role of mass media in Iranian youth's premarital sexual relationships: a qualitative study

Background: Youth's sexual behaviors have various consequences such as unwanted pregnancy, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and sexually transmitted infections. Little information is available about the impact of mass media in the development of premarital sexual relationships. This study aimed to explore the role of mass media on premarital sexual relationships among Iranian youth

Methods: This qualitative study was conducted with 26 single boys and girls aged 18-24 years who were living in Isfahan, Iran and have already been started their sexual relationships. Also, 12 other participants who were involved in such an experience were recruited in this study. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and the observation of youth's sexual interactions in different fields. Conventional content analysis method was used for data analysis

Results: Three main categories were developed: "foreigner media as the role model", "the ease of access to sexual contents and materials" and "the ease of interactions and relationships with the opposite sex"

Conclusion: The prominent role of mass media in the formation of premarital sexual relationships was described in this study. This issue needs to be taken into consideration by policy makers for taking necessary actions for reducing the impact of mass media on the youth's engagement in premarital sexual relationships

Nurses' empowerment in self-care education to stroke patients: an action research study

Background: self-care needs are major problems among stroke patients. Nurses can support them through interventions such as education, a change in their attitude and emphasis on their remaining abilities. However, research has shown some weak points in the quality of care given to these patients. So the aim of this study was to improve the nurses' practice in self-care education to stroke patients

Methods: this is a participatory action research, conducted in internal neurology ward of Al-Zahra hospital in Isfahan, Iran during 2013-2014 in five stages of diagnosis, planning, action, reflection and evaluation. Participants comprised 27 nursing personnel including staff nurses, matrons, educational supervisors and the staff in charge of Nurse Educators' Al_Zahra Role Expansion Action Research [NEAREAR] project. In the evaluation stage, data were collected from five personal interviews and two focus group discussions and analyzed by qualitative content analysis

Results: the findings of evaluation phase showed that during action research, approaching the nurses' empowerment in self-care education to stroke patients has been set in motion. The nursing practice improvement, knowledge based practice, nurses' attitude change, ability to respond against routinization, and motivation promotion emphasize the success of change process. Facilitators and barriers of educating patients are acknowledged by the participants as a factor influencing the continuation of change

Conclusions: the lack of nurses' educating performance skills was overcome using action research and changes were made to improve the performance of nurses

[Adolescent made of crystal Psychological problems of adolescents who have a parent with cancer- a qualitative research]

Background: Living with a parent having cancer would be intolerable for their children. Adolescents usually encounter much more emotional problems than others and will be especially more affected during the period of passage from childhood to adolescence. Regarding the fact that these affects are varied depending on their family structure and culture, researchers decided to investigate the main problems of adolescents had a parent with cancer in Iran

Materials and methods: This qualitative research with descriptive- explorative design was done on 27 participants. Semi-structured interviews were used for gathering data and constant comparative analysis method was used for analyzing

Results: The main problems of adolescents who had parents with cancer were in seven themes, and among them psychological problems had the most codes, and in the theme of adolescent made of crystal we have described it in details

Conclusion: Psychological problems of adolescents having parents with cancer in Iran are the same as other countries with this difference that in Iran, we do not have educational- supportive program for reducing these problems therefore necessary steps should be taken for preparing and implementing this program

Emotional Labour of Caring for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Patients: Iranian Nurses' Experiences

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the emotional labour experienced by nurses who care for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients in Iran. METHODS: Eighteen nurses participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis methods. RESULTS: Three main categories described the emotional labour involved, namely, emotional intimacy, feeling overwhelmed with the sadness and suffering, and changing self. Nurses had compassion for their patients, contributing to a close nurse-patient relationship. The nurses' emotional labour resulted in their feeling overwhelmed with sadness and suffering. Five subcategories described this emotional toll: (a) witnessing suffering, (b) struggling mentally, (c) hurting emotionally, (d) feeling drained of energy, and (e) escaping grief. Dealing with death and dying on an ongoing basis promoted the nurses' changing self. CONCLUSION: Iranian nurses who care for HSCT patients experience a range of positive and negative emotions. Establishing appropriate support systems for nurses might help mediate the negative aspects of emotional labour. thereby improving nursing work life and ultimately the quality of patient care.

effect of combined aerobic and resistance exercises on quality of life of women surviving breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers amongst women in developed and developing countries. It is associated with the highest mortality rate in low to average-income countries. Breast cancer investigation amongst Iranian women reveals that the number of its incidence is yet the highest in all cancer types. Despite recent longer survival time of women with breast cancer, most of the patients suffer from long term physical and mental distress due to combined treatments. Exercise interventions are among new approaches to promote the better quality of life of the patients, which has only recently been considered by researchers. This study aimed to investigate the effect of exercise intervention on the quality of life of breast cancer survivors. This is a clinical trial conducted on 80 women with I-III breast cancer, at 18-55 years of age mostly two years after the completion of their treatment in Seyed al Shohada hospital in Isfahan. They were randomly divided into two groups of study and control. Exercise intervention went on for 8 weeks in the study group [three sessions a week, 60 minutes]. Quality of life in both groups was measured a day before, and at the end of the eight weeks period by the instrument of the National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute. The data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistical tests of X2, t-test and Mac Hammer test. Results showed that there was no significant difference in the mean score of the physical dimension of quality of life in the study group before and after intervention while the score of physical health was significantly better in the control group [p < 0.00].The mean score of mental dimension had increased in the study group, while it had decreased in the control group. The mean score of social health showed no significant difference before and after intervention. The mean score of spiritual health had significantly decreased in the control group, while it had significantly increased in the study group [p = 0.004]. Generally, the total mean score of the quality of life showed no significant difference before and after intervention. However, the percentage of the quality of life score increased in the study group, but decreased in the control group. The results of this study showed that exercise interventions can promote a better quality of life for the patients, and increase the total score of quality of life. Although, the total score of quality of life was not significantly different, it was concluded that exercise can promote the quality of life amongst patients with breast cancer.

effects of peer support group on promoting quality of life in patients with breast cancer

The tragedy of having breast cancer can cause many challenges for women. Patients seek for someone to compare their emotional and physical reactions with. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of implementation of peer support group on the quality of life of breast cancer patients. This clinical trial was conducted on patients who underwent modified radical mastectomy and/or lumpectomy in surgical wards of Isfahan and Tehran [2 cities in Iran]. The members of the peer group were trained after they volunteered to enter the study and their capacity was evaluated. They started contacting the patients after the surgery and continued it during treatments and several months after completion of the treatments. Patients were placed in 2 groups of case and control by simple random sampling. The quality of life of patients in both groups was measured during and after the completion of treatment using standard instruments of National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute. The mean score of the physical dimension of life quality in the case and control groups in Tehran had a significant difference during 2 stages. There was no significant difference between the mean scores of physical dimension of life quality between the 2 groups during the 2 stages in Isfahan. Moreover, the mean scores of mental dimension of the quality of life showed a significant difference between the 2 groups in Tehran during the 2 stages. The mean scores were also significantly different during the second stage in Isfahan. There was a significant difference between the social dimension of quality of life between the 2 groups in Isfahan [p = 0.001]. The mean scores of the social dimension of quality of life had significant differences between the 2 groups in Tehran during the 2 stages [p < 0.001]. There was a significant difference between the 2 groups regarding the mean score of spiritual dimension of quality of life in Tehran [p < 0.001]. The results showed that patients supported by a peer group enjoyed a higher quality of life compared to others. Although significant differences were observed in scores of both case and control groups in Tehran, similar findings were not obtained in Isfahan. This may be due to incomplete matching of the peer group members and incapability of the volunteers to maintain an effective and constructive communication with the patients.

Women's experience regarding the role of health centers in empowering them for family planning

Nowadays, the concept of family planning has been detached from the population control and it is expressed as an essential element in women's reproductive rights, empowering them and promoting their status in society. Family planning services have an important role in fertility decisions using contraception methods in women. This study was carried out to explore the experience of women from the role of health centers in empowering them for family planning. This qualitative study was performed on 37 married women who were volunteer and eligible for contraception as well as 8 staffs and directors of family planning services. They were selected useing purposeful sampling method in Isfahan, Iran. Data were collected by recording discussions of focused group in 7 sessions and 5 individual interviews. Conventional content analysis was used for coding and classification of data. Participants descriptions about the role of health centers in empowering the family planning was classified into 4 main categories including: encouraging male's participation in family planning, providing comprehensive reproductive health services, expanding free services for family planning and appropriate technology for public awareness. Accessibility to health centers and offering free services for family planning are not sufficient for empowering women in terms of their fertility desires. The health centers should offer comprehensive reproductive health services and provide family planning services with a new approach for helping women and men to consciously and freely make a responsible decision in order to have more control over their fertility.

Social support in cancer patients referring to Sayed Al-Shohada Hospital

Cancer diagnosis is an important event in an individual's life which has considerable outcomes and implications for patient and his/her family. Meanwhile, receiving assistance and support from family and friends has a significant impact on patients to help them to cope with disease-related stress and its treatment. This study aimed to assess the received social support and its correlation with demographic and medical variables. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study on two hundred cancer patients referred to Sayed Al-Shohada Medical Center in Isfahan, Iran. The study subjects were selected through convenient sampling method and required information collected by questionnaire containing demographic and medical data and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support [MSPSS]. Some of the inclusion criteria included age over 18 with no history of mental disorders and not being at final stages of the disease. Content validity of MSPSS was confirmed by experts and its reliability was evaluated by test-retest [r > 0.85]. The majority of cancer patients [94.5%] perceived a high rate of social support from their families, friends and relatives. Furthermore, the findings indicated a statistical significant correlation between the numbers of children with social support; however, no significant correlation was found between other demographic and medical variables with social support. The findings of this study indicated receiving the maximum acceptable social support from family, especially children, in patients with cancer. However, conducting further extensive studies is recommended to find effective factors on social support of patients with cancer.

Investigating the efficiency of nursing education program from the perspective of graduate students of nursing and midwifery

Continuous evaluation is required in order to ensure the university system's efficiency. One of the important aspects of evaluating the educational system's effectiveness is judging the system's ability in meeting environmental needs. The present research's goal has been to investigate nursing education's efficiency through investigating the graduate's condition and their views on education and studying in Isfahan University's School of Nursing and Midwifery in 2008. This is a descriptive research which has investigated the nursing graduate's view on the nursing education efficiency. The sample of the present research contains one hundred graduates between the years 2001 and 2005 which have been chosen randomly to complete the questionnaire. The questionnaire is divided into five sections including; growth, demographic information, and satisfaction with professional development and the acquired scientific experiences during the education. The criteria of achieving educational goals, and acquiring individual and social development were used to determine the content of the questionnaire. Through further examination the validity of the questionnaire was calculated to be 0.85. The final analysis was done using the SPSS statistics software. The majority of the participants were female and with an age range of 24 to 30. Among these, 55% were unemployed and 67% of them had no education higher than a bachelor degree. The mean scores of each of the efficiency fields were as following [the total score was 4]: Professional growth 2.13 +/- 0.36, Satisfaction with the obtained scientific achievement during studies 2.80 +/- 0.48, achievement of the educational objectives1.95 +/- 0.51 and individual and social improvement 2.70 +/- 0.36, neither of which are desirable. There was no significant difference between the demographic information and education efficiency index. Considering the results of the present research, the nursing education system's efficiency level in Isfahan University is medium. Acquiring the educational goals is not satisfactory for the students. According to the results of this research, some changes have been suggested to change the lesson plans.

Internal motivations and barriers effective on the healthy lifestyle of middle-aged women: a qualitative approach

A healthy lifestyle is one of the basic health-promotion strategies. Several factors are involved in shaping health-promotion behaviors. The internal barriers are the opinion and feelings that surround the individual and are the reasons that complicate the change of behavior. The aim of this study was to identify internal motivations and barriers effective on the healthy lifestyle in middle-aged Iranian women. This was a qualitative study based on content analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews with 21 middle-aged women in the city of Yazd, who were selected using purposeful sampling approach. The interviews continued until data saturation was reached; and the interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed exactly. The transcripts were analyzed. Five main themes emerged from the analysis of the interviews: Women's knowledge of health-promoting behaviors, importance of health and healthy behavior of women, affliction or fear of affliction to chronic disease and its consequences, responsibilities of women in the family and society, and skills of life management in women. The findings suggest that empowering individual participants in health promotion is the most important factor determining their health. Thus, designing appropriate programs for education and empowerment of people is essential to promoting health. Health policy makers, with knowledge of these factors, can design comprehensive, socialization programs to promote women's health.

[ process of illegal abortion: a qualitative study]

Unsafe abortion is the main problem of women during their reproductive age. This study was carried out to explore the reasons behind illegal abortion in Iran. This was a qualitative study. Twenty-seven participants were interviewed during March and September 2006 about illegal abortion process. All participants had an experience about illegal abortion or their occupation was relevant to the one aspect of illegal abortion. Interviews were analyzed using a content analysis method. Five main themes emerged from analysis: motivations for ending unwanted pregnancy [social factors, familial factors, personal factors], the assessment of situation [reactions, religious and individual beliefs, socio-politics restrictions], definite decision, changing the mind, doing abortion by the help of fassilators [the role of partner, previous experiment, doing abortion in general or pirvate centers, doing abortion by herself] and abortion outcomes [physical outcome social outcome, mental outcome, juridical outcome]. Illegal abortions are usually performed by unskilled practionnaires. Since, in Iran abortion is illegal, finding ways to protect women against malpractice needs urgent attention