Relationships between self-efficacy and pap smear screening in Iranian women

Cervical cancer is the fourth common cancer among women worldwide. Pap smear screening has resulted in deceasing incidence of cervical cancer in developed countries but low uptake of Pap smear screening among women in developing countries is still a public health challenge. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the relationship between self-efficacy and timely uptake of Pap smear among Iranian women. A total of 580 married women referred to primary health care centers covered administratively by Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran were administered a questionnaire by trained staff. Data were analyzed with SPSS (version 16) software, using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The mean age for participants was 33.1±8.8 years. There was a significant association between self-efficacy and Pap smear screening (P < 0.01). There was also a positive correlation between duration of marriage and husband's education with Pap smear uptake (P < 0.01). In univariate analysis, there was a significant association between Pap smear uptake and level of self-efficacy (OR = 15.3 for intermediate and OR=7.4 for good level), duration of marriage (OR = 5.7 for 5-14 years and OR=10.4 for more than 15), age (OR =2.7 for 27-34 years and OR=7.4 for more than 35 years) and husband education level (OR=2.3 for more than 12 years of education). In multivariate analysis, significant associations persisted between Pap smear uptake and self-efficacy (OR = 23.8; 95 CI: 8.7, 65.5), duration of marriage (OR = 5.9; 95 CI: 2.8, 12.2), age (OR = 3.9; 95 CI: 1.2, 12.9) and husband's education (OR = 2.5; 95 CI: 2.0, 10.3). Efforts are needed to increase women's knowledge about cervical cancer and improve their self-efficacy and perceptions of the Pap smear screening in order to reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates. © 2016, Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention

Promoting menstrual health among persian adolescent girls from low socioeconomic backgrounds: a quasi-experimental study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Research in the past decade has revealed average to poor menstrual health among many Iranian girls. The present study investigated the effectiveness of a health promotion project on improving menstrual health in adolescent girls in Iran.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A quasi-experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the health intervention program. A total of 698 students (study participants and controls) in several schools in Mazandaran province, Iran were included. The project comprised 10 two-hour educational sessions. Educational topics included the significance of adolescence, physical and emotional changes during adolescence, pubertal and menstruation health and premenstrual syndrome. A self-administered questionnaire measuring demographic characteristics, behaviors during menstruation, menstrual patterns, sources of information about menstruation and personal health data was administered. The questionnaire was administered to all participating students after the experimental group received the training.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among the most significant results was the impact of educational sessions on bathing and genital hygiene. A total of 61.6% in the experimental group compared with 49.3% in the control group engaged in usual bathing during menstruation (p = 0.002). Individual health status was significantly statistically correlated with menstrual health. Attitude towards menstruation was also significantly related to menstrual health.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study confirms that educational interventions, such as the health promotion project in this study, can be quite effective in promoting menstrual health.</p

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis D Virus and its Risk Factors in the West of Iran

Despite the decreasing trend in hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection worldwide, the importance of this disease cannot be underestimated. The aim of this study was to evaluate patients positive for HBsAg with respect to HDV infection and related factors. Patients with chronic hepatitis B who presented at Hamedan Province Hepatitis Community Center in 2002-2007 were included. A questionnaire covering demographic variables and history of hepatic disease was completed for each patient. Necessary tests were performed and antibodies to HDV were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Of 81 HBsAg positive patients, 14 (17.3) contained anti-HDV IgG. Only one of the patients with anti-HDV IgM was positive for HBsAg. Of the anti-HDV IgG positive patients, two (14.3) were women. Among the women examined in this study, 24 (35.8) were anti-HDV IgG negative (p = 0.21), and of these, six (42.8) were HBeAg positive while 17 (25.4) of the anti-HDV IgG negative women were positive for HBeAg (p = 0.16). The prevalence of chronic hepatitis B among anti-HDV IgG positive and negative patients was 28.6 and 39.2 respectively (p = 0.31). Because of the relatively high rate of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HDV co-infection in our study subjects, it is vital that healthcare providers and policy makers to recognize the risk factors associated with this HBV and HDV co-infection as well as the reasons for this increased anti-HDV serology in HBV carriers. © 2010 Taiwan Society of Microbiology

An analysis of material consumption culture in the Muslim world

In this paper, we examine the notion of material consumption culture in Islamic societies. We differentiate between institutionalised religion and religion as culture. We contest the Orientalist portrayal of Islam as a fanatic ideology opposed to Western Modernity’s features of secularism, individualism, and pluralism. With reference to the Qur’anic text, we discuss that such qualities are embedded with Islam. We do not interpret the Qur’an from a theological perspective; rather, we seek to demonstrate the possibilities of its multiple interpretations. We argue that, in their everyday life consumption practices, Muslims (re)interpret religious guidelines in different ways and refer to Islam, as a transcendental set of guidelines, to make better sense of their cultural practices in different ways. We summarise our discussion by highlighting the importance of analysing the culture of consumption from the lens of insiders and offer directions for future research

"Growth Chart Study in Children Under 5 Years Old in Rural Area of Khoramabad Province"

Growth chart is the best measure for weight monitoring of children. Most factors that affect child heath show their effect on child weight. This cross sectional and descriptive analytical study was achieved to estimate malnutrition prevalence and effective factors in children under 5 years old in rural area of Khoramabad province. 555 girls and 570 boys were chosen from health houses by cluster sampling. Data were gathered through questionnaires. verbal interviews and child weighing. Nutritional status was estimated via weight/age index and the data were analysed by chi-square test. The results show 7.7% malnutrition among the children in this area. Factors that influence the nutritional status were: Frequency of diarrhea and acute respiratory infection, birth weight, duration of breast feeding and milk formula

Birth weight in Kohkilooyeh and Boyer Ahmad province, 1999

The newborn&apos;s weight at birth is an important measure for newborn&apos;s health in all communities. Among developed countries, 70 percent of low birth weight (LBW) newborns are preterm. The corresponding figure for undeveloped countries is only 30 percent, there are also evidence of intra-uterine growth retardation among these countries. Among effective factors on LBW, maternal related factors have important role in promotion and improvement of infants and mother&apos;s health. This study is a descriptive-analytic one and was conducted cross-sectionally through a questionnair. The study population determined by simple random sampling from newborns under coverage of urban health centers in Kohgiloye and Boyerahmad province. Necessary data collected from existing medical and health records filed in the health centers. Among 285 newborns, 88.4 percent considered with normal weight, 4 percent with IBW and 11.6 percent with more than normal weight. 7.4 percent of cases were immature. 85.3 percent of the mothers in study population were in immune range of age for pregnancy and 7.6 percent of them were illiterate. Except the sex of newborn (P=0.0008) and gestational age at birth (P&amp;lt;0.001) none of the variables demonstrated a significant statistical relation with the birth weight. The results of this study confirm other research&apos;s findings and reveal that with improving material factors such as mother&apos;s age, employment and literacy, the factors which are effective on birth weight, will be dependent on physiological factors such as sex of newborn and gestational age at birth