Promoting Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) of the mothers in their girls' pubertal health based on peer education approach

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Communication and educational approaches in health promotion of adolescents has been challenging. Peer education is a well-known approach that not only provides youths with knowledge; they also learn the related skills in communication to convey health messages to target groups. This paper describes the impact of peer education method on KAP of the mothers concerning the middle school girls' pubertal health. METHODS: This experimental study was carried out on 100 mothers who divided into two groups (n=50). The participants were allocated in each group randomly. Traditional education was conducted by lecturing for one group and peer education was used for the second group. Self made questionnaire was employed for data collection at base and 1.5 month follow up. Scoring was ordered as: knowledge and practice scale; 75 was described as high. Attitude scaled up with "maximum and minimum" divided on 3 concepts: negative, positive and buffer (no idea) and then compared in two groups. FINDINGS: Average attitude score after training in peer group was 86.25±0.49 and in lecture group was 48.25±0.78 (p=0.007). Average knowledge score in peer group was 89.33±2.15 and in lecture group was 43.73±5.67 (p<0.001). Also the average practice score was 80.8±21.36 in peer group and it was 56±38.86 in lecture group (p<0.001). Knowledge, attitude and practice in lecture group respectively in 16, 66 and 42 people and in peer group respectively in 78, 96 and 74 people were in good level (p<0.002). CONCLUSION: The results showed that the girl peer education approach will increase the average of knowledge, attitude and practice of mothers to pubertal health topic. Puberty health education using active learning methods and the groups involved with subject is recommended

The effect of injury-related characteristics on changes in marital status after spinal cord injury

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) imposes a significant burden on the social and marital life. Here, we assessed the divorce rate and changes in marital status among a sample of Iranian individuals with SCI. Methods: Referred patients to Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center were invited to participate in this cross-sectional investigation. The Main exclusion criteria were coincidental brain injury, history of chronic diseases before SCI and substance use. Demographic characteristics (including age, gender, educational level, marital status before and after injury and duration of marriage) and Injury characteristics (level of the injury, American spinal injury association (ASIA) scale and Spinal cord independence measure III (SCIM)) were collected. Results: Total of 241 subjects with SCI participated in this investigation (164 (68) male and 77 (32) female). Among men, 16.5 95% CI: 10.81%-22.18% and among women 18.2% 95% CI: 9.58%-26.81% got divorced after injury. Duration of marriage before injury was significantly related to lower divorce rate (P< 0.001 and 0.016 in men and women, respectively). Injury characteristics had no relationship with marital longevity. Age was a protective factor against marital dissolution only in men (P< 0.004). Conclusion: Our study revealed the divorce rate of 17% 95% CI: 13%-20.9% after SCI in a sample of Iranian popu-lation. The protective influence of age in maintenance of marriage was only detected in men, which proposes existence of a sexual polymorphism in the role of age. Divorce rate was similar between two genders and injury characteristics were not related to divorce rate as well. © 2015, Iranian Journal of Public Health. All rights Reserved