Prevalence

Purpose- Food security (FS) is defined as sustainable access to safe and nutritious food for a healthy and active life. The present study was designed to investigate and determine FS status of rural households and the relevant influential factors. It was conducted on 432 rural households in six subdistricts of two districts of Sarpolzahab, West of Iran, in 2016. Design/methodology/approach- The samples were selected using random cluster sampling, and FS status was assessed using United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) household FS questionnaire. Therefore, both socio-economic questionnaire and the household FS questionnaire were completed during a face to face interview. Data were analyzed using the statistical software package SPSS-22. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and forward multiple logistic regression were used for data analysis. Findings- Prevalence of food insecurity (FI) in all of the surveyed households was 65.3%, and household FS status between the subdistricts had a significant difference (P< 0.01). The results of the study showed that the prevalence of FI in the subdistricts of Posht-Tang and Sarab (83.3% and 76.4%, respectively) was higher than other subdistricts. Number of household’s members, land ownership, education of household’s head, activity status, and household’s income had significantly relationship with household FI (P< 0.01). Practical implications- The high prevalence of FI is a major threat to the abnormal utilization of environmental resources in this realm. Therefore, given the impact of horticultural activities and diverse cultivation on household FS, macro and regional policies should be provided to increase the diversity of products through agroforestry and intercropping. Original/value- This research presents the basic information on the FS status of rural households in Sarpolzahab and some related socio-economic factors the results of which can help planners and managers to implement interventions to improve the FS and welfare of rural households.

Background: The current study aimed to investigate the etiology and prevalence of suicide attempts in Ardabil Province, Iran. Methods: The study population included all individuals who attempted suicide referring to the hospitals during one year. Of whom, 582 subjects were selected by a convenience sampling method. This research was descriptive, epidemiologic type. The study instruments included a questionnaire to measure the prevalence of suicide attempts and related characteristics. Results: The obtained findings indicated that the prevalence of suicide attempts was higher among females and married individuals compared to males and single subjects. The suicide rate among housewives was higher than in other populations. Families with smaller people were more prone for attempting suicide. Besides, the rate of suicide was higher in high schools compared to other educational levels. Suicide attempt was more frequent in families by individuals with mental illnesses and those encountering family disputes, with drug poisoning as the most common method of a suicide attempt. Suicide attempts more commonly occurred in cities, in summer, and at night. Conclusion: Thus, appropriate interventions should be made at the level of families. Besides, greater attention should be paid to high school students and all individuals in the summer.