Exploring the factors affecting the motivation for learning from the perspective of public health students: A qualitative study

Objective. Despite the significant role of motivation in achieving success among public health students, students often do not demonstrate adequate motivation for learning and education. This study was performed to determine factors affecting the motivation for learning from the perspective of public health students via content analysis approach. Methods. This qualitative study was conducted at Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences in Sanandaj, Iran in 2017. 15 students were included in the study by using purposive sampling. Data were collected through personal interviews, group discussions, and field notes, and they were analyzed through conventional content analysis. Several parameters were taken into account to support the accuracy and the strength of the data: acceptability, confirmability, and transferability. Results. Five categories were derived from the data analysis, including “University Policy”, “Health Status”, “Teacher’s Role”, “Student-Related Factors” and “University Facilities”. Attention to the health status and its priority in the opinion of people, authorities, and educational system were the most important factors involved in the students’ motivation for learning. Conclusions. To increase motivation for learning, students have diverse needs that should be met. Attention to the components of motivation for learning not only enhances academic achievement but also promotes the formation of health behaviors in the society

Exploring the factors affecting the motivation for learning from the perspective of public health students: A qualitative study

Objective. Despite the significant role of motivation in achieving success among public health students, students often do not demonstrate adequate motivation for learning and education. This study was performed to determine factors affecting the motivation for learning from the perspective of public health students via content analysis approach. Methods. This qualitative study was conducted at Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences in Sanandaj, Iran in 2017. 15 students were included in the study by using purposive sampling. Data were collected through personal interviews, group discussions, and field notes, and they were analyzed through conventional content analysis. Several parameters were taken into account to support the accuracy and the strength of the data: acceptability, confirmability, and transferability. Results. Five categories were derived from the data analysis, including “University Policy”, “Health Status”, “Teacher’s Role”, “Student-Related Factors” and “University Facilities”. Attention to the health status and its priority in the opinion of people, authorities, and educational system were the most important factors involved in the students’ motivation for learning. Conclusions. To increase motivation for learning, students have diverse needs that should be met. Attention to the components of motivation for learning not only enhances academic achievement but also promotes the formation of health behaviors in the society

The effects of trans-theoretical model and fear of dental care on dental cleaning behavior among students

Background: Fear of dental care prevents dental cleaning behavior and increases the prevalence of dental caries. This study was conducted to determine the effect of Trans-Theoretical Model constructs and fear of dental care on the dental cleaning behavior of students. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in Sanandaj City, Iran, in 2017. Using multi-stage sampling, 1,344 male and female students were included in the study. They completed a self-report questionnaire, including demographic information, Trans-Theoretical Model constructs and fear of dental care. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22.0). Results: A total of 1,344 male and female students with a mean age of 15.22±2.64 years participated in the study; from the perspective of students, dental caries (88.4%) was the most frequent illness and tongue inflammation (0.6%) was the least frequent disease. Overall, 32.9% of the students used no tools for cleaning their teeth. Fear of dental care and perceived barriers were reduced significantly during the stages of dental cleaning behavior (p<0.05) and perceived self-efficacy and perceived benefits were significantly increased (p<0.001). The odds of dental cleaning behavior increased with self-efficacy (OR=1.34, 95%CI=1.22-1.48, p<0.05), and decreased with fear of dental care (OR=0.90, 95%CI=0.80-0.98, p<0.01). Conclusion: The findings showed dental cleaning behavior among students was at a low level and various factors such as perceived self-efficacy, benefits and barriers and fear of dental care influenced its performance