Utilization Rate of Natural Family Planning and its Related Factors

Background & Aim: Although natural contraceptive methods have been used for centuries, they have high failure rates; so family planning programs tend to promote modern methods. Knowing utilization rate of natural methods and its pattern could help the planners to design effective family planning programs. This study was designed to identify the utilization rate of natural family planning and its related factors in Ghaemshahr, Iran, 2005Methods & Materials: In this cross-sectional study, 304 married and non-pregnant women aged 15-49 years that were not intended to become pregnant were recruited using systematic random sampling. All participants completed the informed consent form. Data were collected using a content valid and reliable (r=0.84) questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, ANOVA and t-test.Results: The utilization rate of natural and medical methods were 39.5% and 60.5%, respectively. Among all various methods, withdrawal was the most prevalent one (37.5%). The frequency of breastfeeding and safe period were 1% and 0.3%, respectively. The most cited reasons for using natural methods were fear of side effects of other methods (50.6%), its convenience (36.5%), preference of spouses (32.6%), and the wrong perception of being as effective as other methods (22.5%). There were significant associations between age (P=0.003), marriage duration (P=0.01), number of children (P=0.0001) and living in urban area (P=0.0001) with utilization rate of natural methods. Health providers were reported to be the main source of information.Conclusion: Although family planning programs tend to promote modern methods, the wide spread use of natural methods especially withdrawal method suggests that those couples that are interested in continuing the method should be educated for correct use of it. On the other hand, it is recommended that family planning packages should contain programs to increase knowledge, to correct the wrong believes, to consult with couples, to targeted men and other groups of the populations and finally to activate mass media

Prevalence and risk factors associated with low back pain in Iranian surgeons

Objectives: Low back pain (LBP) is a common and costly occupational injury among health care professionals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of LBP in surgeons and to analyze how individual and occupational characteristics contribute to the risk of LBP. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 250 randomly selected surgeons including 112 general surgeons, 95 gynecologists and 43 orthopedists from 21 hospitals at northern Iran. A structured questionnaire including demographic, lifestyle, occupational characteristics as well as prevalence and risk factors of LBP was used. Visual analogue scale and Oswestry low back disability questionnaires were also used to assess the pain intensity and functional disability, respectively. Results: Point, last month, last six months, last year and lifetime prevalence of LBP was 39.9, 50.2, 62.3, 71.7 and 84.8, respectively. The highest point prevalence was related to the gynecologists with 44.9, and the lowest for general surgeons (31.7). Age, body mass index, smoking, general health, having an assistant, job satisfaction, using preventive strategies and years of practice were found to be correlated with the prevalence of LBP (P < .05 in all instances except for age and job satisfaction). Prolonged standing, repeated movements and awkward postures were the most prevalent aggravating factors (85.2, 50.2 and 48.4, respectively). Rest was found to be the most relieving factor (89.5). Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that the prevalence of LBP amongst surgeons appears to be high and highlights a major health concern. Further large scale studies, including other specialties and health professions such as physical therapy, chiropractic, and general medicine, should be performed. © 2011 National University of Health Sciences