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Background & objectives: Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world and Iran. Despite appropriate treatment, recent researches indicate that asthmatic patients have poor asthma control. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between educational level of asthmatic patients and asthma control indices.
Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 80 asthmatic patients admitted to Shahid Labbafinejad hospital. ESMAA questionnaire was used to collect data to assess the level of asthma control, according to ACT (Asthma Control Test) and 2016 GINA (the Global Initiative for Asthma) guidelines. Patient medication compliance was evaluated based on Morisky medication adherence scale (MMAS). ANOVA test (Regression and Pearson correlation) and Chi-Square test were used for analysis of quantitative and qualitative variables, respectively. The P - value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Eighty asthmatic patients with an average age of 54.65 were entered to this study that of them 32 patients were at primary school level, 26 patients at high school level and 22 patients at university state. According to ACT test, 52.5% and 47.5% of patients were in control and uncontrolled state, respectively.
According to GINA classification, 30% of patients were in control, 45% in partially control and 25% in uncontrolled state. According to MMSA scale, 20% of patients were high adherent to medicine, 40% were moderate adherent and 40% were low adherent. In this study, there was no significant correlation between the asthma control in terms of ACT and patients' educational level. Also, there was no significant relationship between sex, asthma control and medication adherence. In addition, there was no significant relationship between educational level and drug adherence.
Conclusion: The results suggest that there was no relationship between asthma control indices and patient's educational level. Perhaps other factors, other than education, affect the asthma control indices and medication adherence which requires more studies.

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Background and objectives: The respiratory system is one of the areas that are most vulnerable to unhealthy workplace injuries. One of the most common occupational diseases, are illnesses and respiratory complications in employees who exposed to harmful pollutants in the workplace. Flour powder is a complex organic particle with different components. These ingredients include wheat bran, pollen, starch particles and a variety of bacteria. The high temperature of the bakery oven and the flour in the bakers' work environment can cause allergic and respiratory disorders. Evaluation of pulmonary function tests (spirometry) plays an important role in the diagnosis and management of lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and threatening disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate pulmonary function tests and compare it with non-bakers and healthy people in Ardabil traditional bakers.
Methods: Lung function tests including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), maximal expiratory airflow velocity (PEF), maximal expiratory airflow velocity at 75%, 50%, and 25% of vital capacity (MEF75, MEF50, MEF25) and respiratory and allergic symptoms of 51 traditional male bakers and 51 non-bakers in the same age with other occupations were compared. Respiratory and allergic symptoms using a standard questionnaire including job-related respiratory symptoms such as cough, sputum, shortness of breath, and job-related allergic symptoms. In each phase, in addition to calculating the mean and standard deviation, t-test used to compare the means, the probability of error less than 5% considered significant.
Results: In the present study, there was a significant difference between the case group and the control group in pulmonary parameters. In addition, there was no significant difference between the level of education, type of bakery, number of working hours per day and BMI of bakers. There was a significant relationship between work experience (year) and FVC, FEV1, FEV1 percentage and FEF50%. There was also a significant relationship between the age of bakers and the all parameters above, except FVC, and there was a significant difference between different tasks in bakeries only in the case of FEF50%.
Conclusion: In control subjects, pulmonary parameters decreased with age, but in bakers, this trend is more severe and needs to follow up. The present study showed that traditional bakers in Ardabil are at risk for obstructive respiratory diseases. High oven temperature and exposure to irritants such as wheat flour may play an important role. Preventive tools such as proper ventilation and protective equipment needed.