The Effect of Education on Health-Promoting Behaviors at the First Six Weeks Post-delivery on the Quality of Life of Primiparous Women

Background & Aim: Postpartum period is one of the vital stages in the women’s life which influences their quality of life. Instruction can influence their quality of life in this period. This study aimed to determine the effect of education on health-promoting behaviors at the postpartum period on the quality of life of primiparous women. Methods: The present controlled randomized trail study was carried out on 52 primiparous women who were randomly allocated into two groups (experimental and control). Instruction was presented for the experimental group for six weeks after childbirth. Quality of life of women between the two groups was compared by using Specific Postnatal Quality of life questionnaire at the first and sixth weeks. Data were analyzed by Chi-square and Independent T-test. Results: Results showed a significant difference between the mean score of quality of life pre-and post-intervention between the two groups (P<0.001), but this difference in the experimental group was more compared to the control group. Also, this difference in the 5 dimensions of quality of life (feeling about herself, baby, spouse, sexual activity, and health) in the experimental group was more compared to the control group (P<0.001). Conclusion: The results indicated that health promoting can be effective in improving quality of life of primiparous women. Therefore, health care providers should focus on this important issue

Cognitive behavioral therapy for occupational stress among the intensive care unit nurses

Background and Aims: Nurses working in the intensive care units (ICU) are faced with numerous stressors that can pose a serious threat to their self-efficacy and affect the quality of care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on the ICU nurses' occupational stress. Methods: This interventional study was conducted in a hospital in southeast of Iran. The participants included 120 nurses, who were randomly assigned into the control (n = 60) and intervention (n = 60) groups. In the pre-test, the occupational stress was assessed using Osipow questionnaire. Later, the intervention group attended the CBT course conducted in six 90 minute sessions. One month after the intervention, the post-test data were collected from both groups. Results: The means of occupational stress and its dimensions were not significant before the intervention between the intervention and control groups (P = 0.47). The means of occupational stress and its dimensions were moderately high at pretest for all nurses. In the post-test, the stress level and all its dimensions reduced from moderate-high to moderate-low (P < 0.001), except for the physical environment dimension that remained at the moderate-high level (P = 0.32). Conclusion: The findings showed that CBT was effective on the nursing stress. Therefore, CBT training is suggested in in-service training programs for nurses. © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved