Suction drains provide an easy and feasible method for controlling hemorrhage after total knee arthroplasty. However, there has been no compromise regarding the optimum clamping time for these drains. We conducted a randomized clinical trial in 50 patients to compare 12-hour drain clamping and continuous drainage after total knee arthroplasty in terms of wound complications, blood loss, and articular arc of motion. To eliminate any other factor except duration of clamping, we chose to compare only knees belonging to a single patient and to restrict the study to those knees undergoing surgery due to osteoarthritis. From a total of 100 knees (50 patients) studied, the 12-hour-clamping method resulted in a significantly smaller amount of postoperative blood loss (p < 0.001). The passive ranges of motion and wound complications were not significantly different between the two groups.

During the past decade, Iran's health system has attempted to prohibit advertising of unhealthy products and hazardous services. Considerable success has been achieved in the fields of public places and print media advertisements. Conversely, efforts were not effective enough in the fields of TV and radio advertisements. Over the last three years, the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education has published a list of unhealthy products and services on an annual basis. The list has been developed using a criteria-based mechanism, and compared to the previous list that was developed based on the consensus of the main stakeholders. This approach resulted in a significantly shorter list that consisted of three groups: 1) a number of unhealthy food products, 2) some cosmetic products and services, and 3) all tobacco products. We suggest that future strategies should focus on close monitoring of effective implementation; improving inter-sectoral collaboration; making industries more socially accountable; and increasing public demand for protecting children against exposure to hazardous advertisements.

Background:Smoking is a modifiable risk factor for noncommunicable diseases with a wide range of harmful health outcomes. Identification of sociodemographic characteristics of smokers can be a guideline to development of effective intervention proportional to target population. This study aimed to determine smoking pattern and its associated sociodemographic factors in Iran.Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted based on data from the sixth round of nationwide STEPwise approach to Surveillance (STEPS) survey in the 31 provinces of Iran. A total of 10,834 participants aged ≥15 years were selected through a multistage cluster sampling method. Collecting data was performed via three-step questionnaire (ecological, behavioral risk factors, and physical and biochemical measurements). Data analysis was performed via Epi Info and then SPSS version 21 softwares using descriptive methods and analytical tests.Results:Of all participants, 9.6% were current cigarette smokers, which was significantly more frequent among men than women (21.5% vs. 1.1%, respectively, P < 0.001). Smoking was significantly associated with being self-employed and having under diploma education level (P < 0.05). Of all current cigarette smokers, 8.7% were daily smokers. The mean ± standard deviation of systolic blood pressure and history of cardiovascular symptoms in current smokers were higher than nonsmokers (P = 0.005 and P < 0.001, respectively). Coughing for >4 weeks, frequent wheezing, and shortness of breath were significantly more frequent in current smokers than nonsmokers (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.02, respectively).Conclusions:Our results draw a picture of sociodemographic distribution of smoking pattern to determine the specific characteristics of the target population affecting cigarette smoking and identified specific demographic strategies for preventive and control action plan.

Background: Positive health as a "health asset" goes beyond risk factors for diseases and produces longer and healthier life, as well as, better prognosis when illness strikes, against traditional medicine focusing on treating people in negative health to a state that is neutral or free from disease. The aim of present study was to conduct a national survey estimating positive health indicators of Iranians Methods: This survey was performed on September 2014 in all provinces of Iran with 10500 samples. The psychometrics of employed scale was examined in separate study. To estimate positive health indicators, each question included a series of declarative statements and each respondents answer to questions based on a five-point Likert type scale. Results: From a total of 10500 respondents, 10244 fulfilled questionnaire (Response rate= 97.5%). About 49% of participants were male. In a scale from 1 to 5, mean of score of life satisfaction, happiness, quality of life, and self-perceived health were 3.45, 3.28, 3.56 and 3.66, respectively. The highest level of positive health indicators was achieved in provinces of Guilan and West Azerbaijan. Conclusion: The result of the study shows majority of Iranian people assess their perception of health, quality of life, life satisfaction and happiness as ‘moderate’ or ‘good’ (between 66 to 82% of respondents. It would seem that measured positive health indicators in comparison with the rates of past national studies, have been decreased between 3.5 to 4% that should be noticed in social health policy making.

The main aim of this study was to design a system for measuring and monitoring social well-being in Iran, utilizing a conceptual model and choosing contextually specific domains and indicators. A number of different approaches in defining and measuring social well-being exist. Some of these measuring systems use a descriptive approach and employ sets of indicators, which cover topics of concern but lack any explicit theoretical basis. To better capture the specific societal context of social well-being within Iran, we constructed a compound model from multiple pre-existing conceptual models, allowing us to group indicators and show relationships among contextually relevant areas and domains. Our framework proposes that there are societal and individual-level determinants that affect social health in a society and that social health has outcomes and impacts. To measure social health, variables of social integration, social contribution, social coherence, social actualization, social acceptance, social support, and social functioning are considered. The outcomes and impacts are to be measured and monitored by 37 variables. In many countries, social well-being measurements have been conducted on a regular basis for decades. Some of these systems of social health focus on individual (micro) measures, some on societal (macro) measures, and many on both. In this research, both individual level and societal level well-being measures were selected after being deemed contextually important for Iran. This system of social well-being measurement is to be used as a descriptive and monitoring tool but could potentially be utilized in goal setting, outcomebased accountability, and evaluations in order to promote social well-being and social policy research in Iran.