Attitude towards and use of ecstasy in medical university interns? based on HBM

Using a self-reported questionnaire, 130 Yazd Medical University students were surveyed about their knowledge towards ecstasy and their use of ecstasy based on Health Belief Model. The age range was 18-31 years. Approximately, 23% of students had seen an ecstasy tablet, 6 (4.6%) had used ecstasy (2 female and 4 male), 4 of them lived in a dormitory and 2 were tenants. The levels of knowledge, perceived barrier and perceived benefit of students who had used ecstasy were lower than those who hadn?t used ecstasy. There was a significant difference between the knowledge, perceived barrier and perceived benefit of samples and use of ecstasy (p inf. 0.008, p inf. 0.003 and p inf. 0.13, respectively). Approximately, 74% of the students were eager to know more about ecstasy and its effects. Finally, the students were asked to select one or more item from a list of six which they considered the best way for providing young people with accurate information, and the responses (as percentages) for each source were as follows: discussion with parents: 1.5%; television programs: 64.6%; radio programs: 1.5%; talk at university: 12.3%; friends: 12.3%; newspapers/magazine articles: 7.7%. The data revealed that the knowledge of participants about ecstasy was low (mean = 27.69 ± 3.53 out of 48).The mean grade score of knowledge of males was more than females. A survey in Kerman (Iran) showed that the knowledge of general practitioners about ecstasy was lower than 50% and the knowledge of males was more than females

Knowledge, Attitude, and Performance of Secondary School Female Students toward Skin Cancer and Sun Protection Behaviors in Yazd

Introduction: Skin cancer is regarded as the most common cancer in most countries, whose most important risk factor is exposure to sunlight. Since prevention programs demand to be held in this regard in childhood and adolescence, this study aimed to determine the Knowledge, attitude, and performance of secondary school female students towards skin cancer and sun protection behaviors in Yazd. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted on 513 secondary school female students, who were selected using a stratified sampling method. The data collection tool was a questionnaire that its reliability was confirmed in Mazloomy's study via Cronbach alpha (0.81). Moreover, the study data were analyzed by descriptive statistics as well as analytic statistics using SPSS software (ver. 11.5). Results: Mean age of participants was 15/88±1/04 years. Mean and standard deviation scores of knowledge, attitude, performance were reported 12.19 ± 5.44 (total core= 37), 18.98 ± 2.26 (total core= 24) and 7.47 ± 2/51 (total core= 16) respectively. Using sunscreen (71.5%) was introduced as the most prevalent sun protection behavior. A significant correlation was observed between knowledge and attitude (r= 0.350, p=0.000), as well as performance(r= 0.264, p=0.000) and age (r= 0.134, p=0.010). Conclusion: As the study findings revealed, lack of knowledge as well as undesirable sun protection behaviors except for using sunscreen supported the need to conduct school-based educational intervention

Effectiveness of Skin Cancer Prevention Educational Program Among Teachers in Yazd City

Abstract Introduction: Cancers considered in Iran as the third leading cause of deaths and skin cancer is the most common that its incidence higher in Yazd province than the country. Due to the important role of teachers and schools as a place for educating students and their families this study was performed with aims to determine the effectiveness of skin cancer prevention educational program among teachers in Yazd city. Methods: This research was as a before and after study among 80 teachers of Yazd city who were selected randomly. A Valid and reliable questionnaire was used in four sections include, demographic information, knowledge, attitude and practice who was completed by self-report in two stages, before and after education. Results: Participant&rsquo;s age ranged was 23-51 years with a mean age of 36.87&plusmn;6.22. 77.3 percent female, 22.7 male. Mean score of knowledge, attitude and practice after educational intervention increased (P<0.001). After intervention by increased rates of participants' attitudes also practice increased (r=0.0407**, p=0.001) and men had higher attitude compared to women (p=0.04). Conclusion: Educational intervention was significantly effective on knowledge, attitude and healthy practice teachers in Yazd city about skin cancer

The Relationship between Predisposing Factors and Self-care Behaviors among Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background &amp;amp; Aim: Self-care activity is a key factor in managing Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in order to reduce disability caused by the disease. Predisposing factors including knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy are introduced as determinants of self-care behaviors in the forth phase of PRECEDE model, i.e., ecological and educational assessment. This study aimed to assess the relationship between the predisposing factors and self-care behaviors in patients with RA in Yazd, Iran. Methods &amp;amp; Materials: In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sampling was used to recruit 181 outpatients with RA referred to a rheumatology clinic in Yazd, Iran. Data were collected by conducting interviews with the participants using a survey questionnaire included knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy, as predisposing factors; and self-care behaviors items. Reliability and validity of the instruments were examined and approved. The statistical tests included bivariate correlations, Mann-Whitney U test, and linear regression. Results: Knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy scores were 71.7%, 66.9%, and 47.5%, respectively. The total predisposing factors score was 62.3%. There was a significant positive correlation between the self-care behaviors with attitude and self-efficacy. However, there was no significant correlation between the patients&apos; knowledge and self-care behaviors. Totally, the measures explained 39.3% of total self-care behaviors variance within which the self-efficacy was the strongest predictor (&amp;beta;=0.41). Conclusion: Regarding the high power of predisposing factors, especially self-efficacy, in predicting self-care behaviors; and the low scores of self-efficacy, health promotion planners should pay more attention to predisposing factors of self-care behaviors especially the self-efficacy in designing health promotion programs. &amp;nbsp; Key words: predisposing factors, rheumatoid arthritis, self-car