Explanation of women’s and family health care personnel’s perception of the barriers of pre-pregnancy care coverage: a qualitative study

AbstractBackground and Aims: Pre-pregnancy care is a set of interventions through prevention and treatment to identify and modify biomedical, behavioral and social hazards. The current study aimed to explain ideas ofwomen about reproductive age and the personnel of family health centers about barriers of pre-pregnancycare coverage in the healthcare centers supervised by Iran University of Medical Sciences.Materials and Methods: In this qualitative study, 32 mothers and the personnel of family health unit (experts of midwifery and family heath) working in health centers affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences were interviewed both individually and in group. A purposeful sampling was exploited. Data were gathered through interviews and focused on group discussion with open questions until data saturation was reached and data were analyzed using conventional content analysis approach and based on the Graneheim and Landman’s model (2004). Before each interview, mothers were informed regarding the aim of research, interview style, freedom to leave the interview and the way interview content would be kept private.Results: After analyzing the data, the perceived obstacles of pre-pregnancy care coverage were achieved in three main formats including: Organizational obstacles, communicative obstacles and personal obstacles.Conclusions: Thorough explanation participants’ experiences, structural, communicative and personal factors were shown to be effective on pregnancy care coverage in healthcare centers supervised by IranUniversity of Medical Sciences. Better quality services could be obtained by prioritizing and implementing proper interventions.Keywords: Pre-pregnancy care, Barriers or obstacles, perceptions, Mothers’ health, women’s healthFor downloading the full text please click her

The quality of family planning services in health care centers of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences: comparison of clients, providers and program managers viewpoints

Background and aim: Family planning services are frequently used and important services for women of reproductive age. These services are crucial in enabling women to meet their fertility goals. The aim of this study was to determine and compare of the quality of family planning services in urban health centers from the viewpoint of clients, employees, experts and staff managers at different levels.Materials and methods: In a cross-sectional study, 500 women who seeking care from health care center under the supervision of the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences regarding family planning services, 147 health providers, and 18 family health managers at different levels of district, provincial and national were investigated using revised SERVQUAL questionnaire.Results: The results revealed negative gap in all dimensions of service quality. There was an overall negativegap score of -0.37 between clients expectations and perceptions of service quality (p<0.001). For the health care providers, experts and staff managers, this gap was equal to -0.50 (p<0.001). On the other words the heath care providers and program managers estimated the clients expectation more than actually were and ability of health system to address to these expectations less than clients perceptions of quality.Conclusion: Negative gap between clients expected and perceived service quality should be considered seriously for planning and implementation of proper interventions for service quality improvement.Key words: Service Quality, Family Planning, Health Care Center, SERVQUA

Impact of educational intervention on high blood pressure-related knowledge, attitude and preventive behavior among women in Islamshahr City

Background and Aims: Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases and a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and stroke. Due to the increasing prevalence of hypertension and its serious complications, this study aimed to determine the effect of educational intervention on preventivebehavior of hypertension in school students’ mothers in Eslamshahr, Iran.Materials and Methods: In the present experimental study, a total of 112 mothers of elementary school girls and boys were selected through a two-stage cluster sampling and were divided into two groups (n=56 per group). The lecture method of education was employed in the form of question and answer at the endof the lecture. A questionnaire survey was performed to evaluate subjects at three stages consisting of a pretest, a post-test immediately after education, and a post-test two months later. All stages of this research were conducted ethically. Results: The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between test and control groups in terms of the mean knowledge and attitude score, before the intervention. Concerning the mean practice score, however, a little difference was observed. After education, by contrast, scores for all above mentioned variables were significantly increased in intervention group (P-value<0.001).Conclusions: The results revealed that the educational program on knowledge, attitudes and behavior to promote effective preventive behavior and to increase the knowledge and attitudes can promote the preventive behavior of hypertension.Keywords: Hypertension, Knowledge, Attitude, Behavior, LectureFor downloading the full text please click her

Comparing the effects of group discussion and lecture educational methods on preventive behaviors of high blood pressure in Eslamshahr women

Introduction: Nowadays, high blood pressure is a major risky factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney diseases and education is one of the effective factors that reduces high blood pressure. This study was designed and conducted to compare the effects of group discussion and lecture methods on preventive behaviors of high blood pressure in Eslamshahr school stu­dents’ mothers. Materials & Methods: In this experimental study, a two-stage cluster sampling was conducted and 168 students were selected. Then, these students were divided into three groups of 56 members each. In addition, their mothers were invited to participate in the study. Samples into three groups (two case groups and a control group) were divided into three stages and with a questionnaire which consists of demographic information questions and questions related to knowledge, attitude, behavior developed by the researcher, were evaluated. provide educational content, lectures and group discussion methods were to used. Data collected using software SPSS-21 and ANOVA, chi-square test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used. Results: The test showed significant differences between the two methods in the confidence level of 0.95, so that the ratings of knowledge and attitudes and preventive behaviors were higher in grou discussion (p<0.001). These results suggest that education in group discussion in comparison with lecture method is more effective and encouraging. Conclusion: The results showed that the group discussion method is more effective than lecture is. therefore recommended to pay more attention to high blood pressure in mothers, in this educational method, especially in the education of preventive behaviors. &nbsp

Proper consumption of sugary drinks and its association with adolescent girls' knowledge and skill

Background: Changes in the nutritional behaviors from consumption of traditional nutriments to intakes of high energy, concerned in powering the increasing problem in adolescents and children's obesity. The current study intended to evaluate Proper consumption of sugary drinks and its association with adolescent girls' knowledge and skill in Shahr-e-kord city, Iran. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out on girl's students in Shahr-e-kord city. Using random sampling method and based on sampling size formula, a total of 308 of the girls students were randomly selected from the schools and were registered into the study. Then they received a research-made questionnaire containing questions about the knowledge, skill and Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 18.0 by ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: The mean age of the participating adolescent girls was 13.86 ± 1.3 years old. The mean score for knowledge was 36.53 ± 21.87 and the mean score for the skill of preparing and consumption of sugar free drinks was 35.77 ± 24.67. The average amount of daily consumption of sugary drinks among studied adolescent girls was 2.95 glasses. There was a direct significant association between students' knowledge and skill (P = 0.002, r = 0.182), There was also a significant reverse association between adolescents' skill (P = 0. 006 r = -0.228) and knowledge (P = 0. 05 r = -0.322) with consumption of sugary drinks. Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, to increase the consumption of valuable foods and improving adolescents' nutritional habits, more attention should be paid to the health education and promotion and by using effective relevant patterns and theories

Knowledge and perceptions of obesity prevention and reducing sugar-sweetened beverages consumption among high school girl students in Shahrekord

Background and aims: The prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents is increasing worldwide. One of the key lifestyle behaviors that helps prevent obesity and being overweight among children and adolescents is to avoid drinking sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) or to take, at most, one serving per day. The present study intended to evaluate knowledge and perceptions of high school girl students in Shahrekord on reducing SSBs consumption based on the health belief model (HBM). Methods: The present descriptive-analytical study, conducted in 2013–2014, randomly recruited 308 female students aged 13–14 years. The data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire based on HBM and a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were evaluated using face validity, content validity, and inter-rater reliability. The Chi-square test, Pearson’s correlation, and Spearman’s correlation tests were used in SPSS software to analyze the data. The participants declared their informed consent for participation. Results: The research findings showed that the mean score of students’ knowledge was 36.53 ± 21.87; mean scores of perceived susceptibility and perceived severity were 31.88 ± 15.04, and 34.76 ± 19.82, respectively; perceived benefits of reducing the consumption of SSBs was 43.51 ± 20.18, and perceived barriers was 41.56 ± 15.69. There was a direct significant relationship between knowledge and perceived susceptibility as well as between perceived susceptibility and perceived severity. The students’ intake of SSBs was calculated as 2.95 glasses per day. There was a direct significant relationship between perceived benefits and mother’s job, between perceived barriers and father’s job, and between knowledge and mother’s age. There was an inverse relationship between perceived susceptibility and father’s job. Conclusion: Considering the high intake of SSBs among students, along with their little knowledge and perception about its negative effects, it seems necessary to plan for proper educational and theory-based interventions for adolescents in order to improve their knowledge and develop a positive attitude toward reducing SSBs consumption

Knowledge, attitude and practice of the elder residents of Tehran city about healthy lifestyle

Background and Aim: In the third millennium, aging are appeared as a global reality more than before.Developments in controlling of the contagious diseases, nutrition and healthy environment resulted in increasing life expectancy. So the twentieth century challenge for surviving has been replaced by living stay with better quality and healthy aging. Present study was carried out in order to determining the knowledge, attitude and practice of the urban elders about healthy lifestyle in 2008.Materials and Methods: In this descriptive analytic research, 450 elder people of Tehran residents with more than 60 years old were studied. The sampling method was random clustering and structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Interviewers completed questionnaires after referring to their homes. SPSS V.18 software was used for data analyses.Results: 54.6 percent of elders were men. Mean scores in each of the three fields for men was more than women. Our findings show significant relation between age, sex, income and marital status of subjects with their knowledge, attitude and practice. So with increasing age their knowledge, attitude and practice were decreased respectively. Knowledge, attitude and practice of elders about healthy lifestyle was related to membership in public and national organizations, significantly (p=0.01).Conclusion: Our findings indicate on need to comprehensive programming for health education about healthy life style, respecting social determinants of health and encourage elder residents of urban regions to membership in public organizations.Key words: Elderly, Healthy Lifestyle, Knowledge, Attitude , Practic

Assessment of an educational intervention effectiveness on promoting menstrual knowledge and related health behaviors in female high school students in Khamir city in 2015-2016

Background and Aims: Puberty is a period of psychological, physical, mental, emotional and social growth in which the development of personality takes place. This study was aimed to determine the effect of an educational intervention on promoting the Knowledge and Menstrual Health Behaviors in female high school students at their first grade in Khamir city in 2015-2016.Materials and Methods: The present quasi-experimental study, along with a control group, was conducted  in female high school students in Khamir city. Totally, 120 eligible teen girls were involved in our study. The questionnaire consisted of three part: demographic information, awareness and health behaviors concerning puberty. The questionnaire was completed before and two months after the intervention. Thecontents of training was presented through lecture, group discussion with teaching aids such as booklets.Paired t-test and independent t-test were used for data analysis by SPSS22 Software. Ethical issues such as confidentiality of studied community were all considered.Results: It was found that the mean of Knowledge score increased from 11.81±2.60 to 17.48±2.18 after the educational intervention. Similarly, the mean of behavior score increased from 19.93±2.68 to 25.26±3.53 in the intervention group as compared with the control. Both findings were statistically significant (P<0/001).Conclusion: Health education played a statistically significant role in promoting the awareness and improving the behavior of students about their adolescent health. Thus, pubertal health education during menstruation should be emphasized to reform the health behaviors of girls during adolescence.Keywords: Health education, Knowledge, Behavior, Menstrual health, Female students, Khamir cit

Knowledge, attitude and behavior towards using of microwave oven among women working at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical science and Health service in 2016

Background and Aims: Microwave oven, a household appliance that works with microwave, is one of the essential supplies in the kitchen because of ease and speed in cooking. Microwave users are required to be aware of its safety tips, and women are in the program's top priority due to more involvement. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and behavior towards using microwave oven amongwomen working at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and health services in 2016.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, totally, 120 women working at Shahid Beheshti University of medical Sciences and Health Services were selected through clustering procedure. All stages of this research were conducted ethically. The consent forms were indeed completed. A reliable and valid questionnaire prepared by the research team was exploited for data collection. The questionnaire encompassed demographic, knowledge, attitude and behavior of using microwave oven questions. Finally, the obtained data was analyzed using SPSS22 statistical Software.Results: The mean age of women was 38.63 ± 9.19 years. About 58.35 percent of participants had associate's, bachelor's level education and 28.35 percent were of Master's degree. Approximately 68.35%of the total study group were married. Overall the mean score of knowledge was 15.80 out of 28. The mean score of attitude was 36.69 out of 50, and the mean score of behavior was 59.62 out of 75. There was no statistically significant relationship between age, marital status, education and knowledge and atti tude.Conclusion: The results of the study suggest the need for interventions to promote awareness, attitude and behavior

Impact of Social Media on Psychological Health: Challenges and Opportunities

Background and Aim: During the past few years, social networking has become very popular. Currently, there is a lack of information about the uses, benefits, and limitations of social media for health communication in society.Material and Methods: This paper will review some of challenges and opportunities to use social and their impact on psychological health. In this review we searched all valuable and relevant information considering the social media impact on psychological health. We referred to the information databases of Medline, PubMed, Scopus and Google scholar.Conclusion: Social media brings a new dimension to health care, offering a platform used by the public, patients, and health professionals to communicate about health issues with the possibility of potentially improving health outcomes. More study is required to establish whether social media has impact on mental health in both the short and long terms