Abstract | Full Text PDF

The main objectives of the study are to investigate the relation between socioeconomic factors and mother’s health awareness, and the impact of mother's awareness on her children’s health.
Comparative approach was made between three different socioeconomic strata. Sample size was 400 families, the main respondent was mother. Different quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection were used (questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, and observations). Likert scale was also used to measure mothers’ awareness. Anthropometric measurement and prevalence of diseases of under –ten years old children were both used to determine children health status. The study found that family income was the strongest factor affecting mother’s health awareness (P=0.000), also mother’s education and age are influencing factors. Accordingly, the children of the first class area were found to be healthier than the two other areas; the mean Z-score is (0.01). Moreover, mother’s health awareness leads to decrease the prevalence of malaria and pneumonia. Therefore, intervention health awareness programmes towards mothers are needed to improve children’s health (e.g. nutrition, personal hygiene and home sanitation). The government must also give more attention to the adoption of new policies for improving the general standard of living.

Abstract | Full Text PDF

The issue of physician migration taking an important part in the brain drain is one of the focal points of the human resources policies in health. This issue is more important for countries like Turkey, where there is a shortage of physicians. The objective of this study is to research the reasons that could affect the migration preferences and to provide a basis to develop alternative policies to decrease the physician migration. For this purpose, the opinions of the physicians, who have newly graduated from the faculties of medicine in Turkey and haven’t started working yet, about working or speciality studying in homeland or abroad are investigated. All newly graduated physicians were included in the study via online questionnaire. Variables that could be related to desire to study or work abroad were analyzed through logistic regression. 54.6% of the newly graduated physicians had a desire to study (Specialty/Ph.D.) or work abroad. However, only 22.6% of physicians who inclined to migrate have partially or completely made an attempt. Male physicians were more eager to emigrate. The physicians whose level of foreign language is very good were also more eager to study/work abroad.
Researching the reasons of the physicians to go abroad is very important to decrease the physician migration or turning it into an advantage. Therefore, the findings of this study and similar studies should be taken into consideration and the migration policies should be reviewed in this direction. Moreover, a systematic migration record system should be established and information sharing about the migration should be provided quickly in both our country and the countries of origin.

Abstract | Full Text PDF

Many of the herbs and plants, during the past centuries, were described as milk producing. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) was one of these herbs in which the medical prescriptions were mentioned by herbal medicine practitioners in various parts of the world. The reason of this study is to shed the lights of the fennel’s effect on female rats’ mammary glands in the three physiological cases (virgins, pregnant and lactating). Ninety Norwegian white rats (Sprague-Dawley) were used and divided into four groups treated by fennel plant focusing 5% and 10% of the daily food for a period of 10 and 20 days,
two sets of control for each focus for a period of 10 and 20 days, and have took its allocated animal feed and each group includes five animals. Then histological section methods were used with the use of Haematoxylin and eosin stains. It was found there was an increase in the number of alveoli and a slight expansion in the cavities of the alveoli’s mammary glands for the virgin and pregnant rats and expansion in the cavities of the alveoli’s mammary glands for the lactating rats and a slight increase in the secretory substances for the pregnant and lactating. This means that the seed has given an incentive to increase the growth and the development of the mammary gland in virgin animals as well as the ability of the seed to increase the composition of milk in the duration of the pregnancy and increase the secretion of milk in lactating animals. All these effects were the greatest, biggest and most in all physiological cases in the case of concentration of (10%) for 20 days with the emergence of hyperplasia state.
This gives an indication that the seed of fennel plant has worked to increase the chance of growth and development of the mammary glands of the female rats.

Abstract | Full Text PDF

In this study the inhibition effect of aqueous extracts of nine plants (Coriander, Black Tea, Bitter Fennel, Cubeb, Dry Black Lime, Ginger, Nutmeg, Turmeric and Senna) was tested against Streptococcus mutans, which obtained from Dental caries patient; the results showed that the antibacterial effect of these extracts was better in case of adding the extract to the medium than the case of evaporating the extract and then adding it to the medium except in case of Black tea and Nutmeg (was better in case two than in case one).
The results of the well diffusion test indicated that crude aqueous extracts of plants under study showed different degrees in inhibiting bacterial growth. The aqueous extract of Black dry lime showed the broadest antibacterial activity by inhibiting growth of tested isolate and at both cases, followed it Black tea and Cubeb. While the aqueous extract of Nutmeg, showed moderate antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria, followed it Ginger, Turmeric and Senna. The aqueous extract of Coriander did not show inhibition activity against S. mutans, while Bitter fennel showed inhibiting growth of S. mutans
in case two at concentration 5000g/ml. The MIC was determined for all extracts against tested bacteria, where the lowest value of MIC was for Black dry Lime and the highest value was for Cubeb, Ginger and Turmeric.

Abstract | Full Text PDF

The present review discussed the biochemical and physiological changes as well as the different sorts of nutritional deficiencies and health hazards to which the athletes may be exposed in addition to the importance of production and evaluation of innovated functional foods for athletes. Ergogenic substances and phytochemicals of possible impacts on
athletes are also discussed. Athletes need special nutrients and bioactive constituents before, during and after exercise to keep on their fitness and performance and to achieve successful results during their games. They also need to be healthy without any sort of nutrients' deficiency. So, it is important to study the necessary nutrients and functional food ingredients for athletes and incorporate them into ideal functional foods to achieve their performance and to keep them in a healthy state. Such functional foods must be evaluated in athletes through following up biochemical, physiological and anthropometric
parameters reflecting nutritional status, oxidative stress, antioxidant state, immunity, fitness and performance. Functional foods for athletes differ according to the practiced games. These functional foods must correct any nutrient deficiency in athletes that may occur due to practicing sports. Proper athlete’s nutrition is essential for continuity of his/her sports with a good health and without loosing fitness.

Abstract | Full Text PDF

The Unani system of medicine is a comprehensive medical system, which meticulously deals with the states of health and disease. Its holistic approach considers individual in relation to his environment and stresses on health of body, mind and soul. Temperament of a person is given great importance for identifying the most suitable diet and lifestyle for promoting the health of a particular individual. On the basis of Mizaj human beings have been categorized into four qualitative types: Damvi (sanguinous), Safravi (bilious), Balghami (phlegmatic), Saudavi (melancholic). They were supposed to result from predominant humor in the body. Any change in the temperament of person brings about change in person’s state of health. There are some factors like age, place, season, diet and occupation, which are responsible for influencing the temperament of an individual and predispose them to a particular group of diseases similar to the temperament of that individual. Thus, the person of specific temperament becomes prone to a particular group of diseases in different phases of their life and under different climatic conditions. In Unani medicine, different guidelines for different temperaments have been mentioned for promotion and preservation of health. Thus, in this paper authors have highlighted the importance of temperamental approach for the promotion of health and prevention of diseases.

Abstract | Full Text PDF