CONTEXT: At time of epidemics, fear and rumors in the community are the main obstacles to the success of prevention programs. AIMS: The aim of the study was to investigate the fear and rumors of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among the Iranian population. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted on residents of six cities of Iran via street-based multistage sampling in March 2020. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The eligible participants completed a self-administered questionnaire about rumor and fear related to COVID-19 epidemy. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data were analyzed through linear regression and survey analysis using Stata (version 11). RESULTS: A total of 2249 (49.3% women) were included. The main source of information was Iranian broadcasting (68.5%). The overall mean (standard deviation) score of fear and rumor among the Iranian population was 15.68 (0.46) and 39.24 (1.27), respectively. Educational level was associated with fear of COVID-19 ( P = 0.001). Trusting to the rumors was affected by age (<0.0001), education level ( P < 0.0001), underlying disease ( P = 0.017), and workplace situation ( P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The fear and rumor surrounding the epidemic of COVID-19 were common in society that could make an epidemic of COVID-19 difficult to control. Increasing public awareness via reliable mass media is recommended.

Background Prevalence of short and long sleep duration varies in different countries and changes over time. There are limited studies on Iranians’ sleep duration, and we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of short and long sleep duration and associated factors among people living in Kermanshah, Iran. Methods This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2014 and February 2017. Data was collected from 10,025 adults aged 35 to 65 years using census sampling, and we evaluated the short and long sleep duration (≤ 6 and ≥ 9 h, respectively) and its relation with the socio-demographic factors and health-related status of the participants. Results Mean age of participants was 48.1 years (standard deviation = 8.2), and 47.4% of participants were male. Of our participants, 11.6% had short, and 21.9% had long sleep duration. Age ≥ 50 years, female gender, being single, mobile use for longer than 8 h per day, working in night shifts, moderate and good levels of physical activity, BMI ≥ 30, past smoking, and alcohol use were associated with short sleep duration (P < 0.05). Female gender and living in rural areas were associated with long sleep duration (P < 0.05). Conclusion In the Ravansar population, short and long sleep duration are prevalent, with long sleep duration having higher prevalence. People at risk, such as night shift workers, as well as modifiable factors, such as mobile phone use, can be targeted with interventions to improve sleep hygiene.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of role-playing and lecture on improving the attitudes of the Khorramabad suburban population toward the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In 2019, 270 people aged 18 and above participated in a randomized controlled trial in Khorramabad, Iran. Individuals were randomly assigned to one of three groups: role-playing, lecture, or control. To collect data before and after the intervention, we used a standard HIV knowledge and attitude questionnaire. Before the educational intervention, three marginalized groups’ attitudes toward HIV were stigmatized. After the intervention, the attitudes of both the role-playing and lecture groups improved significantly relative to the control group (P<0.0001); there was no significant difference between the two methods (P>0.05). The correlation between attitude and knowledge scores was positive (P<0.0001). This study demonstrates that education is a fundamental pillar of improving attitudes toward people living with HIV (PLHIV) and can reduce stigma against them, thereby increasing their desire to disclose their condition and seek medical care. Trial registration: The trial registration code is IRCTID: IRCT20190807044467N1 (https://en.irct.ir/trial/41464).

Background: There is an information gap concerning the prevalence of genital warts infection in Iran. Objectives: The present study aimed to estimate the number of genital warts cases in the city of Bushehr using the multiplier method, which previously there was no accurate information. Methods: This 2019 cross-sectional study directly counted the number of cases of genital warts referred to private and public clinics in Bushehr City over a month (June). In July, a survey was conducted on the general population of the city in order to obtain information with reference to the number of people with a history of genital warts in the last month and to assess the patients who were referred to a healthcare center. We also interviewed physicians and midwives. Eventually, the number of genital warts cases calculated using the multiplier method (S = P1/P2 × m formula). In order to accurately estimate the confidence interval, a Monte Carlo analysis was used in STATA version 14. Results: The number of genital warts cases referred to a provider in the investigated month, separated by general practitioners, dermatologists, gynecologists, midwives, urologists, and infectious diseases specialists, was estimated at 258, 195, 77, 48, 22, 22, and 9, respectively. Conclusions: The estimated number of genital warts cases in the study population was significantly higher than the reported cases for the investigated month by the Bushehr University of Medical Sciences Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Understanding the true number of cases of genital warts can help policymakers in designing genital wart control and prevention programs for the general population and at-risk individuals.

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