qualitative approach to women's perspectives on exercise in Iran

Background: It is believed that women of all ages do less physical activities compared to men. The development of interventional projects for increasing the women's participation in physical activity needs the recognition of resources and exploration of women's perspectives on exercise in their lives in the Iranian culture and context

Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in an urban area of Iran on 46 women attending healthcare centers, volunteer health care providers, university students, sportswomen and one of the officials of the provincial women's sports. This study was done from April 2015 to June 2016. Four focus group discussions and one in depth semi-structured interview was conducted. A qualitative conventional content analysis approach was used for data analysis

Results: Four categories were developed as follows: 'preferences', 'planning', 'motivators' and 'inhibitors'. Preferences had three distinct subcategories: preferences to do exercise in specific settings, specific exercise and group exercise. The family role, exercise as one part of daily routines, and exercise as a habit were subcategories of planning. Motivators were physical, emotional and social benefits; physician advice and encouragement; being alarmed; and championship. The inhibitors of doing exercise were various: gender issues, economical and costs issues, geographical access, making excuses, cultural infrastructures, shortage of sports experts, fears, concerns and misconceptions, inappropriate facilities and inadequate administrative cooperation and official barriers

Conclusion: The findings showed that the women were sensitive to and interested in doing exercise. However, barriers to exercise were multiple and complex. Nursing interventions are required to increase the individuals' awareness of misconceptions and also develop strategic programs for improving exercise among women

Hypertension in the Yazd adult population

To estimate blood pressure, the current prevalence and distribution of hypertension and to determine hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in adult population in Yazd, Iran. This was a cross-sectional study of a random sample of adult aged 18 years and over in Yazd. All participants were interviewd and examined with a standard protocol in their homes. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP>140 mmHg or diastolic BP> 90 mmHg, and sub classified according to the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure [JNC-7]. In all 1130 individuals were studied [456 men and 674 women]. The mean of systolic BP was 132.2 +/- 18.2 and 129.2+21.9 mmHg in men and women, respectively [P<0.05]. It was 85.0111.2 and 83.1+12.3 mmHg for diastolic BP [P<0.01]. The mean of systolic and diastolic BP were significantly differed in different age groups [P<0.001]. The overall prevalence of hypertension in this study was 38.1%. Of these, 60.9% had stage I hypertension and 39.1% stage II. Hypertension prevalence was significantly higher in men [41.7%] than in women [%35.7] [P<0.05], and varied by age [P<0.001]. Overall, 38.1% of hypertensive individuals were aware that they had high blood pressure, and 77.1% were being treated with antihypertensive medications, and 12.4% were under control. The mean of blood presser in two sexes and in age groups were relatively similar with the other studies. Hypertension was relatively high in Yazd. Despite the high rate of treatment, the rates of awareness and control were low. Discrepancies between treatment and control of hypertension might be related to inefficienct treatment or incompliance by patients