Stress among Isfahan medical sciences students

Background: This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of psychological stress among Isfahan medical sciences students. Methods: Cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was carried out among the 387 medical sciences students (medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry) of Isfahan, Iran through census. In academic year 2010-2011, Kessler-10 questionnaire was given to the students a month before semester examinations. Scores �20 were considered as indicative of positive stress symptoms. Results: The overall prevalence of stress among medical sciences students was found to be about 76.1%. The prevalence of stress among medicine students was 22.7% mild, 23% moderate and 21.4% severe while 32.8% showed no stress. The prevalence of stress among pharmacy students was 22.22%, 22.22%, 26.19%, and 29.36% mild, moderate, and severe and no stress, respectively. The prevalence of stress among dentistry students was 25% mild, 27% moderate, and 10% severe while 37.5% showed no stress. The prevalence of stress was higher (70.6%) in pharmacy students when compared with medicine (66.1%) and dentistry (62.5%) students. The odds of student having stress is higher in dentistry students (OR: 1.44, P= 0.33), where as the odds are decreasing in pharmacy student (OR: 1.16, P= 0.66). There is no statistically significant association between gender, ages, and term and having stress symptoms. Conclusions: The high level of stress necessitates interventions like social and psychological support to improve the student's well-being. A prospective study is needed to study the association of psychological morbidity with sources of stress and coping strategies

Effect of educational intervention on perceived susceptibility self-efficacy and DMFT of pregnant women

Background: The World Health Organization identifies oral health as a necessity for public health through the entirety of life. This issue has been considerably addressed due to susceptibility to tooth decay during pregnancy and maternal and fetal health. Objectives: Investigate the effect of educational intervention on perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, and DMFT of pregnant women. Patients and Methods: A quasi-experimental survey (pretest, posttest, and control group) was implemented in 88 primiparous women in the first trimester of pregnancy who attended private clinics in Delfan city, Iran. It was conducted using random sampling and then assigned to intervention and control groups. Data were collected using a questionnaire that included demographic characteristics, a DMFT checklist, and some health belief model (HBM) constructs. After collecting baseline information, an educational intervention consisting of 4 training sessions for the intervention group was scheduled. In the sessions, lecture, focus-group discussion, video, and role-playing were used as the main educational strategies. Four months after the intervention, a post-test questionnaire and DMFT checklist were conducted. Data were analyzed using SPSS (ver20) software and Chi-square, independent t-test, and repeated measure ANOVA at the significant level of α 0.05), during the intervention, or after intervention. Repeated measure ANOVA explained that the aforementioned score was different in the three cases (pretest, 2 months after intervention, and 4 months after intervention) after intervention (P< 0.05). Paired t-test also showed that the DMFT mean increased 4 months after intervention in the control group (P < 0.001). It was not, however, augmented in the intervention group (P = 0.92). Conclusions: Results showed that education on some of the HBM constructs resulted in increased knowledge of oral health, perceived susceptibility, and self-efficacy of pregnant women. It is also possible to prevent increased DMFT during pregnancy. © 2016, Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal

Impact of Health Literacy, Self-efficacy, and Outcome Expectations on Adherence to Self-care Behaviors in Iranians with Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: Diabetic patients with higher health literacy (HL) may feel more confident in their ability to perform self-care behaviors and may have strong beliefs that diabetes-related behaviors will lead to specific outcomes. Our study aimed to document the relationships between HL, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and diabetes self-care of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Iran. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of 187 patients with T2DM. Participants completed the Functional Communicative and Critical Health Literacy scale, the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities, the Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale, Outcome Expectations Questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire. RESULTS: Participants who received diabetes education (t = 5.79, p<0.001) and were married (F = 3.04, p<0.050) had better diabetes self-care behavior. There was a significant positive correlation between self-care behaviors and communicative HL (r = 0.455, p<0.010), critical HL (r = 0.297, p<0.010), self-efficacy (r = 0.512, p<0.010) and outcome expectations (r = 0.387, p<0.010). Diabetes education and marital status accounted for 16.9% of the variance in diabetes self-care. Self-efficacy, outcome expectations, communicative, and critical HL explained 28.0%, 1.5%, 3.7%, and 1.4% of the variance, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that the potential impact of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, communicative, and critical HL should be considered in the education program for patients with diabetes. We found self-efficacy to be the most important predictor of diabetes self-care. Therefore, the use of self-efficacy theory when designing patient education interventions could enhance diabetes self-care. It is essential that health care providers assess patient's HL levels to tailor health-related information specific to a domain of HL. This would fully inform patients and promote empowerment rather than simple compliance

Comparison of environmental health status in primary schools in different districts of Isfahan city in 2008-2009

Introduction. Students spend at least 20% of their time in schools. Training, educating and the personality of these students depends on appropriate educational methods, proper physical space, and also favorable mental environment. Students are considered as a major human resources of any society and dealing with their health and promoting educational environment health is in fact a kind of investment for future. In this study we examined the status of environmental health status in primary school of different districts of Isfahan. Materials and methods. This study was a descriptive-analytical study. The number of studied samples was 77 schools in Isfahan which were selected by regular randomized method. The tool used to gather data was a environmental health inquiry form for school environments, and consisted of two parts: the first part included common school specifications and the second part involved items dealing with desirability of various parts of schools.The above forms were filled out in 3 months by specialists in public health, evaluating the schools and interviewing the principals. Then, they were analyzed and a comparison was made between the results from various districts. Results. 76.6% of schools complied with the standards and 80.5% of classrooms were in desired conditions. Regarding the standards for building and classrooms, there was no significant difference between various districts. Hygiene services (water closets and basin) and drinking water were at desired level and there was no significant difference between various districts in this regard, however the district 1 was in undesired condition. Regarding collecting and disposing of rubbishes and trashes, 79% of schools were in desired condition and 49% of them had hygienic tuck-shops according to standards, but there was no significant difference between various districts. Conclusion. The study showed that the status of environment health is at desired level in primary schools in Isfahan, but the health of tuck-shops should improve in schools and it needs more attention and interest from authorities of Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health and dedicating proper budgets to solve their health problems

Associations between self-medication, health literacy, and self-perceived health status: A community-based study

Background: Although the frequency of self-medication has been well-documented in the public health literature, but no study has examined the relationship between health literacy and selfmedication yet. This study was aimed to investigating the relationship between health literacy and self-medication in a community-based study. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 924 adults to survey association between health literacy and self-medication among peoples in Ardabil city in 2014 who were selected using a multistage random sampling method. Health literacy was measured by the test of functional health literacy in adults and general health status was measured by the 12-item General Health Questionnaire, and self-reported self-medication (overall, sedative, antibiotic and herbal) in last 3 months was assessed. All statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS version 18 and a P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The mean age and weight of respondents were 37 years and 74.7 kg, respectively. The prevalence of self-medication was 61.6, and the percentage of self-administering antibiotics, sedative, and herbal medicines were 40, 54.4, and 59.1 in the last 3 months, respectively. Significant relationship was found between of total health literacy and general health status with self-medication. The prevalence of self-medication among participants with poor and very poor self-rated physical and mental health was significantly higher than other participants (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Self-medication had a significant relationship with health literacy and health status. Therefore, the design and implementation of training programs are necessary to increase the perception on the risk of self-medication. © 2015 Kamran A

Understanding the behaviour of cigarette smoking among Iranian smokers: Application of trans-theoretical model

Background: The Transtheoretical model has been widely used in the subject of cigarette smoking. This study aimed to understand the behaviour of smoking in smokers, according to the Transtheoretical model. Material and Methods: Secondary analysis on two separate studies in different cities across the country was performed on 844 individuals who were enrolled via convenient sampling in 2010 and 2013. Measures used in this study include the process of change questionnaire of Prochaska et al., questionnaire of Di Clemente et al., questionnaire of temptation and decisional balance of Velicer et al. The gathered data were analysed using SPSS version 18 and Kruskall Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Cohen's criterion for standardized effect size was used along with Spearman rank correlation. Results: All constructs of the Transtheoretical model showed significant differences along the stages of cigarette consumption. Experiential Process of self-re-evaluation had the largest effect size (0.207). It was followed by the cons of smoking with effect size of 0.17. Dramatic relief and helping relationships had the smallest effect sizes with 0.025 and 0.048 respectively. Conclusion: This study shows that the process of self-re-evaluation and cons of smoking are the most powerful predicators of development during the stages of smoking behaviour change. © 2017 DAR Publishers/The University of Jordan. All Rights Reserved