistics and parametric tests were used in the study, such as t, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: the participants exhibited sustainable consumption behaviors at a moderate level (3.03). Positive and significant relationships (p<0.05) existed between the Sustainable Consumption Behavior Scale and its “environmental sensitivity” (r: 0.789), “saving” (r: 0.725), and "reusability” (r: 0.616) sub-dimensions. There was no statistically significant difference in the sustainable consumption behavior levels of the participants in terms of the variables, such as gender, educational level, income level and family type (p>0.05). However, statistically significant difference existed in the sustainable consumption behavior levels of the participants in terms of the variables, such as marital status, place of residence and generation (p<0.05). Conclusions: married participants living in the city in generation Y exhibited significantly more sustainable consumption behaviors than others. Implications: the study results revealed that the participants did not have sufficient environmental awareness. In this age of continuous consumption, it is of great importance to make necessary efforts on the issue. Within this context, environmental communities and educational institutions should provide more seminars and trainings on this issue.

Socio-Demographic, Lifestyle, and Cardiometabolic Characteristics Associated with Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation in Russian Adult Population.

Mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is higher in Russia compared to other European countries. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a biomarker of inflammation, and its elevated levels indicate increased CVD risks. We aim to describe the prevalence of low-grade systemic inflammation (LGSI) and the associated factors in a Russian population. The Know Your Heart cross-sectional study was conducted in Arkhangelsk, Russia in 2015-2017 with a population sample aged 35-69 years (n = 2380). LGSI was defined as hs-CRP ≥ 2 and <10 mg/L, and its associations with socio-demographic, lifestyle, and cardiometabolic characteristics were analyzed. The prevalence of LGSI (age-standardized to European Standard Population 2013) was 34.1% (33.5% in men and 36.1% in women). In the total sample, the increased odds ratios (ORs) of LGSI were associated with abdominal obesity (2.1), smoking (1.9), dyslipidemia (1.5), pulmonary diseases (1.4), and hypertension (1.3); the decreased ORs were in women (0.6) and in married participants (0.6). In men, the ORs were higher with abdominal obesity (2.1), smoking (2.0), CVDs (1.5), and hazardous drinking (1.5); in women-with abdominal obesity (4.4) and pulmonary diseases (1.5). In conclusion, one-third of the adult population in Arkhangelsk had LGSI. Abdominal obesity was the strongest LGSI correlate in both sexes, while the profiles of other associated factors were different between men and women.

Correlation between Glycated Hemoglobin Levels and Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Type 2 Diabetic Patients Attending Primary Health Care Centers in Dubai Health Authority

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is not only one of the fastest-growing health problems in the world but also a burden that is reaching to epidemic proportion worldwide. Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) significantly impact the outcome of self-management in patients with diabetes, yet the association between KAP of type 2 diabetes and the combined control of the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level to date remains uncertain due to lack in the number of studies. This study aimed to find the correlation between the KAP of type 2 diabetes and HbA1c levels in patients attending primary health care centers (PHCs) in Dubai. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted by a face-to-face questionnaire in patients with type 2 diabetes who visited PHCs in Dubai. We included ten PHCs. Participants were 292 females and males aged 18 years and above. The revised Michigan diabetes KAP scales on type 2 DM patients was used to assess the KAP. Results: The mean knowledge percent score of type 2 diabetic patients was 75.6%. Yet there is no evidence that it correlates with HbA1c levels. The correlation coefficient between the knowledge score and HbA1c is 0.032 (95% CI [−0.096 to 0.159], p value = 0.628). Factors that affected HbA1c levels were the level of education, marital status, and duration of diabetes (p value: 0.029, 0.003, and 0.006, respectively). For the level of education, the illiterate group had the highest HbA1c (median: 7.5 [5.6–14]), while the University group had the lowest HbA1c (median: 6.75 [4.8–12.8]). Also, widowed participants had the highest HbA1c (median: 7.5 [6.5–14]), while married participants had the lowest HbA1c (median: 6.9 [4.8–12.8]). Finally, participants with a duration of diabetes more than 20 years had the highest HbA1c (median: 7.8 [5.8–14]), and those who had a duration of diabetes for 6–10 years (median: 6.9 [5.1–13.1]) and those with a duration of diabetes 1–5 years (median: 6.9 [5.3–12.8]) had the lowest HbA1c. Conclusion: Although the study shows that type 2 diabetic patients attending primary health centers in Dubai had relatively adequate scores in knowledge, this could be further improved by implementing continuous awareness programs of type 2 DM to improve their understanding, compliance, and management, thereby reducing the severity of disease.

Psychological Well-Being in Married Individuals: Examining Role of Conscientiousness Personality Trait

This study investigates the influence of conscientiousness personality trait on psychological well-being of married individuals facing complex life issues. The attainment of psychological well-being is essential for individuals to cope and thrive during challenging times. Conscientiousness trait is known to promote commitment and a drive to achieve life goals, which can positively affect psychological well-being of married individuals. The study adopts a quantitative approach with 144 married participants (92 females and 52 males) aged 21-63 years. The primary analytical techniques use simple regression and correlation as additional analyses to examine the relationship between conscientiousness and psychological well-being, as well as the dimensions of both variables. The results show that conscientiousness has an influence on psychological well-being, and correlates with all aspects of the variable.

Examination of the social physical anxiety levels of adult individuals going to the gym (for Diyarbakir Province)

The aim of this study is to examine the social physical anxiety levels of adults who go to the gym. As the research was designed, it consists of adult individuals who go to the gym in Diyarbakir. A total of 242 adults, 98 females and 144 males, go to the gym. Social physical anxiety scale developed by Hart et al. (1989) and adapted to Turkish culture by Mülazımoğlu-Ballı and Asçı (2006) was used. In addition, the personal information of athletes was gathered through the "Personal Information Form" created by some researchers. In the analysis process of the data taken in this research, descriptive statistical methods, t-test for independent samples and one-way analysis of variance methods were used in this study, in accordance with the research design according to whether they show a normal distribution or not, by examining the data in the analysis process. The analyzes were made in the SPSS.22 package program and the relevance level was determined as p &lt; 0.05 in the study. As a result of this study, in terms of the age variable, between the individuals between the ages of 18 and 21 and those aged 26 and over, in favor of the individuals between the ages of 18 to 21, the individuals between the ages of 22 and 25, and those aged 26 and over, in favor of the individuals between the ages of 22 and 25. It was concluded that the single participants had a higher level of social physical anxiety than the married participants, and the participants with a lower level of education had a higher level of social physical anxiety.

PREVALENCE OF MENSTRUAL CHANGES FOLLOWING COVID -19 VACCINATION AMONG THE WOMEN ATTENDING THE MCH , AL AHSA SAUDI ARABIA

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a highly infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has taken the form of pandemic throughout the world and is a major public health problem. The effect of COVID-19 infection on menstruation cycle might be the adverse effect on the complex interplay of hormones that interact with immune, vascular and coagulation systems whose interaction can influence menstrual bleeding and severity of menstruation symptoms. However with the roll out of the COVID 19 vaccine among the younger age group, many complaints were received at the health centers regarding the change to their menstruation cycle. The present study was conducted to assess the effect of different types of Covid-19 vaccine on the menstruation cycle of the women. Material and Methods: It was a cross sectional prospective study in which data were collected by interviewing the women attending the MCH hospital and who are vaccinated by COVID 19 vaccination. The study sample contained 344 women. The sampling was done randomly by selecting every second eligible patient attending the out-patient department of Obs. and Gynaecology.The data were collected in the data collection form specially designed for this study. The data were entered and analyzed by using the SPSS, version 21.Descriptive statistics were presented using counts, proportions (%), mean ± standard deviation whenever appropriate. Descriptive statistics (e.g. number, percentage) and analytic statistics using Chi Square tests (?2) to test for the association and/or the difference between two categorical variables were applied. A p-value equal to or less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 314 subjects participated in study. The mean age of the participants was 29.56 years± Std. Dev. 8.29 years. Majority of the participants (67.5%) were married. Eighty six percent of the participants were immune by third dose while only 1% was immune by first dose and 7.6% by 2 doses of Covid-19 Vaccine. Almost forty six percent (45.9%) of the participants did not experience any change in their menstruation cycle after vaccination while 21.7% experienced irregular menstruation cycle and 15.9% experienced severe pain during the menstruation period. Minority of the participants complained about the heavy bleeding (7.6%), light bleeding and fewer days of period time (6.7%) and missed period without pregnancy (2.2%). Menstrual changes was significantly higher among the age group of 45-54 years of age as compared to 35-44 years , 25-34 years and 15-24 years of age group (90% vs. 51.95% vs.52.63%vs.52.69%, P=0.042). The menstrual cycle change was significantly more prevalent among the unmarried participants than married and divorced participants (60.42% vs. 50.94% vs.50%, P=0.045).Menstrual change was also significantly more among the participants with Type 2 diabetes as compared to those with no disease , hypertension and hypothyroidism (75% vs.50.57 vs.69.23 vs. 50%, P=0.043). The menstrual change was significantly more among the participants who were immune by first dose than those with second and third dose (80.0%vs.51.28% vs.53.70%, P=0.038). Conclusion: The present study has shown that there was evidence to support that following vaccination for COVID-19, menstrual disturbance do occur. Except Moderna vaccine the subjects in the present study had menstrual cycle irregularities regardless of the vaccine type. The presence of Type 2 Diabetes, hypertension, immunity by one dose, unmarried women and those with already irregular period were found to be the possible associated factors for the menstrual irregularities in our study. However, more specific studies such as case control are needed to validate the results of the present study.

A longitudinal investigation of marital dissolution, marital quality, and generalized anxiety disorder in a national probability sample

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common psychiatric disorder that is associated with high levels of distress and impairment. The present study was conducted to examine the 10-year longitudinal associations between marital dissolution, three measures of marital quality, and GAD among married participants from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) survey, a probability sample of American adults aged 24–74 years. Results indicated that GAD at baseline was significantly and positively associated with incidence of marital dissolution during the 10-year follow-up and marital strain (i.e., negative partner interaction) at baseline was significantly and positively associated with incidence of GAD at the 10-year follow-up. These associations remained statistically significant after adjusting for demographic characteristics and neuroticism. In comparison, marital satisfaction and marital support (i.e., positive partner interaction) at baseline were not significantly associated with incidence of GAD, GAD at baseline was not significantly associated with any of the three measures of marital quality at follow-up, and marital dissolution during follow-up was not significantly associated with incidence of GAD. These findings suggest that negative interactions with one’s partner may be a risk factor for GAD and that improving marital functioning may be important for the prevention and treatment of GAD.

High prevalence of risky sexual behaviour among key populations receiving antiretroviral therapy at a large HIV clinic in northern Uganda.

Risky sexual behaviour (RSB) among key populations pose a significant risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection but remains understudied. We assessed the prevalence and factors associated with RSB among key populations living with HIV (KPLHIV) in the post-conflict region of northern Uganda. We designed a cross-sectional study using secondary data, with the outcome as RSB defined as having multiple sexual partners, or condomless sex in the past 3 months, or sexual intercourse with a commercial sex worker in the past 3 months, or sexual intercourse under the influence of substance use in the past 3 months. We used modified Poisson regression to determine factors associated with RSB, reported as adjusted risk ratio (aRR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). We studied 165 participants and 122 (73.9%) reported RSB and this was more likely among heterosexual females (aRR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.54-3.71), the married (aRR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.42-2.49) or separated participants (aRR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.21-1.79), and transgender persons (aRR, 3.71; 95% CI, 2.05-6.71). RSB is highly prevalent among KPLHIV in northern Uganda so they should be targeted with HIV prevention and behavioural interventions to prevent potential HIV transmission to the general population.

Self- Esteem and Suicidal Ideation among Victims of Violence Women Southern Punjab

The aim of the current study was to examine self-esteem, and suicidal ideation among victims of violence in southern Punjab. The sample for the study is consisted of 132 victims of violence women. The sample was taken by using a purposive sampling technique from the shelter home and NGOs (Bahawalpur City, Kanpur, Multan, and NGOs). To collect data, two main instruments were used: (1) to assess self-esteem, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965); and (2) to assess suicidal ideation, the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (Beck, 1988). This research is based on quantitative, cross-sectional research design and a purposive sampling technique was used to collect the data. SPSS tool has been used to analyze the data and the comparison shown that married women participants having higher level of suicidal ideation as compared to unmarried. There was significant difference of self-esteem and suicidal ideation among rural and urban area victims of violence women. The comparison shown that urban women participants having slightly higher level of self-esteem as compared to rural. The current study findings are applicable only in the selected area and these can be used to develop social reforms for the victim women of violence.

Married women with children experience greater intrasexual competition than their male counterparts

Human males are considered to be more competitive than females. However, females must also compete for resources necessary for their own and their offsprings’ survival. Since females use more indirect forms of competition than males, comparing observable forms of competition may be misleading. One critical driver of competition is resource asymmetry. Since competition occurs primarily within sex, reactions to resource asymmetry with same-sex peers should provide an important measure of competitiveness. We asked 596 married participants, 25–45 years of age with at least one child from three different countries to evaluate how same-sex individuals they know would react to a target individual who had a valuable resource that the same-sex individuals did not have. Half the participants evaluated reactions to same-sex targets, while the other half evaluated reactions to other-sex targets. Participants reported that women would react more negatively than men to resource asymmetry with same-sex targets, but not other-sex targets. These results suggest that women may be even more competitive than men in contexts when important resources related to reproductive success are at stake.

Prevalence, determinants, and association of overweight/obesity with non-communicable disease-related biomedical indicators: A cross-sectional study in schoolteachers in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Overweight/obesity constitutes a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), whose global prevalence is growing rapidly, including in Afghanistan. However, the effects of risk factors on NCDs have rarely been studied in the educator workforce. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine the prevalence, determinants, and association of overweight/obesity with NCD-related biomedical indicators among schoolteachers in Afghanistan. The sample comprised 600 schoolteachers aged 18 years and above. We conducted questionnaire interviews, anthropometric measurements, and blood biochemistry tests. The main explanatory variable was overweight/obesity (body mass index ≥ 25.0 kg/m2). NCD-related biomedical indicators were the outcome variables. Poisson regression models were applied to investigate the association between overweight/obesity and outcome variables. The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 58.2%, which was significantly higher in women, those aged 41-50 years, married participants, and those with 10-20 years of working experience than in their counterparts. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables and lifestyle behaviors, overweight/obesity was significantly associated with hypertension (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 1.83, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33-2.51); elevated levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (aPR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.01-1.79), total cholesterol (aPR = 1.67, 95% CI:1.14-2.44), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (aPR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.10-1.50), and triglycerides (aPR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.57-2.50), and having three or more comorbidities (aPR = 1.90, 95% CI: 1.47-2.47). Our findings demonstrated a high prevalence of overweight/obesity among schoolteachers. In addition, we found significant associations of overweight/obesity with a higher prevalence of hypertension; elevated serum levels of HbA1c, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglycerides; and comorbid conditions in schoolteachers. The findings highlight the need for worksite interventions that promote weight control among schoolteachers with overweight/obesity to reduce the burden of NCDs.

Exploratory Research on Determinants of Place of Death in a Large-scale Cohort Study: The JPHC Study.

The place of death and related factor, such as diseases, symptoms, family burden, and cost, has been examined, but social background and lifestyle were not considered in most studies. Here, we assessed factors that are associated with the place of death using the largest cohort study in Japan. A total of 17,781 deaths from the cohort study were assessed. The study database was created from the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study (JPHC Study), in which demographic data were collected from Japanese Vital Statistics. Adjusted odds ratios for home death were calculated using logistic regression. Multivariate analysis adjusted for various factors showed that unmarried status (odds ratio [OR] 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0-2.9), unemployed male (OR 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.5), and high drinking level in male (OR 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.6) were associated with home death. Regarding the cause of death, cardiovascular disease (OR 3.3; 95% CI, 2.9-3.8), cerebrovascular disease (OR 1.9; 95% CI, 1.6-2.2), and external factors (OR 4.1; 95% CI, 3.5-4.8) were significantly associated with home death, compared with cancer. The risk of death at home was significantly higher among unmarried subjects stratified by cause of death (cardiovascular disease: OR 3.2; 95% CI, 2.2-4.7; cerebrovascular disease: OR :5.1; 95% CI, 2.9-9.1; respiratory disease: OR 3.4; 95% CI, 1.6-7.6; and external factors: OR 2.3; 95% CI, 1.4-3.7), but for cancer, the risk of death at home tended to be higher among married participants. This study found that various factors are associated with home death using the largest cohort study in Japan. There is a high possibility of home deaths in people with fewer social connections and in those with diseases leading to sudden death.

Hearing Prosocial Stories Increases Hadza Hunter-Gatherers' Generosity in an Economic Game.

Folk stories featuring prosocial content are ubiquitous across cultures. One explanation for the ubiquity of such stories is that stories teach people about the local socioecology, including norms of prosociality, and stories featuring prosocial content may increase generosity in listeners. We tested this hypothesis in a sample of 185 Hadza hunter-gatherers. We read participants a story in which the main character either swims with another person (control story) or rescues him from drowning (prosocial story). After hearing the story, participants played a dictator game with dried meat sticks and then were given a recall test of facts presented in the story. There was moderate evidence for a small effect of the prosocial story: participants who heard the prosocial story gave an estimated 0.22 [90% HDI: -0.12-0.57] more meat sticks than those who heard the control story. However, the association between generosity and sex, marital status, and region of residence was stronger; men gave more than women, unmarried participants gave more than married participants, and participants living in a region with more exposure to markets gave more than participants living further from markets. There was no evidence that the prosocial story was more easily recalled than the control story. These results provide some support for the hypothesis that prosocial stories can increase prosociality in listeners, though the effect of hearing a single story is small.

A Multi-Site Survey Study on the Association Between the COVID-19 Pandemic and United States Anesthesiology Residents' Mental Health.

At the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)pandemic, anesthesiology residency programs were impacted differently due to various factors such as the local severity of COVID-19, exposure to patient suffering, and inability to complete rotations. We sought to investigate the impact of local-level pandemic severity on the well-being of anesthesiology residents. This multi-site study surveyed postgraduate year two residents from 15 United States (US) anesthesiology programs using the Perceived Stress Scale, Mini-Z, Patient Health Questionnaire-9,WHO-5 Well-Being Index,and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support before the pandemic (baseline survey) and during the first COVID-19 surge (post survey). A total of 144 (65%) residents responded to the initial baseline survey; 73 (33%) responded to the post survey, and 49 (22%) completed both surveys. There was not a statistically significant difference in any well-being outcomes of participants between the surveys, nor was there a significant difference based on the severity of COVID-19 impact at the program's hospital. Male participants had higher perceived stress scores (β = 4.05, 95%CI: 0.42, 7.67, P = 0.03) and lower social support from family (β = -6.57, 95%CI: -11.64, -1.51, P = 0.01) at the post survey compared to female participants after controlling for baseline scores. Additionally, married participants or those with domestic partners reported higher perceived social support in the post survey (β = 5.79, 95%CI: -0.65, 12.23, P = 0.03). The local COVID-19 severity at a residency program did not disproportionately impact well-being scores among anesthesiology residents. Those most vulnerable to diminished well-being appeared to be male and single participants. As a result, targeted well-being interventions, including those aiming to increase social support, to higher-risk resident groups may be indicated. Future work is needed to assess the longstanding COVID-19 pandemic impacts on resident well-being.

The Relationship between Successful Aging and Health Literacy in Older Adults

Purpose. This study aims to determine the relationship between successful aging and health literacy in older adults. Design and Methods. This cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study was conducted between April and September 2021. The sample of the study comprised 379 voluntary older adults aged 65 and above who visited a health center. A descriptive information form, the adult health literacy scale, and the successful aging scale were used for data collection. Results. The levels of health literacy were low, whereas the perceptions of successful aging were high. Besides, compared to female participants, the levels of health literacy and the perceptions of successful aging were higher in male participants. Age was negatively correlated with the level of health literacy. Furthermore, health literacy levels and successful aging perceptions of married participants were high. Finally, as the education levels increased, so did the health literacy level and successful aging perceptions. Practice Implications. Health policies to promote successful aging and health literacy in adults may be developed. Besides, intervention plans to improve the health literacy levels of different age groups may be prepared. Further studies that use culture-specific scales may be conducted.

Development of marital adjustment and family functioning scale: a reliability and validity study

Aim: We aimed to develop a novel, comprehensive scale to assess family functioning and marital adjustment. Methods: We attempted to develop the Marital Adjustment and Family Functioning Scale with randomly selected 361 married participants without dementia and mental retardation. While calculating the internal consistency coefficient and deploying the test-retest method to ensure the reliability of the scale, we resorted to the factor analysis and criterion-related validity methods to seek its validity. The Marital Adjustment Test (MAT) and the Family Assessment Device (FAD) were utilized to ensure the criterion validity of the scale. Results: The findings revealed the internal consistency coefficient of the scale to be 0.974. Following the test-retest study with 20 participants, we calculated the correlations between two measurements with the MAFFS test to be 0.951. Finally, we calculated the correlation coefficients between the MAFFS and the FAD and the MAT to be 0.704 and 0.775, respectively. Conclusion: The first subscale is called the �family functioning and adjustment� since the items were oriented to assess general functions and adjustment in the family. The second subscale includes the items oriented to confidence-loyalty-violence; therefore, it is called �confidence-loyalty-violence.� Finally, the third subscale is referred to as �marital dysphoria� since it attempts to assess dysphoric issues within the family. Overall, the whole scale is deemed appropriate to be called the �Berksun-S�ylemez-Kayac�k (BSK) Marital Assessment Scale.�

Occupational health and safety hazards faced by health care professionals in Kathmandu based hospital: a cross-sectional analytical study

Background: Occupational health and safety is a broad discipline that covers several specialized fields, including physical, psychological, chemical, biological, and mechanical/electrical, and assesses the health and safety of employees in a broader context. Healthcare workers including physicians and nurses get regularly exposed to occupational hazards. The objective of the study was to analyse the occupational health and safety hazards faced by healthcare professionals in Kathmandu. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the hospitals of the Kathmandu district. Ethical approval was taken from National Academy for Medical Sciences and hospitals. Purposive sampling was used to select the hospitals and convenience sampling was used to collect the data from respondents using semi-structured questionnaires. The total sample size was 247. Data collected from respondents were entered into Epidata and were analysed and expressed using SPSS version 25. Results: Back pain (64.8%) and needle injury (59.5%) were the most perceived injury that might occur in hospitals along with hepatitis B (35.2%) and covid (23.9%) as infections. The majority (88.7%) of health workers used PPE while working and biological hazards (88.3%) were the most suffered hazards followed by chemical hazards (87%). The age group of 50-60 years, higher secondary level graduates, government health workers, doctors, and nurses were statistically significant with safety practices whereas Buddhist, married participants, governmental health workers, nurses, and radiologists were associated with hazards. Conclusions: The development and updates of existing policy on OHS and training/workshop, exposure to information, and awareness are necessary for improving occupational health and safety of health care workers in Kathmandu valley.

Missed opportunity: low uptake of VMMC among men attending the OPD of a public health facility offering free VMMC services in Uganda

BackgroundStudies in various countries including Uganda and Kenya have shown a much lower incidence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among men that underwent voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) compared to uncircumcised men. Wakiso district, the district with the highest prevalence of HIV in Uganda (7%), has a very low estimated proportion of men who have undergone VMMC (30.5%). Within the district, various public health facilities provide free VMMC services. This study examined the prevalence and factors associated with the uptake of VMMC among men attending the outpatient department (OPD) of a public facility offering VMMC services.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study between July to August 2021 using a sample of men attending the OPD at Kira Health Centre IV. We defined VMMC uptake as the removal of all or part of the foreskin of the penis by a trained healthcare professional. We determined factors independently associated with VMMC uptake using a modified Poisson regression analysis with robust standard errors at a 5% statistical significance level. Adjusted prevalence risk ratios (APRR) were reported as the measure of outcome.ResultsOverall, 389 participants were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the participants was 27.2 (standard deviation ± 9.02) years. The prevalence of VMMC uptake was 31.4% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 26.8–36.2). In the adjusted analysis, the uptake of VMMC among men attending the OPD of Kira HC IV was less likely among married participants compared to unmarried participants (APRR 0.64, 95% CI 0.48–0.88), among participants from Western tribes (APRR 0.50, 95% CI 0.41–0.86) or Eastern tribes (APPR 0.31, 95% CI 0.13–0.72) compared to participants from the Central tribes and among participants who didn’t disclose their sexual partner number compared to those that had one or no sexual partner (APRR 0.62, 95% CI 0.40–0.97). On the other hand, the prevalence of uptake of VMMC was 7 times among participants who were aware of VMMC compared to those who were not aware of VMMC (APRR 7.85 95% CI 1.07–9.80) and 2.7 times among participants who knew their HIV status compared to those that didn’t know (APRR 2.75, 95% CI 1.85–4.0). Also, the uptake of VMMC was 85% more among participants who knew that Kira HC IV provided free VMMC services compared to those that didn’t (APRR 1.85, 95% CI 1.85–4.08).ConclusionVMMC among men attending the OPD at the largest public healthcare facility proving free VMMC services in Kira Municipality was low. The OPD may provide a quick win for improving VMMC uptake. Collaborative efforts among the administration of Kira HC IV, the Ministry of Health and VMMC implementation partners could work towards developing health-facility-based strategies that can improve VMMC awareness and uptake with emphasis on the OPD.

A Measure of Romantic Love: The Psychometric Properties of the Love Bank Inventory

The purpose of this research was to thoroughly study the psychometric properties of the Love Bank Inventory (LBI) with married participants. The LBI is a 21-item Likert-type English survey developed to measure romantic love for a partner. Two studies were conducted with independent data sets (Study 1: n = 143; Study 2: n = 142) that represented 22- to 62-year-old heterosexual, nondyadic married respondents with multicultural citizenship. The results of the two studies provide support for (a) a single-factor model, (b) convergent validity with a positive correlation with the statement about romantic love (rs = .67 - .68) and construct criterion validity with a positive correlation with the Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Test (r = .76 - .80), (c) internal consistency of LBI statements (? = .95 - .96,), and (d) test-retest reliability (r = .88). These two studies provide support for the use of the LBI as a free tool to assess romantic love in marriage education development and applied settings.

The Relationship between Anxiety Resulting from COVID-19 and Mental Health in the Population Over 18 Years Old in Qaemshahr County, Iran, 2021

Background: COVID-19 is the third pandemic of the 21st century, is highly contagious, and can cause anxiety due to the development of serious physical problems and reduction of quality of life. Anxiety is a psychological state experienced by nearly all humans in life. However, it is considered a mental disorder if it exceeds its moderate level. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the anxiety level, mental health, and their related factor in the population above 18 years old in Qaemshahr County. Methods: This descriptive, correlational study was conducted on 400 individuals in Qaemshahr County. Given the population of this county, convenience sampling was employed to select 40% of the participants from the rural population and 60% from the urban population. The data were collected using a demographic questionnaire (7 items), the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS) including somatic (physical) anxiety and psychic (mental) anxiety sections, and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Descriptive and inferential statistical tests (multiple linear regression analysis, independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson’s test) were used in the SPSS 25 software for data analysis. Results: The mean score of mental health was 22.93±8.9, which accounted for 63.69% of the total score of the questionnaire. The total mean score of anxiety was also 9.46±6.89, which contributed to 31.53% to the total score of the questionnaire. According to the results, physical anxiety per se predicted 31% of the dependent variable (mental health). Conclusion: The results showed a significant negative correlation between mental health and anxiety resulting from COVID-19. In other words, the higher the anxiety level, the lower the level of mental health would be. Anxiety also acted as an underlying variable threatening health. Moreover, the mean score of mental anxiety was higher in married, divorced, and widowed participants than in single ones.