Promoting physical activity in Iranian women: A qualitative study using social marketing.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: In social marketing, at the center of the program is consumer perception. The objective of this study was to explore the viewpoints of Iranian women for tailoring interventions so as to increase physical activity. METHODS: The social marketing model served as the framework of the study. Qualitative data were collected via six semi-structured focus group discussions (FGDs), in 2014 in Iran. Participants were 51 women, 20 to 60 years old, selected by purposive sampling, with a maximum diversity. Qualitative content analysis of the data was conducted by researchers. RESULTS: After data analysis and extracting initial codes, they were all categorized in four predefined categories of social marketing model (product, price, place and promotion) and related sub-categories. Most of the participants were inactive. Price was addressed by women as the dominant category of this study. The majority of participants emphasized the benefits of prevention of chronic diseases, fitness, staying young, and improving family relations. Most women preferred to do physical activity in a secure and enclosed female environment. And the majority of participants considered radio, television, face to face training, texting, and advertising billboards as promotional strategies. CONCLUSION: This study provides a unique insight into consumers' values and motivations that affect consumers' decisions to adopt physical activity, in Iran. It could also help researchers to design and implement intervention programs to increase physical activity.

Iranian pregnant teenage women tell the story of "fast development": A phenomenological study.

BACKGROUND: Teenage pregnancy is a major health problem significantly associated with negative impacts on the health of both teenage mothers and their newborn. However, little is known about teenage pregnancy from teenager's perspective, particularly in developing countries including Iran. AIM: This study aimed to explore the experience of pregnancy in Iranian teenage women. METHODS: An interpretive phenomenological study was used as a suitable research design to conduct this research. Data were collected through individual, semi structured and in-depth interview with 11 married teenage women aged between 15 and 19 years old, primigravida with singleton pregnancy. Data were analysed through thematic analysis approach. FINDINGS: "Fast development" was the main theme that emerged from the participants' experiences. It refers to the unexpected development process that occurs simultaneously with other important development events. Fast development consists of three themes, 'unexpected development', 'development within development', and 'struggle with development'. CONCLUSION: Teenage pregnant women simultaneously encounter multiple developmental challenges related to adolescence period, marriage, pregnancy, and mothering responsibilities. According to the results, fast development concept should be considered by healthcare providers in order to offer comprehensive and age-appropriate health services to pregnant teenage women for successful transition from the multiple developmental stages. Moreover, this concept will help health care providers, especially midwives, to understand how to deal with pregnant teenagers.