Background & Objectives: Breast Cancer is among the most common types of cancer in women which in case of early diagnosis and treatment can increase women’s chance of survival. This study was performed in two case and control groups.

 Methods: This case-control study which was based on hospital records was conducted on 303 breast cancer patients and 303 control women. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS using Chi-square.

 Results: The study revealed that there were significant differences between the cases and controls with regard to knowledge (p<0.001) and practice (p<0.001) of breast self-examination. 61% of the cases and 32% of the controls mentioned BSE as a necessary measure for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. 76% of the cases and 47% of the controls were not aware of the proper time for BSE (p<0.001). More than two-third of the subjects in each group did not know the proper time and the necessity of BSE in menopause and pregnant women and these was a statistically significant difference between two groups in this regard (p<0.001). Women in case group had done more frequently than controls (p<0.04). Moreover, the BSE intervals in two groups was statistically significant (p<0.01). There was also a significant difference between the reasons of refusing to do BSE in two groups (p<0.05). Subjects in neither group had regularly referred to a physician for examination and early diagnosis.

 Conclusion:�Since the knowledge and practice of women and their referring to a physician for breast examination is inadequate, it seems necessary to devise educational program about doing monthly BSE and hold educational courses to promote women’s knowledge concerning the early diagnosis of breast cancer as well as its appropriate and regular performance.

  Background and Objectives: Early diagnosis of diabetes can prevent many unwanted and irreversible consequences which require a lot of expenses as well as advanced treatment methods and experts. The present study set out to compare prevalence of diabetes in first degree relatives (FDR) of patients with type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM), glucose intolerants and controls.

  Methods: In This case-control research, 277 healthy subjects (129 males and 148 females) with the age of 11-95 were selected from among FDR in three groups, namely those with type II diabetes, glucose intolerants and controls and were evaluated in terms of diabetic condition. World health organization criteria were applied to recognize case(s) of diabetes and glucose intolerants.

  Results: Odds ratio of being type 2 diabetic or IGT, in FDR of patients with T2DM and subjects with IGT, 5.261 compared to controls was (with 95% CI of 2.15-12.82). Prevalence of T2DM and IGT in both male and female FDR of patients with T2DM and with IGT, was significantly higher than that of controls (p< 0.005).

  Conclusion: Significantly higher prevalence of T2DM and IGT in FDR of patients with T2DM and with IGT, compared to controls, offers a very quick and cost-effective method of diagnosing covered cases of diabetes in country's health care systems.

  Background and objectives: Rubella is a mild viral infectious disease usually occurs sub-clinically without a serious complication, but if occur during pregnancy, specially the first trimester, its etiologic agent can transmit and invade to fetus causing congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) or fetal death. In order to prevent disease and its congenital complications, Rubella immunization is currently done in many countries. Nearly 20 % of girls at marriage were susceptible to rubella in 2003. That is why early all Iranians at the age of 5-25 years old were vaccinated against rubella and the vaccine was included in the compulsary immunization, MMR afterwards.

  Methods: This cross-sectional and analitical study was carried out on 140 girls who attended at a marriage consultancy center in Kermanshah city. Annually, about 10000 girls attend Rafattieh Health Center for pre-marriage laboratory tests in Kermanshah. It was expected that rate of sero-positive Rubella increase from 80 % in 1999 to above 90 % at the study time after mass and national vaccination. So considering 95 % of confidence. All Samples were tested using ELISA serologic method.

  Results: Antibody positivity and immunity against rubella was seen in 99.3 % (139 out of 140 vaccinated girls), while it was 80 % according to the similar study conducted on 240 unvaccinated girls at the same place in 1999. Comparing these two studies showed that attack rate (sero-negativity) has been decreased from 17.08 % in unvaccinated to 0.71 % in vaccinated ones with a confidence interval of 0.01- 0.30 (p < 0.01). The vaccine efficacy is estimated 96 %.

  Conclusion: Relationship between immunity, age, education and history of rubella-like illness, could not be assessed because only 1 (< 0.1%) of 140 vaccinated girls was not immune. In our previous studey in 1999 we had recommended to screen for susceptibility to rubella before marriage, which is no longer required since more than 99 % of vaccinated girls showed immuninty at the time of marriage. However, as sustainability of immunity after rubella vaccination is usually less than immunity due to illness, we recommend screening for rubella protective antibody every few years.