Standardization of three hope scales, as possible measures at the end of life, in Iranian population

Hope is an essential and dynamic life force that grows out of faith, is supported by relationships, resources and work circumstances, which lead to the energy necessary to live for a desired future. Hope gives meaning and happiness. Four central attributes of hope are: experiential, spiritual, relational thought, and relational process. A sound instrument to measure hope, which should be theoretical base, fairly vigorous psychometric and user-friendly, would be a useful complement to interviews for assessing hope in palliative care. Assessment of 'hope' is a necessary foundation for enabling the implementation of various intervention strategies to foster hope especially in cancer patients and their family members. There is no suitable instrument to measure hope in palliative care for Iranian patients; therefore the aim of this study was to assess the understandability, reliability, validity and superiority of three relevant instruments to measure hope. Three questionnaires including the Herth Hope Index [HHI], Herth Hope Scale [HHS], and Miller Hope Scale [MHS] alongside with a generic health-related quality of life tool [EQ-5D] were completed by 70 normal randomly selected individuals aged 14-73 years. Cronbach's alpha was 0.76 for HHS, 0.67 for HHI and 0.81 for MHS, indicating satisfactory internal consistency. Concurrent criterion-related validity was assessed by calculating the correlations of the HHS and the MHS [r = 0.43], HHS and HHI [r=0.49] and MHS and HHI [r=0.62], at <0.001 significance level. MHS discriminated significantly better most of EQ-5D components including anxiety and depression, pain, personal and usual activities. Finding suggested that these instruments have satisfactory reliability and validity to be used in Iranian population. Miller Hope Scale showed superiority among these tools

[ effects of hope promoting interventions on cancer patients. A case study in Sanandaj, Iran, in 2007]

Cancer occurs when cells divide uncontrollably. These abnormal cells can invade nearby tissues or travel to distant sites by entering the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. Cancer Incidence rate in the last 50 years has been constantly increased. Hope is a significant factor and essential element in cancer disease treatment that has many effects on compatibility with conditions, especially in suffering and disappointing period's. Hope has a significant role in increasing the quality of life and effects different stages of the disease. The aim of this study was to increase and promote the hope factor in cancer patients. This is a controlled randomized trial study which was carried out at the chemotherapy section at Qods Hospital in Sanandaj, Iran, in 2007 on 50 cancer patients. The HHI questionnaire was used and completed both before and after the intervention on both the case and control groups [each group consisted of 25 patients]. The Hope promoting intervention for patients in the case group was a face-to-face method and was individually conducted by the PBL method. There was no significant difference between the case and control group before the hope intervention promotion [p=0.78]. Significant difference was found after promoting the hope intervention in the mean score of both groups [p<0.008]. Mean score of the case group increased by 4.32 after the intervention. Significant difference was found between the hope mean score in the case group, before and after the intervention [p< 0.000]. The hope promoting interventions were effective in increasing hope in cancer patients. So, for cancer patients, increasing the quality of life, giving educational services, and hope promoting programs are needed, which should b accomplished by suitable methods, for instance, PBL or by patients active participation in the programming process

study in the efect of education through health belief model on the perceptions of girl students in primary school about breakfast and snack in noshahr-2007

Attentions to girls feeding situation have important designation to their health and prevention diseases of malnutrition in next year's. Breakfast has important role to student thought and body health. Education is one of the methods to increase student Perceptions. A study in the effect of education has done through health belief model on the perceptions of girl students in primary school about breakfast and snack in noshahr-2007. -This research is performed with the aim of studying the affect of health education by health belief model on the perceptions of girl students in primary school about breakfast and snack in noshahr-2007. In this quasi experimental study that was case control test, 100 students selected through application of randomized cluster sampling methods, and formulas of sample size from schools. Health belief model used in education for presenting the educational content. We used different educational methods such as lecture, question and pamphlet. The time of education was 1 session of 30 min subjects were evaluated in two stages. Primary test was before application of educational program to case and control and secondary test was implemented after education program by questionnaire. Which was included the demographic, perceptions questions.The statistical analysis was done by paired t - tests and Independent t- tests ,ci squre, correlation correlation Pearson's test was used for determining correlation between perceptions. In this research, the Results of the paired t- test among mean of perception scores of students was found significant difference, before and after educational program implemented [P<0/001]. paired t - tests and ci squre showed significant correlation after the educational program the mean of Perceived benefits in case students [from 13.14 to 14.12], Perceived Barriers [from 20.1 to 22.52], Perceived Susceptibility [from 5.26 to 5.74] and Perceived Severity [from 15.10 to 16.34]. In this study, the mean of perceived benefits changes was significant in comparison to the occupation of the father [P=0/02]. The mean of perceived benefits changes was significant in comparison to literacy of the mother [P=0/05].Correlation Pearson's test showed significant correlation between all perceptions of students in health belief model before and after educational program [P<0/001]