Examining the educational experiences of Behvarzes from the insufficient participation of some people in preventive measures against the COVID-19 pandemic: a lesson for the future.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to explore the experiences of Behvarzes regarding the reasons behind the insufficient participation of some individuals with the preventive protocols established during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted from July 2021 to December 2022 using the conventional content analysis method. Purposive sampling was employed to select 14 Behvarzes working in villages covered by Kashan University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth individual interviews and analyzed using conventional content analysis. RESULTS: The study identified seven subcategories which were grouped into two main categories of reasons for inadequate compliance with health protocols by some individuals. These include: (1) Intentional non-compliance with preventive protocols, with the following subcategories: perceived obligation and adherence to social customs, denial of risk, belief in external health locus of control, and fear and distrust of prevention and treatment methods. (2) Unintentional non-compliance with preventive protocols, with the following subcategories: insufficient or contradictory information, negligence, and inevitability. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that ensuring compliance with health guidelines is not a one-size-fits-all approach. providing empowerment and obstacle removal solutions to those forced to violate preventive protocols for various reasons are all critical components of successful interventions. Also, cultural familiarity can aid in the design of appropriate interventions to address these challenges.

Psychometric evaluation of a new instrument to hookah tobacco smoking-related factors in the Iranian female university students based on the Extended Parallel Process Model.

BACKGROUND: The higher prevalence of hookah tobacco smoking (HTS) has become worrisome in women. Thus, it is essential to identify and measure the perceptions associated with this unhealthy behavior as well as the type of response to risk messages to design the effective programs. This study aimed to psychometric evaluation of a new instrument, named the Extended Parallel Process Model-Hookah Tobacco Smoking Questionnaire (EPPM-HTSQ), for female university students. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This methodological study was conducted in 2019-2020 in central and western Iran. The first version of the instrument was developed with 97 items. Face, Content, and construct validity methods were used to assess the EPPM-HTSQ validity. The data viability for factorability was guided through Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of sample adequacy (Values >0.7) and Bartlett's test of Sphericity (P < 0.05). The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) method with varimax rotation and SPSS software was performed to identify the main factors of the questionnaire and interpretable factors. The internal consistency and external reliability were determined. The test-retest was used for evaluating the stability of tools. RESULTS: During the assessment of the face and content validity 71 items remained in the questionnaire. EFA led to the extraction of nine dimensions: "Focusing on superior rewards," "Response Efficacy," "Perceived physical threat," "Perceived social threat," "Self-efficacy," "Fear control," "Attitude," "Fear," and "Intention" Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test (0.957) and Bartlett's test (P < 0.001). Cronbach's alpha (0.871-0.951) and ICC (0.985-0.998) were approved for scale dimensions. CONCLUSION: Important findings of the present study were the development and validation of the EPPM-HTSQ for measuring EPPM variables in relation to HTS; introducing a new variable "focusing on superior rewards"; as well as, the new classification of the concept of "perceived threat." The final version of the EPPM-HTSQ is a valid and reliable tool, but it is suggested to be re-evaluated in other studies with different populations and sample sizes.

Factors influencing breast cancer screening practices among women worldwide: a systematic review of observational and qualitative studies.

BACKGROUND: The variation in breast cancer incidence rates across different regions may reflect disparities in breast cancer screening (BCS) practices. Understanding the factors associated with these screening behaviors is crucial for identifying modifiable elements amenable to intervention. This systematic review aims to identify common factors influencing BCS behaviors among women globally. METHODS: Relevant papers were sourced from PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar. The included studies were published in English in peer-reviewed journals from January 2000 to March 2023 and investigated factors associated with BCS behaviors. RESULTS: From an initial pool of 625 articles, 34 studies (comprising 29 observational and 5 qualitative studies) with 36,043 participants were included. Factors influencing BCS behaviors were categorized into nine groups: socio-demographic factors, health status history, knowledge, perceptions, cultural factors, cues to action, motivation, self-efficacy, and social support. The quality appraisal scores of the studies ranged from average to high. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review highlights factors pivotal for policy-making at various levels of breast cancer prevention and assists health promotion professionals in designing more effective interventions to enhance BCS practices among women.

The effect of educational intervention based on the Progressively Lowered Stress Threshold extended model on the process of caregiving for people with dementia.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the impacts of an educational intervention based on the Progressively Lowered Stress Threshold (PLST) extended model on caregiving for people with dementia (PWD). METHOD: This study was conducted in Isfahan, Iran, from May 2016 to June 2018, with 38 caregivers of PWD as participants assigned to an intervention group. Data were collected using a multi-sectional, researcher-developed questionnaire that recorded the demographic characteristics, and measured the dementia-related knowledge and caregiving practices of the participants. The questionnaire and an educational program were designed in three parts according to the educational needs of caregivers to enhance their practice, skills, and ability to handle challenging behaviours in PWD. The questionnaire's face validity was confirmed by expert review, and its reliability was assessed with Cronbach's alpha coefficient (knowledge section, 0.838; practice section, 0.802). The sampling method used was convenience sampling, and none of the caregivers refused to receive the educational content. Therefore, the evaluation of the program lacks a randomized controlled group. To tailor the intervention program to the participants' needs, the educational content was based on the PLST extended model. RESULTS: The mean scores for knowledge and practice increased following the intervention (P < 0.05). An educational intervention, using the PLST extended care model, thus produced positive impacts in improving the knowledge and practice of caregivers of PWD. CONCLUSION: Educating caregivers with the PLST extended model, with a specific focus on the cultural and religious backgrounds of societies, is recommended.

Design and Evaluating Psychometric Properties of the Eye Care Behaviors Assessment Instrument.

Background: Eye health is essential for quality-of-life. The present study aimed to design an eye care behaviors assessment instrument for the student community and evaluate its psychometric properties. Methods: The present mixed-method cross-sectional study was conducted in two sections using Creswell and Plano Clark methods for instrument development. The study was conducted in Isfahan, Iran, in 2021. The first section (textual analysis and qualitative research) explained and developed the instrument's fundamental items. This section included in-depth, semistructured interviews with 21 students and eight experts. The second section measured the psychometric properties of the instrument. Twenty students assessed the instrument's qualitative and quantitative face validity in this section. The instrument's content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI) were evaluated. In addition, exploratory factor analysis (performed by 251 students) was used to establish construct validity. Internal and test-retest reliability was determined using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), respectively. Results: During face and content validity assessment, a 37-item questionnaire was finalized. Exploratory factor analysis led to the identification of three factors, including "examinations and glasses-related behaviors," "symptom-related behaviors," and "screen-related behaviors." The three extracted factors accounted for 37.9% of the variance. Cronbach's alpha was equal to 0.874 when evaluating internal consistency, and the ICC value for the total score of the questionnaire was 0.885 (0.810-0.941), indicating excellent test-retest reliability. Conclusions: These results demonstrate the questionnaire's validity and reliability. This instrument assesses the prevalence of university students' most significant eye health risk behaviors. Consequently, it helps prevent eye problems.

Designing a tool for measuring determinants of eye self-care and evaluating its psychometric properties.

Background: Eye care is crucial for maintaining healthy vision. This study aimed to design a determinants assessment instrument related to eye self-care in the student community and evaluate its psychometric properties. Materials and Methods: The present mixed-method cross-sectional study was conducted in two sections using Creswell and Plano Clark methods for instrument development. The study was conducted in Isfahan, Iran, in 2021. The first section (textual analysis and qualitative research) explained and developed the instrument's fundamental items. This section included in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 21 students and eight experts. In the second, the psychometric properties of the designed instrument have been evaluated. Twenty students assessed the instrument's qualitative and quantitative face validity. The instrument's content was measured by computing the content validity ratio and content validity index. In addition, exploratory factor analysis (performed on 251 students) was used to establish construct validity. Internal and test-retest reliability was determined using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), respectively. Results: During face and content validity assessment, a 39-item questionnaire was finalized. Exploratory factor analysis led to the extraction of seven factors, including "perceived self-efficacy and self-regulation," "outcome expectation," "perceived barriers," "motivation," "perceived susceptibility," "normative beliefs," and "perceived severity." The seven extracted factors explained 48.6% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha was obtained to be 0.780, indicating good internal consistency, and the ICC for the total score of the questionnaire was 0.892 (95% confidence interval: 0.822-0.944), indicating excellent test-retest reliability. Conclusion: Our developed questionnaire was a valid and reliable instrument for assessing eye care determinants among students, a vulnerable population afflicted with eye defects and disorders.

Improving HIV stigma in the marginalized population in Khorramabad, Iran: A single-blinded randomized, controlled educational trial using role-playing and lecturing.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of role-playing and lecture on improving the attitudes of the Khorramabad suburban population toward the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In 2019, 270 people aged 18 and above participated in a randomized controlled trial in Khorramabad, Iran. Individuals were randomly assigned to one of three groups: role-playing, lecture, or control. To collect data before and after the intervention, we used a standard HIV knowledge and attitude questionnaire. Before the educational intervention, three marginalized groups' attitudes toward HIV were stigmatized. After the intervention, the attitudes of both the role-playing and lecture groups improved significantly relative to the control group (P<0.0001); there was no significant difference between the two methods (P>0.05). The correlation between attitude and knowledge scores was positive (P<0.0001). This study demonstrates that education is a fundamental pillar of improving attitudes toward people living with HIV (PLHIV) and can reduce stigma against them, thereby increasing their desire to disclose their condition and seek medical care. Trial registration: The trial registration code is IRCTID: IRCT20190807044467N1 (https://en.irct.ir/trial/41464).

Design and evaluation of two educational media in the form of animation and games to promote the cutaneous leishmaniasis prevention behaviors in adolescent female.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) has social and psychological effects on different groups, especially adolescents and young girls in 98 countries of the world, in addition to the economic burden. Therefore, it is necessary to apply effective methods for CL prevention. In this study, educational messages were designed based on Extended Parallel Process Model in both forms of animation and game, whose effect on the cutaneous leishmaniasis prevention behaviors was evaluated in adolescent female students.  METHODS: This experimental study was carried out from January to September 2021 on 275 adolescent female students in Isfahan province, Iran. Cluster sampling method was used, and then the students were randomly divided into three groups, namely animation education, game education, and control groups. The educational intervention was performed with two new media in the form of animation and games. The data collected before and two months after the education through a valid and reliable researcher-made questionnaire were analyzed in SPSS24 software using statistical tests of ANOVA, Chi-square, paired t and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 14.07 ± 0.94. The mean scores of behavior in the animation group (60.60 ± 23.00), the game group (61.70 ± 22.05), and the control group (66.13 ± 24.62) were not significantly different prior to the education. However, after the education, there was a significant difference between the animation (80.66 ± 17.62) and game groups (82.58 ± 19.07) and the control group (69.79 ± 23.29) (P < 0.001). The mean scores of model constructs following the intervention (susceptibility, severity, response efficacy, and perceived self-efficacy) significantly increased in the animation and game groups compared to that in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results showed that if educational programs contain a combination of threat and efficiency messages, CL-preventive behaviors in adolescents increase. Providing similar educational content with both game and animation methods indicated that both methods had an almost same effect. Although animation production is more costly, it has the advantage of being used in periods and for other adolescents.

Explaining the experiences of health care providers regarding organizational factors affecting health education: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Health education is considered the most important component of primary health care. Paying attention to organizational factors can help to improve the quality of health education. Therefore, the present study was conducted to explain organizational factors affecting health education among health care providers. METHOD: This is a qualitative, descriptive, and phenomenological study that was conducted between 2020 -2022 on 50 health care workers who had been selected by purposeful sampling method in different settings including hospitals, GP office, behavioral disease counseling center, universities, and comprehensive health centers in the south and the center region of Iran. Data were collected by in-depth, semi-structured, and individual interviews, as well as focus group discussion, and continued until data saturation. Data were analyzed by MAXQDA software using qualitative content analysis in three stages: preparation, organization, and reporting. To evaluate the scientific accuracy of the findings in this study, 4 criteria of Lincoln & Guba were used. RESULTS: The results revealed that every practice and policy in a health care organization from assessing needs, setting goals, planning activities, implementations and measurement outcome could affect health education practice and subsequently the health of population; nevertheless, the crucial role of health education practice is being neglected in health organizations. Organizational factors affecting health education were classified into three categories of planning, organizing, and also monitoring and evaluating. The category of planning had three subcategories of infrastructure planning, manpower planning, and design and planning for implementation of health education programs. The categories of organizing had two subcategories of coordination between different units of the Minister of Health and coordination between the health sector and other sectors of society. The categories of monitoring and evaluation had three subcategories of proper feedback, bureaucracy system, reward or reinforcement, failure to define health education as part of the job description, and the impact of electronic health records on the quality of evaluation. CONCLUSION: The results offer expertise and preliminary tools to help with evidence-based health education program planning and evaluation. The Support of managers, like providing manpower in accordance with the target population and infrastructure, can improve health education in the health system. In addition, intra- and inter-sectoral coordination at different levels of the health system to implement tailored programs according to the needs of clients by health education professionals, and the use of health education theories seem necessary. It is also recommended to review the monitoring system with appropriate feedback, define health education as a healthy activity, and develop appropriate criteria for better implementation of health education.

Development and psychometric assessment of cutaneous leishmaniasis prevention behaviors questionnaire in adolescent female students: Application of integration of cultural model and extended parallel process model.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is an important public health issue in at least 83 countries, including Iran. Individuals' behavior modification is believed to be one of the best ways for CL prevention. However, no comprehensive questionnaires have been psychoanalyzed for identification of CL prevention behaviors and its numerous associated factors, as well as the impact of educational messages. Thus, the present study was conducted to develop and psychometrically assess CL prevention behaviors questionnaire in female students. METHODS: The present study was performed from October 2020 to May 2021 by developing a preliminary questionnaire based on integration of Cultural Model and Extended Parallel Process Model. The questionnaire was completed online by 460 adolescent female students living in endemic areas of Isfahan, Iran. Exploratory factor analysis was performed using SPSS 24 to ensure the construct validity. Internal reliability was assessed via Cronbach's alpha and external reliability was determined using the test-retest method based on the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) index. RESULTS: The first version of the questionnaire contains 110 items, out of which 82 remained according to content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI) criteria. Afterwards, 11 items were removed due to low factor load in the construct validity process using the factor analysis technique. Ultimately, a 71-items questionnaire was developed and 12 factors were extracted from it. According to Cronbach's alpha index, the internal reliability for the questionnaire was 0.877 and the ICC index calculated the external reliability as 0.833. CONCLUSIONS: Integration of a Cultural Model with individual model was used for the first time to measure the factors related to CL prevention behaviors in this questionnaire; owing to the strength of the factor structure and appropriate psychometric properties, the questionnaire is applicable in the evaluation process of educational interventions concerning CL prevention, especially in female students.

Exploring the facilitators and barriers to high-risk behaviors among school transportation drivers: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: School transportation (ST) crashes are associated with serious adverse consequences, particularly for students in developing countries. High-risk behaviors (HRBs) of ST drivers are a major factor contributing to ST crashes. This study aimed at exploring the facilitators and barriers to HRBs among ST drivers. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted in 2019-2020. Participants were ST drivers, students, parents, and school staff purposively selected from Tehran, Iran. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions and were concurrently analyzed through conventional content analysis. FINDINGS: Participants were fifteen ST drivers with a mean age of 45 ± 10.2 years and 24 students, parents, and school staff with a mean age of 28.62 ± 16.08 years. The facilitators and barriers to HRBs came into five main categories, namely previous experiences of HRBs, perceived gains and risks of HRBs, motivating and inhibiting feelings and emotions, positive and negative subjective norms, and perceived mastery in driving. CONCLUSION: A wide range of facilitators and barriers can affect HRBs among ST drivers. Strategies for preventing HRBs among ST drivers should be multidimensional and individualized and should focus on strengthening the barriers and removing the facilitators to HRBs.

High blood pressure self-care among hypertensive patients in Iran: a theory-driven study.

High blood pressure is becoming a universal epidemic for both developed and developing countries; it is one of the main public health problems all over the world. This research was conducted to assess blood pressure self-care among hypertensive patients in Iran. This cross-sectional analytic study was conducted on 527 patients with hypertension recruited from Zarandieh, Iran in 2018. Data were gathered using questionnaires assessing socio-demographic information, social support, health belief model (HBM) constructs (perceived benefits to healthy behavior, barriers to healthy behavior, perceived disease threat, self-efficacy to engage in healthy behavior, and cues to action), and self-care activities to address blood pressure. A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with self-care behaviors. Overall, 512 patients (215 men and 297 women) participated in this study. Participants who were married, and more educated engaged in more self-care behaviors. At least one-half of the patients (47.6%) demonstrated a moderate level of self-care behaviors with a mean score of self-care equal to 9.32 ± 3.6 (out of 18). All the elements of HBM and social support were significant predictors of self-care behaviors and self-efficacy was the strongest predictor, followed (in descending order) by perceived barriers, social support, perceived disease threat, and perceived benefits. Health education based on HBM, enhanced with attention to social support, may help patient enact healthier behaviors to reduce blood pressure.

Factors related to preventive COVID-19 behaviors using health belief model among general population: a cross-sectional study in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has become one of the biggest challenges to global health and economy. The present study aimed to explore the factors related to preventive health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Khuzestan Province, South of Iran, using the Health Belief Model (HBM). METHODS: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in the period between July 2020 and September 2020. A total of 1090 people from Khuzestan province participated in the study. The data collection method included a multistage cluster sampling method with a random selection of provincial of health centers. The questionnaire collected socio-demographic information and HBM constructs (e.g., perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits and barriers, cues to action, and COVID-19 preventive behaviors). Data were analyzed using ANOVA, t-test, hierarchical multiple linear regression, and SPSS version 22. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 35.53 ± 11.53, more than half of them were female (61.6%) and married (65.3). The results showed that 27% of the variance in the COVID-19 preventive behaviors was explained by HBM constructs. The regression analysis indicated that female gender (ß = 0.11), perceived benefits (ß = 0.10), perceived barriers (ß = - 0.18), external cues to action (ß = 0.25), and internal cues to action (ß = 0.12) were significantly associated with COVID-19 preventive behaviors (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Designing an educational intervention on the basis of HBM might be considered as a framework for the correction of beliefs and adherence to COVID-19 behavior. Health information campaigns need to (1) emphasize the benefits of preventive behaviors including avoiding the likelihood of getting a chronic disease and complications of the disease, (2) highlight the tips and advice to overcome the barriers (3) provide cues to action by means of showing various reminders in social media (4) focusing on adoption of COVID-19-related preventive behaviors, especially among men.

Behaviors and Perceptions Related to Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Endemic Areas of the World: A Review.

The investigation of perceptions and behaviors associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in different societies has indicated that mere attention to biological and medical aspects is not enough to prevent and control diseases and it is necessary to know the disease-associated behaviors and beliefs. The present study aimed to answer a question: what are the behaviors and perceptions associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis in endemic regions of the world?. This study is a review of the articles published on CL from January 2010 to January 2021, on the International databases Science Direct, Scopus and PubMed. We utilized the terms cutaneous leishmaniasis, in combination with some keywords, including belief, perceptions, knowledge, attitude, practices, prevention, and behavior. Non-original studies, including editorials, reviews, prefaces, brief communications, and letters to the editor, CL epidemiological articles, pre-published articles that has not been peer reviewed, and articles that not provide complete findings on CL-related perceptions and behaviors were excluded from the present paper. After screening, 25 articles from 17 regions of the world were included in the study. The results depicted a novel classification of behaviors and perceptions related to CL prevention and control. Two positive and negative categories of perceptions and behaviors were discovered. Positive perceptions and behaviors were classified into five categories, including: 1- good awareness, 2- perceived susceptibility, 3- perceived severity, 4- perceived response efficiency, and 5- appropriate behaviors. Furthermore, negative perceptions and behaviors were classified into four categories: 1- poor awareness 2- misconceptions (A. About the disease vector B.about the cause of the disease, C. about the consequences of the disease and the treatment process), 3- perceived barriers (A. in prevention, B. in medical treatment), and 4- misbehaviors (A. negligence, B. local and traditional behavioral patterns). In most endemic parts of the world, misconceptions are probably the leading cause of several misbehaviors in dealing with CL. It seems that providing educational programs to strengthen positive beliefs and correct negative beliefs are rooted in the studies in different countries and could be useful for improving the relevant behaviors and ultimately, taking a step towards the prevention and control of CL.

The promotion of healthy breakfast and snacks based on the social marketing model: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: Skipping breakfast and replacing it with non-nutritious snacks are progressively increasing among adolescents. This study aimed to develop an educational intervention based on the Social Marketing Model and evaluate its effects on healthy breakfast and snack consumption among female adolescent students. METHODS: This mixed-methods study was conducted in 2016-2019 in two phases. In the first phase, a qualitative study was conducted through directed content analysis in guidance schools in Khorramabad, Isfahan, and Tehran, Iran, to explore factors affecting breakfast consumption. The results of this phase were set in the benchmarks of the Social Marketing Model. In the second phase, a randomized controlled trial was conducted based on the benchmarks of the Social Marketing Model on 94 students randomly recruited from guidance schools in Khorramabad, Iran. RESULTS: The findings of the qualitative phase were categorized into the benchmarks of the Social Marketing Model, namely the social marketing mix, the intended behavior, internal and external competing factors for behavior modification, theoretical concepts related to the behavior, and the role of supporters. In the quantitative phase, the univariate analysis showed significant between-group differences concerning the product, price, promotion, and behavior (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Healthy breakfast and snack consumption can be promoted through making acceptable the tastes, costs, preparations, and consumption places of breakfast and snack. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (code: IRCT20170201032347N1 ). The trial was registered in 11/07/2018 and is accessible on the Iranian Clinical Trial Registration website.

The effect of public health educational campaign regarding antibiotic use and microbial resistance on knowledge, attitude, and practice in the Iran.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to show the effect of public health educational campaign regarding antibiotic use and microbial resistance on knowledge, attitude, and practice of people in Isfahan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in October 2019 on the public population in Isfahan (a city in the center of Iran). Simple random sampling was done in ten urban areas.). A total of 708 people participated in the study. For assessing the knowledge, attitude, and practice a related researchers-made questionnaire was used in the present study. Finally, data were entered into SPSS (20) and analytical statistics including paired t-test were used. The statistical significance level was considered <0.05. RESULTS: The majority of participants in this study were female 434 (61.9%) and the rest of them were male. The mean ± standard deviation of age was 31.68 (11.11), range of 11-67. More than 50 present of participants had a Bachelor's degree (37.7%) and diploma (27.7%). Most individuals were self-employed 277 (43.1%). About the type of marriage, 54.89% were single and others were married. Results showed that the mean of knowledge and attitude was increased after the intervention (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Increase knowledge between people, adherence to treatment and minimizes healthcare costs, however, "antibiotics are misused so often because of the belief that these are benign drugs. In the absence of urgent corrective and protective actions, the world is heading towards a postantibiotic era, in which many common infections will no longer have a cure and once again, kill unabated.

Sociocultural factors contributing to waterpipe tobacco smoking among adolescents and young adult women: a qualitative study in Iran.

Purpose: Waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) is currently a serious and growing public health threat in the world, especially in adolescents and young women. The aim of the study was to explore sociocultural factors contributing to WTS among adolescents and young adult women in Iran. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted from August 2017 to January 2019 in Isfahan and Hamadan cities, Iran; it included 13-30-year-old females with experience of WTS. For data collection, in-depth semi-structured personal interviews were conducted at participants' preferred time and place. Concurrent with data collection, data were analysed through conventional content analysis. Results: The study participants described the various sociocultural factors contributing to WTS. These factors were categorized into four following main categories: waterpipe glamorization by its producers and sellers, media advertisement or silence, common sociocultural traditions, and governmental policies and regulations. Conclusion: A wide range of sociocultural factors affects WTS among Iranian adolescents and young adult women. Therefore, interdisciplinary multidimensional strategies are needed for WTS management and prevention among these at-risk groups. Public education, strict supervision of tobacco import, export, and selling, ample employment opportunities for young people and effective leisure time management are essential to reduce WTS.Abbreviation WTS: Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking; MPOWER: Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies, Protect people from tobacco smoke, Offer help to quit tobacco use, Warn about the dangers of tobacco, Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, Raise taxes on tobacco.

Exploring the barriers of adherence to dietary recommendations among patients with type 2 diabetes: A qualitative study in Iran.

Aims: Type 2 diabetes is a major global health concern, and its prevalence is rapidly increasing throughout the world. The present study was conducted to explore the experiences of patients and healthcare providers to identify the social barriers to patients' adherence to their recommended diet and thus help the design of future interventions. Design: This study was conducted as a qualitative study with content analysis approach. Methods: The present qualitative study was conducted from November 2016-July 2017. Data were collected through 38 unstructured in-depth interviews with 33 T2D patients and their treatment supervisors and field notes. The interview transcripts were coded using the MAXQDA 10 software. To extract categories and themes, the thematic analysis approach was used. We followed the COREQ Checklist to ensure rigour in our study. Results: The analysis of the study revealed the emergence of five categories of perceived barriers including social priorities and rivalries, family's food habits, poor social support, social impasses and dominant food patterns.

Oral health behavior among school children aged 11-13 years in Saveh, Iran: an evaluation of a theory-driven intervention.

BACKGROUND: Good oral health (OH) is essential for physical, social, mental health, and overall quality of life. This study assessed the usefulness of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in changing oral health-related behaviors among school children aged 11-13 years in Saveh, Iran. METHODS: In this descriptive before and after study, participants were sixth-grade students at single sex primary schools in Saveh city, Iran. We recruited 356 school children in 2019. Using simple random sampling, a male and a female school per district were allocated to the experimental group and the remaining schools to the control group. Our planned oral health education consisted of four one-hour training sessions over 1 week. The first session familiarized the participants with important information about OH. In the second session, we applied a brain storming exercise to identify the benefits and barriers to flossing and brushing. In the third session, a short film about correct brushing and dental flossing technique was shown and research team also used role-playing to correct any mistakes. In the final session students were taught about the importance and the application of OH planning and given forms to help plan for brushing. RESULTS: Participants for the study included 356 students (180 in the experimental group and 176 in the control group) who completed the post-test questionnaire. The mean age ± standard deviation was 11.55 years ±0.93 in the experimental group and 11.58 years ±1.01 in the control group. After the intervention, the paired t-test indicated a significant difference between the mean and standard deviation of the action plan and coping plan constructs in the experimental group before and after the intervention (p < 0.05). Covariance analysis indicated a significant difference between scores of intervention and control groups under statistical control of post-test in two groups (covariate) after a peer-led education program (post-test) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A shortage of professional health workers in education settings together with the ease, usefulness and low-cost of this peer-led method, suggest further steps should be taken to implement it more widely to improve and enhance primary school aged students' oral health behavior.

Factors related to childbearing intentions among women: a cross-sectional study in health centers, Saveh, Iran.

BACKGROUND: One of the most important demographic challenges over the recent three decades in the world has been a significant fall in the fertility rate. This study aimed to investigate factors related to childbearing intentions among a sample of Iranian women. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of a sample of Iranian married women attending 8 centers in Saveh was conducted in 2015. A total of 483 married women 15-49 years old participated in this study. A questionnaire was used to collect data about demographics, attitude, subjective norms, marital satisfaction, social support, hopefulness, and behavioral intentions of childbearing. RESULTS: Overall, 62% of women in the study intended to have children in the next 2 years. The group willing to have children had a higher score on attitude, subjective norms, hopefulness, perceived social support, and marital satisfaction compared to the group unwilling to have children. Also, the regression results revealed that the variables of age, literacy status, employment status, husband literacy, women and husband occupation status, attitude, subjective norms, hopefulness, perceived social support, and marital satisfaction were significant predicting factors for childbearing intention (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The findings highlighted the importance of psychological factors such as marital satisfaction and social support in the childbearing process. Thus, health system planners should pay more attention to these determinants of fertility intention.