Tabari Biomedical Student Research Journal

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Background & Objectives: Depression is one of the four major diseases worldwide and is the most common cause disease complications such as disability. Depression is a leading cause of suicide, which has been on a growing trend in the recent years. Depression can affect an individual’s health, abilities, sense of success, and attractiveness, which are of great importance in life. One of the most detrimental effects of depression is the lack of desire to work and thrive. Given the importance of the prevalence of depression among students and implementing precautionary programs, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression among students of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences.
Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in students of School of Paramedic Sciences, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran, 2015. Of 1500 students, 220 participants were randomly selected, and after obtaining the informed consent, they completed Beck Depression Inventory. According to this questionnaire, the levels of depression are categorized as follows: 1-10 normal, 11-16 mild mood disturbances, 17-20 borderline clinical depression, 21-30 moderate depression, 31-40 severe depression, and more than 40 extreme depression. The questionnaire consisted of two sections of demographic data and variables on depression. After studying reliable books and journals in the field, the questionnaire was given to 10 experts and the final revisions were made based on their comments. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed using test-retest reliability (r=0.96). Chi-square test was performed to analyze the data, using SPSS. P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Approximately, 22%, 18%, 4%, and 16% of the students had mild mood disturbances, severe depression, borderline clinical depression, and moderate depression, respectively. The results showed that the rate of depression was higher in female students. Major also had a significant relationship with depression, that is, students of Laboratory Sciences had the highest level of depression, while the students of the Operating Room had the lowest level.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicated the high prevalence of depression among students. Therefore, appropriate measures should be taken to reduce the contributing factors to depression. Early detection of these factors can prevent the adverse complications of this condition.

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Introduction: COVID-19 can rapidly cause lung damage and severe respiratory distress and subsequently reduce oxygen saturation (SPO2), especially in generally ill patients, which may be exacerbated if severe clinical symptoms or underlying diseases are added. This may lead to deterioration of blood oxygenation or even increase the risk of death when severe clinical symptoms or underlying diseases are present. Therefore, the aim of this study was to Evaluation of the relationship between arterial blood oxygen saturation level and outcome in COVID-19 patients.
Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 250 patients referred to Imam Sari Hospital with symptoms of respiratory infection, gastrointestinal, and general symptoms in January 2020 to September 2020. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.
Results: 27 out of 250 patients died. There is a positive correlation between systemic patient, SPO2 and less than 90% with death results (P<0/02). Patients with heart disease (44.4%), cancer (30.1%), diabetes (11.1%), cerebrovascular accident (18.5%) died (P<0/05). There was no positive correlation between weakness, fever, dyspnea, nausea, and diarrhea and appetite loss with death.
Conclusion: Based on the present study, it was found that patients whose clinical symptoms were associated with underlying disease and SPO2 to a severe and critical degree had a higher risk of adverse outcome such as death. People with underlying conditions such as DM, CVD, HTN, and a history of angiography and cancer are also more likely to die due to COVID-19. Most deaths in the present study had low SPO2 at before admission, indicating a strong association between patient mortality and severity of lung involvement and low SPO2.

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Introduction: Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of adverse transfusion reactions (ATRs), unexpected or undesirable effects resulting from the therapeutic use of blood products.
Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the medical records of ATR patients who were referred to Mazandaran Heart Center from March 2014 until July 2020. Patients needed blood transfusions during the operation for various reasons; complications related to blood administration were considered ATR. Age, sex, associated clinical signs, symptoms, and adverse response were composed of a patient's file checklist with ethical points. SPSS 16.0 was used for statistical analysis.
Results: In this study, 23,206 blood products were used in hospitals as treatment, and there were 96 reactions (4%) because of transfusion, and 10 patients had a history of recent reactions. There was not any specific connection between the age of patients and the existence of complications. Most reactions were allergic (44%) and non-hemolytic febrile reactions (42%). It is essential to state that 91% of adverse reactions were slight ones, and only 5% led to the injury. Out of 96 patients with complications, 79 patients received blood products as pack cells; 6 patients received Fresh Frozen Plasma; 3 patients received autologous blood products, while this number was one for Blood Low Leukocytes and platelets (PLT).
Conclusion: Based on this investigation, the risk of adverse transfusion reactions (ATRs) is 4%, and universally 85 million units of blood products are transfused every year. Consequently, investigation to reduce this number is required.

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Introduction: The spread of the coronavirus, its high transmission rate, and lack of a definitive treatment for the novel disease have led to psychological disturbances in societies. Nurses are exposed to numerous psychological issues as they are on the frontline in the battle against COVID-19. The present study aimed to compare nurses and midwife personnel in terms of the anxiety caused by COVID-19.
Material and Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 130 nursing staff and midwife personnel working in the teaching hospitals affiliated to Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The participants were selected via convenience sampling. Data were collected using a corona disease anxiety scale, which was completed in a self-report manner. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 16 using descriptive statistics (tables, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics.
Results: The mean anxiety level of the nurses and midwife personnel was estimated at 30.33 ± 7.6 and 31.11 ± 9.03, respectively. However, the Mann-Whitney U test was indicative of no significant difference in this regard (P=0.08).
Conclusion: According to the results, the nursing and midwife personnel had similar levels of COVID-19 anxiety. Given the moderate anxiety level of the healthcare staff regardless of their work environment, it is recommended that special programs be considered by hospital managers to psychologically support the staff.

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Maternal mortality is one of the critical public health challenges worldwide, especially in less developed countries. Understanding the burden, trend, and causes of maternal deaths is a key requirement to further policymaking, resource allocation, and devise targeted intervention policy. Therefore, this study was aimed to estimate the maternal mortality rate (MMR) and highlight the associated causes in Kermanshah province, western Iran during 2011–2021.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in Kermanshah Province, in the west of Iran, from March 2011 to December 2021. The study population included pregnant women who died from causes related to pregnancy or childbirth and had healthcare records in the rural or urban health centers of the province.

During the 10-year study period, 69 maternal deaths occurred. Maximum maternal deaths (30.4%) were reported in the age group of 36 to 40 years. Nearly 75% of the mothers were at high risk during the perinatal period. Approximately 42% had a history of a major chronic illness. Plus, 55.1% of maternal deaths were due to direct causes comprising hemorrhage (21.7%), pregnancy-related infection (20.3%), and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (11.6%) whereas, 44.9% were due to indirect causes including pulmonary embolism (13%), suicide (11.6%), and cardiovascular disease (10.1%). The MMR during the period of the study elevated from 18 deaths per 100 000 live births in 2011 to 36 in 2021.
This study has suggested that mothers in the postpartum period need to be monitored more carefully, and especially for hemorrhage.