College Students, Experiences on Smart Phone Technology Usage: A Qualitative Content Analysis Study

Besides many benefits of the cell phone technology, numerous arguments are raised on the different and important negative effects of such a technology. This qualitative content analysis study explored the common usages of smart phone technology, its challenges, and benefits among Iranian college students. Participants were 32 bachelor degree students who were recruited using purposive sampling method with maximum variation. Data were collected through 11 individual semi-structured interviews and 3 focus group discussions (5-8 students in each group). Data analysis was done based on a conventional content analysis approach. Data analysis resulted in 3 main themes and 12 sub-themes. The main themes included “Easy life” (achieving information, handling school affairs, easy communication, and cheap communication); “Spending time” (virtual friendship, participation in various social networks, computer games, watching movies and cartoons, and reading stories and novels); and “The experience of challenges” (physical problems, psychosocial stress, and mood and behavioral problems). Based on the students\u27 experiences about the smart phones technology usage, authorities, cultural institutions, and educational policy makers should encourage culture development using education through media and education during the early childhood and before using any software

Sexual self-efficacy and its related factors among married women of reproductive age

Sexual self-efficacy (SSE) has also been cited as an important factor for healthy and satisfying sex. The purpose of this study was to determine SSE and its related factors among married women of reproductive age.The present study is a cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study. The research samples were 588 married women of reproductive age. A cluster sampling method is used to select participants. Data collection instruments were the socio-demographic form and the Sexual Self-Efficacy Scale-Female Functioning (SSES-F). Data analysis, Friedman, Multiple LinearRegression was performed through SPSS software version 16. The highest and lowest score was related to body acceptance (77.78) and communication (69.66), respectively. The results showed that age (B= 0.471, P<0.001), marital satisfaction (B= 0.11.3, P<0.001), life satisfaction (B= 3.5, P<0.03) and the economic-social welfare satisfaction were related to SSE. We’ve found that Women with a higher Education, Employment, higher income, and Younger husbands had the highest SSE score.The components of age, marital satisfaction, life satisfaction, and economic status affect the SSE of married women of reproductive age. The results of this study can be useful in the design and implementation of sexual health promotion interventions. Keywords: Efficacy; sexual behavior; women

Exploration of the Experiences and Viewpoints of Faculty Members on Continuing Education Webinars: A Qualitative Study

Continuing education is necessary to improve the professional knowledge and skills of graduates of medical sciences, which may be implemented via e-learning. This qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences and viewpoints of faculty members participating in continuing education webinars. The participants consisted of 15 faculty members selected purposefully and with maximal variation regarding their sex, age, the field of specialization, academic rank, and work experience. Data were collected through semi-structured individual face-to-face interviews. Data analysis of these transcripts using a qualitative content analysis approach revealed 3 themes and 9 sub-themes. The main themes included “Moving across the boundaries of knowledge,” Virtual education challenges,” and “Motivators and facilitators.” These data suggest that the main prerequisites for holding successful and effective continuing education webinars are the existence of the necessary software and hardware infrastructures, high-speed and accessible Internet, purposeful educational design, as well as empowering, motivating, and encouraging faculty members to participate in such educational programs. The technical infrastructures and human elements remain critical in effective implementation of continuing education webinars

Exploring Married Iranian Women’s Perception of the Meaning of Sexual Marital Activity: A Qualitative Study

Sexual relationship is not limited to a merely biological process; it is an experience that is formed in a joint intrapersonal, interpersonal and cultural context. This study aimed to explore married Iranian women’s interpretation of sexual activity. The researchers conducted this qualitative study on 65 eligible married women aged 16-60 years attending prenatal care, family planning, and gynecology clinics in an educational hospital during 2012-2013. We collected data through 9 focus group discussions. We also used purposive sampling method with maximum variation for selecting study Participants. All interviews were continued until data saturation was achieved. Researchers used a conventional content analysis approach for data analyzing. Four main categories were extracted from the data. The main categories included: “Sex and response to individual’s feelings,” “Sex and intra and interpersonal challenges,” “Sex and informational challenges (the known and unknown),” and “Sex and self-sacrifice (duty-oriented sexual activity).” The participants expressed a dynamic meaning of sexual marital activity that was influenced by many basic emotional, psychological, physical, social, economic, and cultural factors. Most participants placed strong emphasis on the duty-oriented aspect of marital sexual activities, and showed a preference for their husband’s sexual needs and satisfaction

Empowerment and Sense of Adequacy in Infertile Couples: A Fundamental Need in Treatment Process of Infertility - A Qualitative Study

Many Iranian couples are suffering from infertility, and their needs have remained unexplored thus far; therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the infertile couples’ needs and experiences during diagnosis and different stages of infertility treatment. Specific research question included: What are infertile couples’ viewpoints and perceptions about their needs in treatment process of infertility? Researchers used a qualitative design, based on a content analysis approach to analyze in-depth unstructured interviews conducted with seventeen infertile couples. The participants’ needs were categorized into five categories. All five categories had one theme in common which was identified as “empowerment and sense of adequacy” as a fundamental need during diagnosis and treatment processes of infertility. The study findings showed that the under-studied fertility care centers were not patient-centered; and patients’ needs were not recognised appropriately. Perhaps, addressing patients’ needs and expectations is the first step toward more paying attention to infertile couples and empowering them

Consequences of Using Smartphone Technology in University Students: Experiencing Challenges

Introduction: The dramatic increase in prevalence of cell phone use, especially among adolescents and young people, is a growing concern among many experts about the harmful effects of cell phones. The present study aimed to explore the consequences and challenges of the application of this technology from the perspective of university students. Method: In this qualitative study, participants were 32 students of nursing, midwifery, and paramedicine in East Guilan, Iran, who were selected purposefully and with maximum variation. Data were collected using 11 semi-structured interviews and 3 focus group discussions. All interviews were continued till data saturation was occurred. Data analysis was done using conventional content analysis approach. Results: Three themes and 11 subthemes were extracted from the qualitative analysis. The themes were as “physical-psychological stresses” with 4 subthemes of physical problems, disturbed comfort, information security concerns, and progressive dependence, “decreased performance” with 3 subthemes of decline in academic performance, depleted energy, and wasting time, and “drowning in the virtual world” with 4 subthemes of away from the real world, unhealthy relationship, blind imitation, and luxury-oriented, and lying. “In the virtual turbulence” was designated as the main theme. Conclusion: Based on the students' experiences, appropriate cultural planning is necessary with approaches such as mass media education, early childhood education, and education before entering the technologies with the aim of properly usage of these technologies. Keywords: Smartphone, Technology, Students, Qualitative researc

Explaining the Experiences of Health Care Providers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

Background: Healthcare providers in different countries have different experiences during epidemic conditions based on their nursing resources and healthcare systems and the cultural norms of the community. The present study aimed to explore the experiences of healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This qualitative study was conducted on 36 medical personnel from eastern Guilan in the north of Iran. The participants were selected via purposive sampling. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The interviews continued until data saturation. Data analysis was performed using conventional content analysis, simultaneous with data collection.Results: Data analysis revealed three main categories and 10 subcategories: peaceful coexistence (scientific-professional development, enhanced emotional proximity, and resilience in critical situations), the outburst of despair (exhaustion in clinical settings, annoying obsessions, ambivalent decision making, and excessive fear), and in the shadow of sorrow (the shadow of depression, painful public rejection, and in financial distress).Conclusion: An analysis of the participants’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic revealed three main themes: peaceful coexistence, the outburst of despair, and in the shadow of sorrow. Paying attention to the physical, psycho-social, emotional, and financial challenges and needs of healthcare providers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, is an undeniable necessity and requires the full attention and support of the authorities and the community

Qualitative Study of Married Women’s Perception on the Meaning of Sexual-Marital Activity

Introduction: Sexual intercourse is not a biological process, but it is an experience emerged in combined interpersonal, intrapersonal, and cultural contexts. This study aimed to deeply explore and clarify married women’s perception on the meaning of sexual-marital activity. Method: This qualitative study was carried out on 65 married women aged 16-60 years attending prenatal care, family planning, and gynecology clinics in an educational hospital in Rasht City, Iran, during 2012-2013. Data were collected through 9 focus group discussions. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling method and maximum variation. All interviews were continued until the data saturation was achieved. Data analysis was done based on Graneheim and Lundman conventional content analysis approach. Results: Four main categories and several sub-categories were extracted from the data. The main categories included “the role of sexual sensation and perception on sex”, “intrapersonal and interpersonal sexual challenges”, “lack of knowledge vs. knowledge”, and “sexual self-sacrifice (task-oriented sexual activity)”. Conclusion: According to this study, married women’s perception on the meaning of sexual-marital activity has been clearly identified. On one hand, participants expressed a dynamic meaning of sexual-marital activity. On the other hand, their interpretations emerged a new meaning of sexual activity as task-oriented or responsibility-centered of sexual activity. Keywords: Sexual intercourse, Sexual behavior, Female, Marriage, Qualitative researc