ABSTRACT
Introduction: communication skill [CS] has been regarded as one of the fundamental competencies for medical and other health care professionals. Student's attitude toward learning CS is a key factor in designing educational interventions. The original CSAS, as positive and negative subscales, was developed in the UK; however, there is no scale to measure these attitudes in Iran. The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric characteristic of the Communication Skills Attitude Scale [CSAS], in an Iranian context and to understand if it is a valid tool to assess attitude toward learning communication skills among health care professionals
Methods: psychometric characteristics of the CSAS were assessed by using a cross-sectional design. In the current study, 410 medical students were selected using stratified sampling framework. The face validity of the scale was estimated through students and experts' opinion. Content validity of CSAS was assessed qualitatively and quantitatively. Reliability was examined through two methods including Chronbach's alpha coefficient and Intra class Correlation of Coefficient [ICC]. Construct validity of CSAS was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis [CFA] and explanatory factor analysis [PCA] followed by varimax rotation. Convergent and discriminant validity of the scale was measured through Spearman correlation. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 19 and EQS, 6.1
Results: the internal consistency and reproducibility of the total CSAS score were 0.84 [Cronbach's alpha] and 0.81, which demonstrates an acceptable reliability of the questionnaire. The item-level content validity index [I CVI] and the scale-level content validity index [S-CVI/ Ave] demonstrated appropriate results: 0.97 and 0.94, respectively. An exploratory factor analysis [EFA] on the 25 items of the CSAS revealed 4-factor structure that all together explained %55 of the variance. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated an acceptable goodness-offit between the model and the observed data. [Chi 2/df=2.36, Comparative Fit Index [CFI]=0.95, the GFI=0.96, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA]=0.05]
Conclusion: the Persian version of CSAS is a multidimensional, valid and reliable tool for assessing attitudes towards communication skill among medical students
ABSTRACT
Background: Pre-chlorination of raw water containing natural organic matters may lead to forming harmful disinfection by-products such as trihalomethanes [THMs], the measurement of which needs expensive advanced analytical instruments. This study was conducted to anticipate THMs formation potential in Bandar Abbas drinking water system using cheap and simple experiments and a mathematical model
Methods: In a 24 week sampling program, 96 samples were collected weekly from raw water [RW], clarification [CE], filtration [FE], and disinfection effluent [DE]. After measuring the Dissolved Organic Carbon [DOC], residual chlorine, contact time, temperature and pH of water, THMs concentration was calculated using a mathematical model
Results: The means of DOC concentration in RW, CE, FE and DE were 5.56, 4.21, 3.50, and 3.01 [mg/l], respectively. The mean of temperature values varied from 22.28 in RW to 21.25 in DE and the mean of pH variations was measured from 6.75 in DE to 8.37 in CE. Also, the mean of residual chlorine concentration was 0.0 to 1.72 in RW and DE, respectively
Conclusion: The means of calculated THMs were 37.92 +/- 4.82microg/l, 51.15 +/- 9.44microg/l, and 52.71 +/- 8.37microg/l for CE, FE, and DE respectively; this did not meet the related EPA standard [30-40microg/l]; therefore, further detailed studies should be conducted to resolve the consumers' concerns in this regard
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to assess relationship between perceived benefits/barriers and decisional balance with stages of change for physical activity among high school students in Bandar Abbas, Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted in high schools of Bandar Abbas, in the south of Iran. A total of 422 high school students were selected. Twenty two participants did not fill out questionnaires completely. A total of 400 questionnaires were analyzed [response rate=94.8%]. The perceived benefits/ barriers to exercise and decisional balance were assessed using the Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale; and stages of change were assessed using the Physical Activity staging. Data were analyzed in the SPSS v.16. The mean age of the participants was 15.9 [SD=1.1] ranging from 14 to 18 years. More than half of the participants [51.8%] were male and 48.2% were female. About half of the participants [49.2%] were engaged in regular physical activities. Fifteen per cent of the participants in the precontemplation stage, 15.8% in the contemplation stage, 20% in preparation stage, 15.8% in action stage, and 33.4% in maintenance stage for physical activity. From precontemplation stage to maintenance stage, the perceived benefits and decisional balance were increased and the perceived barriers was decreased. The results of this study are in line with the Transtheoretical model. This model can be used as a framework to design interventions for improving physical activity in population
ABSTRACT
Smoking hookah is a traditional method of tobacco smoking which is common in Middle East and Arabic countries. The Hormozgan province is in the second rank of hookah use after Bushehr in Iran. This research is seeking to study the factors affecting hookah smoking in a sample of rural community of the Hormozgan province. From the total population of the Hormozgan province villages, 310 residents were selected through multistage sampling. The data were analyzed in a logistic regression model. The prevalence of hookah smoking was 36.5%; 28.4% in men and 45.16% in women. Marital Status and Job are associated with Hookah smoking [p<0.05], age [OR=1.04], gender [OR=4.43], cigarette smoking [OR=5.16], having a hookah smoker in the family [OR=1.9], and education [OR=0.34] were effective in hookah smoking. Considering the high prevalence of hookah smoking, appropriate educational programs should be designed in order to qualitatively study the reasons of region's people tendency toward the hookah.