Predictors of Iranian women’s intention to first papanicolaou test practice: An application of protection motivation theory.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Given the importance of papanicolaou (Pap) test in the early detection and timely treatment of cervical cancer, present study was designed to determine predictors of a sample of Iranian women’s intention to first Pap test practice based on the protection motivation theory (PMT) variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross‑sectional study, a total of 240 women referral to the 30 primary health care clinics were selected. They completed a developed scale based on PMT variables including intention, perceived vulnerability and severity, fear, response costs, response efficacy and self‑efficacy. Path analysis was used to determine the association between predictive factors and intention. RESULTS: The results showed that PMT had goodness of fit with a χ2/df = 2.37, df = 28, P = 0.001 and RMSEA = 0.076. PMT explained 42% of the variance in women’s intention to get first Pap smear test. Self‑efficacy (b = 0.55, P < 0.001) and response efficacy (b = 0.19, P < 0.001) were found to be the predictors of intention. CONCLUSION: These findings may be used to develop tailored, theory‑based educational interventions associated with Pap testing among women.

Psychosocial Correlates of Dietary Behaviour in Type 2 Diabetic Women, Using a Behaviour Change Theory.

The study evaluated the efficacy of the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), along with self-efficacy to predict dietary behaviour in a group of Iranian women with type 2 diabetes. A sample of 352 diabetic women referred to Khoy Diabetes Clinic, Iran, were selected and given a self-administered survey to assess eating behaviour, using the extended TRA constructs. Bivariate correlations and Enter regression analyses of the extended TRA model were performed with SPSS software. Overall, the proposed model explained 31.6% of variance of behavioural intention and 21.5% of variance of dietary behaviour. Among the model constructs, self-efficacy was the strongest predictor of intentions and dietary practice. In addition to the model variables, visit intervals of patients and source of obtaining information about diabetes from sociodemographic factors were also associated with dietary behaviours of the diabetics. This research has highlighted the relative importance of the extended TRA constructs upon behavioural intention and subsequent behaviour. Therefore, use of the present research model in designing educational interventions to increase adherence to dietary behaviours among diabetic patients was recommended and emphasized.