ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Iron is an essential element for women of reproductive age, especially in the period before and during the pregnancy. This study investigates the consumption of iron to prevent iron deficiency anemia among pregnant women visiting Neyshabur healthcare centers based on the theory of planned behavior. METHODS: In this experimental study, data were collected through a questionnaire survey. It included 160 pregnant women who were receiving maternity services at twelve healthcare centers in the city of Neyshabur in Iran between 2015 and 2017. The participants' demographic and anthropometric characteristics, Using the theory of planned behavior, and blood lab examination results, including ferritin levels were measured and the data were analyzed using IBM SPSS ver. 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). RESULTS: The average scores of knowledge, attitude, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and intention categories for the intervention group were meaningfully increased after the participants received education on iron supplementation (P 0.05). No statistically significant difference was obtained in the subjective norms category between the two groups after the education intervention (P=0.92). CONCLUSION: Based on the experimental effects of education encouraging iron supplementation in pregnant women, it is suggested that workshops promoting iron supplementation should be conducted in health centers with the aim of preventing widespread iron deficiency anemia.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Anemia , Anemia, Iron-Deficiency , Delivery of Health Care , Education , Ferritins , Intention , Iran , Iron , Pregnant WomenABSTRACT
Background and Aim: Dysmenorrhea is one of the most common problems in females. [Theory of Planned Behavior] is one of the important theories that explains the main process of adopting health behaviors
The present study assessed applying " the Theory of Planned Behavior in relaxation training regarding the severity and duration of painful dysmenorrhea in Mashhad girl students
Materials and Methods: In this Semi-experimental study, 160 first year intermediate students of Mashhad city who suffered from dysmenorrhea were assessed. They had been randomly selected from 5 girl highschools in the 6th educational district. They were divided into equal groups [case] and [control]
Intervention was made in four sessions. The requisite data was gathered by means of a researcher designed questionnaire before and 3 months after the education of the students. Finally, the obtained data was fed into SPSS software [v:16]; using statistical tests including Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, Independent T-test, Paired T and X[2]
Results: After educational intervention, mean level of knowledge, attitude, perceived behavioral control, and willed performance of relaxation techniques significantly increased in the case group [P<0.05]
These changes were not significant in the control group. Besides, no statistically significant difference in subjective norms was observed between the two groups after intervention. Meditation education group was increased significantly [P<0.05]
Conclusion: Education of relaxation base on the Theory of Planned Behavior is effective in reduced pain intensity and its duration