Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has boosted medical students’ vulnerability to various problems. Given the stressful nature of medical disciplines, considerable attention must be paid to student support systems during pandemics. This study aimed to review the current literature regarding medical student support systems systematically. Methods We performed a systematic review of six databases and grey literature sources in addition to a hand search in the references of the articles on April 5, 2021. We included all studies about support for undergraduate medical students delivered in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In conducting this review, we used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Results A total of 3646 articles were retrieved from the databases, and 16 additional papers were extracted from other sources. After removing duplicates, we screened 2434 titles and abstracts according to our criteria. Among them, 32 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. Ultimately, 10 studies were included for review. We identified two major themes: (a) academic support and (b) mental health support. All of the included studies utilized online methods whether for transitioning from previous support systems or developing novel approaches. Students and faculty members seemed to be receptive to these new systems. Despite indicating outstanding program outcomes, most studies merely described the positive effects of the program rather than providing a precise evaluation. Conclusion There are several methods of supporting medical students who are experiencing unprecedented changes in their educational trajectory. Due to substantial differences in undergraduate medical education in different regions of the world, cultural and contextual-oriented support is indispensable for developing a safe learning environment. Future research should investigate the question of the extent to which online support can supersede in-person strategies.

Background: The function of healthcare workers, particularly nursing staff, in taking care of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, cannot be overemphasized. As the pandemic lasts, burnout among the nursing staff needs to be considered as an important challenge. This was aimed to assess the nurses’ burnout and factors affecting this variable. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, Maslach Burnout Inventory was completed by 261 nurses in Shiraz hospitals (Iran) in April 2020. This questionnaire addresses different aspects, including emotional exhaustion, personal achievement, and depersonalization, to determine the intensity of perceived burnout among nurses during the outbreak. Results: Our data demonstrated that the nurses’ burnout in Shiraz hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic was high (64.6%). Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were observed in 63.6 and 53.3 percent of the participants, respectively. Moreover, the rate of successful personal achievement among these nurses was >97%. Work experience <10 years (P=0.016), hospital ward (P=0.044), the number of deaths observed by nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic (P<0.001), and the total number of shifts during the COVID-19 pandemic (P=0.006) had a positive correlation with emotional exhaustion. Conclusion: Workload and stress resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak seem to be one of the major causes of emotional exhaustion in nurses. The emotional exhaustion among nurses must be considered in epidemics, such as COVID-19.[GMJ.2020;9:e1956] DOI:10.31661/gmj.v9i0.1956

Background: Constipation is one of the most common Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms among children. The present study aimed to identify the demographic and clinical characteristics of the children suffering from constipation. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 987 children with constipation in Fars province from March 2015 to March 2016. The study data were collected in the pediatric GI clinic affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, mean, and standard deviation (SD). Results: More than 40% of the cases who referred to the pediatric GI clinic were suffering from constipation. Totally, 987 [495 females (50.2%) and 492 males (49.8%)] out of the 1000 children with constipation met the inclusion criteria. The remaining 13 children were

To examine positive/negative affects and coping strategies in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizure, temporal lobe epilepsy and in control group. 33 patients diagnosed with psychogenic non-epileptic seizure and 33 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (after being diagnosed with psychogenic non-epileptic seizure and temporal lobe epilepsy) were selected according to the criteria of inclusion and exclusion in the study. At the end, 33 non-patients were selected from non-neurological and nonpsychiatric clinics as control group and were compared with the two groups diagnosed with psychogenic non-epileptic seizure and temporal lobe epilepsy. Data were collected via positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) of Watson, Clark &Tellegen and Lazarus' Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used for data analysis. The test showed a significant difference in items of positive/negative affects and coping strategies of patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizure and those with temporal lobe epilepsy and the control group (p<0.05). Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and psychogenic non-epileptic seizure compared to the control groups obtained higher scores on subscales of negative emotions. That is, the two groups compared to control group experience more negative emotions. The positive emotions in both groups compared to the control groups were in the lower levels. With regard to coping strategies, patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizure compared to patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and control groups, had less active and problem-focused mechanisms when faced with difficulties and problems. In other words, when faced with problems, they use "escape-avoidance" mechanism rather than planning or any planful problem solving strategies.

Background: The Internet has become a fundamental part of modern life, it has given rise to various problematic behaviors. Some of these behaviors, such as prolific use of social media, frequent email checking, excessive online gaming, online buying and gambling, and viewing pornography cause significant impairment in everyday functioning of some individuals. Different researchers studied psychological aspects like impulsive compulsive spectrum, anxiety and depression in internet addicts. Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between internet addictions and different aspects of personality in medical students. Methods: In this cross, sectional study the purpose was to assess all 687medical students of medical faculty of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. 364 students showed their contention for participating in the study by filling the consent form. Finally 278 valid questionnaires were collected. They responded to the demographic questions in the questionnaire such as age, sex, marital status, student accommodation, entrance year to university, student residence place and also internet addiction test was performed and NEO five-factor inventory short form (NEO-FFI) was filled. Results: 55% of participants show internet addiction, with distribution of 51.4% mild, 2.9% moderate and 0.4% severe addiction. Internet addiction and personality traits of extraversion (The correlation coefficient =-0.118, P = 0.05), agreeableness (The correlation coefficient =-0.379, P = 0.001) and conscientiousness (The correlation coefficient =-0.21, P = 0.001), showed significant negative correlation, but its correlation with neuroticism (The correlation coefficient = +0.2, P = 0.001) was significantly positive. Internet addiction scores among students in semester five and eleven prior to the comprehensive basic science test (26.52 ± 9.8) and comprehensive pre-internship test (28.57 ± 19.2) were higher than the other academic years. Conclusions: The prevalence of Internet addiction in this study was higher compared to similar studies in other fields which led to the concerns regarding the extent of the problem. More internet addiction among students in 4th and 10th semester reveals the need for being efficiently trained in order to deal with stress in critical condition and also to maintain positive academic performance. Correlation of some aspects of personality traits with internet addiction, suggested initial assessment of medical students' personality by screening tools and identification of populations at risk. This may prove a need for favorable methods for initiation of prevention.