Health Promoting Self-care Behaviors in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis in the Southeast of Iran: Developing a Model for Practice.

INTRODUCTION: Promoting self-care practice, as a critical strategy for enhancing the quality of life in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a challenging issue. This study aimed to propose a model of health-promoting self-care behaviors in MS patients. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 200 patients with MS, who had referred to the Hospital for Special Diseases in Kerman City, Iran, were chosen. The main data collection instruments were the multiple sclerosis knowledge questionnaire, the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, multiple sclerosis self-efficacy scale, questionnaire of perceived barriers and benefits of self-care behaviors, social support, the health promotion lifestyle profile II, and resilience and sense of coherence scale. Data analysis was conducted in SPSS V. 22 and AMOS18 software. The Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was also used for further analysis of data. RESULTS: The model explained 82% of variance in Health-Promoting self-care Behavior (HPB). The results of the final model obtained from the SEM showed that self-efficacy (ß=0.53, SE=0.04, P= 0.007), self-esteem (ß=0.39, SE=0.04, P=0.005), social support (ß=0.36, SE=0.04, P=0.009), sense of coherence (ß=0.34, SE=0.07, P=0.006), resilience (ß=0.33, SE=0.07, P=0.018), and perceived benefits (ß=0.25, SE=0.05, P=0.009) had a positive and significant relationship with HPB. CONCLUSION: The self-care empowerment model in patients with MS presented in this study can be used as a framework for designing health promotion interventions to improve the quality of life of patients with MS.

Skin cancer protective behaviors among welders of west of Iran: Importance of access to protective equipment.

BACKGROUND: Welders are normally at risk of skin cancer due to continuous contact with natural ultraviolet rays and welding radiation. Protective behaviors against the radiations are the most fundamental measures taken to prevent skin cancer in these individuals. AIMS: This research aimed to evaluate the factors affecting the protective behaviors in welders. PATIENTS/METHODS: In this cross-sectional research, participants were selected by the census method, and the research tool was a reliable and valid questionnaire filled by 154 welders in Yasuj, Iran. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 16 using ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and independent t test. RESULTS: The highest age frequency was related to the age-group of 36-45 years, and the highest frequency of work experience was less than 10 years. In terms of the level of education, most welders had a diploma or a higher degree. In addition, most behaviors reported included using gloves, whereas the least applied method was using sunscreen cream, the most important cause of which was the high cost of the cream. In this regard, the Pearson's correlation coefficient demonstrated a negative association between skin cancer and job difficulty. In addition, performing of protective behaviors decreased in the target group by aging. CONCLUSION: Given the unfavorable mean skin cancer protective behaviors in the welders, it is recommended that interventions, such as planned education, access to protective tools, and periodic skin examinations by a physician, be carried out to promote the health of these individuals and facilitate performing protective behaviors.

Brushing behavior among young adolescents: does perceived severity matter.

BACKGROUND: Oral health is a basis for general health and well-being and affects physical and psychological aspects of the human life. The aim of this study was to determine the power of the health belief model in general and the role of perceived severity and its components in particular in predicting tooth brushing behavior among young adolescents. METHODS: This was a cross sectional study of a sample of female students grade four in Rasht (a metropolitan in north Iran) in 2012. A systematic random sampling method was applied to recruit students. They were asked to respond to a designed questionnaire containing items on brushing behavior based on the health belief model. In this study for the first time perceived severity and perceived barriers were divided into two parts, perceived subjective and objective severity and perceived physical and psychological barriers and were treated as independent variables. Logistic regression analysis was performed in order to identify the variables that predict the desirable behavior (brushing twice a day or more). RESULTS: In all 265 female students were entered into the study. Of these, only 17.4% reported that they were brushing at least twice a day (desirable behavior). The results obtained from the logistic regression analysis indicated that perceived objective severity (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.21- 0.66, P = 0.001) and feeling less perceived psychological barriers (OR = 2.60, 95% CI = 1.50- 4.52, P = 0.001) were the significant predicting factors for brushing twice a day. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that perceived objective severity and perceived psychological barriers play important role in adapting a desirable health behavior among young adolescents.

Predicting Aggression among Male Adolescents: an Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior.

BACKGROUND: Aggressive behaviorin adolescencecan be expressed asa predictorfor crime, substanceabuse, depression and academic failure. The purpose of this study was to determine the prediction of aggression among Iranian adolescent based on theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a theoretical framework. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, conducted in Yasuj County, south of Iran, during 2011, a total of 256 male adolescents, were randomly enrolled. Participants filled out a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 21 using bivariate correlations, and linear regression statistical tests at 95% signifi-cant level. RESULT: The three predictor variables of 1) attitude, 2) subjective norms, and 3) perceived behavioral control, accounted for 40% of the variation in the outcome measure of the aggression intention. Besides, intention accounted for 15% of the variation in the outcome measure of the aggression behavior. There was a sig-nificant correlation between drug abuse and alcohol consumption, have friend drug user, unprotect sex and parents divorced with aggression (P< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Designing intervention to reduction positive attitude and subjective norms toward aggressive behavior among adolescents could be usefulness result to aggression prevention.

Results and complications of spinal anesthesia in percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

INTRODUCTION: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is the treatment of choice for large kidney calculi, staghorn calculi, and calculi that are multiple or resistant to shock wave lithotripsy. In many centers, PCNL is performed under general anesthesia. However, complications under spinal anesthesia can be less frequent. We evaluated the impact of spinal anesthesia on intra-operative and postoperative outcome in patients undergoing PCNL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The intra-operative and postoperative anesthetic and surgical outcomes were evaluated in 160 consecutive patients who underwent PCNL under spinal anesthesia in the prone position. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 40.0 +/-14.3 years, and the mean operative time was 95.0 +/- 37.8 minutes. The mean calculus size was 34.2 +/- 9.8 mm. Ten patients had staghorn calculi (mean size, 4.2 +/- 1.1 cm; mean operative time, 140 +/- 40 minutes). Return of sensory and motor activity took 140.0 +/- 19.7 minutes and 121.0 +/- 23.8 minutes, respectively. During the first part of anesthesia, 18 patients developed hypotension, which was controlled by ephedrine, 10 mg, intravenously. Ten patients (6.3%) needed blood transfusion and 6 complained of mild to moderate headache, dizziness, and mild low back pain for 2 to 4 days after the operation, which improved with analgesics and bed rest. Seventy percent of the patients had complete clearance of calculus or no significant residual calculi larger than 5 mm on follow-up ultrasonography. CONCLUSION: Spinal anesthesia is safe and effective for performing PCNL and is a good alternative for general anesthesia in adult patients.