Iranian Journal of Health Education and Health Promotion
Year:2014 | Volume:2 | Issue:3|Papers Count:8

Background and objective: Educational planning, as a principle of health education, is both economical and the priorities of WHO and the regional community health policymakers. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two training methods, namely, multimedia-based training vs. opportunistic training, on nutritional knowledge, attitude, and behavior of primary- school students.Methods: This was a semi-experiential research conducted on two groups of 84 students, selected randomly from two primary schools in Jajrood County, District 8 of Tehran. Training intervention was then made into the first group using an opportunistic method by the teacher, and in the second group using multimedia package. Three nutritional variables of target students, namely, knowledge, attitude, and behavior were measured using researcher-designed questionnaires filled out by the students in three stages: before, immediately after, and three months after training. The results were analyzed using independent- T and repeated-measure tests, and SPSS16 statistical software.Results: Before intervention, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of nutritional knowledge, attitude, or behavior (p=0.93, p=0.52, and p=0.67 respectively). After intervention, knowledge scores in both groups increased significantly (p<0.001). However, the attitude and behavior scores for the two groups increased differently: p<0.001 for the opportunistic training group while p<0.17 and p<0.04 for the multimedia training group.Conclusion: It seems that in some occasions, opportunistic training is more accessible, less costly, and more effective than multimedia training. It is therefore advised that teachers make optimum use of numerous opportunities during teacher-student contact times to improve the students’ knowledge, attitudes and behavior in health-related subjects such as nutrition, with minimum costs.

Background and objectives: Vision impairment yields significant social and economic burden around the world. The initial step in the prevention of blindness is recognizing its current situation and main causes. The prevalence of blindness is 1.1% in the village of Chaharborj which is located in the northeastern part of Iran. This study aimed to identify the behavioral preventive factors of blindness in a village of Esfarayen city based on BASNEF model.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the number of 330 samples aged 15 to 64 selected from the residents of the Chaharborj village through multi stage sampling method. Participants were classified into three groups: single, married after diagnostic tests and married before testing the existence of blindness gene. Study participants completed a questionnaire which developed based on the BASNEF mod elthrough interviews. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16 applying the Pearson statistical test, Chi-square test, independent t-test and analysis of variance with the significance level of p<0.05. Results: scores of awareness and other constructs of the BASNEF model for prevention of blindness were not favorable. Remoteness of laboratory and lack of desire in the people outside of the village to marry with Chaharborj residents due to the fear of blindness were the main determinant factors in prevention of blindness. The most influential subjective norms were advisedby physicians and health staff. Awareness was significantly correlated with attitude and in turn, the attitude was correlated with enabling factors among three study groups. In the first group, there was a significant and direct correlation between awareness, attitude and intention to behavior. In the second study group, knowledge and enabling factors were significantly correlated with awareness and enabling factors.Conclusions: Training of village residents and beyond about the mechanisms of blindness should lead to create preventive norms, attitude and intention to prevent behavior and considering blindness as a preventable disease. Due to the important role of providing facilities in adoption of behavior, accessible concise examination should be considered in the national policies and programs.

Introduction and objective: In all societies, with the increase of age bone mass also decreases. Osteoporosis is a common disease among middle-age and older persons, especially women. Therefore, the necessity of implementing strategic plans to prevent osteoporosis is significantly important. This study was designed to determine the prediction of osteoporosis preventive behaviors through the use of the Health Belief Model (HBM).Methods: This cross-sectional study was done among 402 women in Mashhad in 2014. A multi-stage cluster sampling was used. In order to gather collection a questionnaire consistent with the structures of HBM and IPAQ and FFQ was used. Data were analyzed using the SPSS16 and descriptive analysis (frequency, percentage, mean ± SD) and analysis (correlation coefficient, regression and Linear regression). The significance level was 0.5.Results: The mean age of the participants were 36.5±8.1 years. Average monthly calcium intake was 14703.1±8377.5 mg; 63.7% of the people with lower physical activity were among inactive groups. Construct barriers perceived (p=0.008) had a significant impact on the feeding behavior of calcium intake. Self- efficacy (p>0.001) had a significant impact on physical activity behavior.Conclusion: The results showed that the HBM to predict well for osteoporosis preventive behaviors in women. Its use in training programs will be effective.

Background and objective: The cancer diagnosis endangers spiritual health, and ultimately results in losing hope in the person. This study aimed to evaluate effectiveness of training based on promoting spiritual health on the level of hope in patients with breast cancer referred to Imam Hossein Hospital in Tehran.Method: This was a quasi-experimental study performed as a controlled intervention. In this study, 100 women suffered from breast cancer who were referred to Imam Hossein Hospital in Tehran were selected in 2013, then randomly allocated to two intervention and control groups (each group=50 people). The standardized questionnaire of spiritual health by Palotzian and Elison, and the hope questionnaire by Herth were completed before and one month after the intervention in both intervention and control groups. Data was analyzed statistical tests such as chi-square, independent and paired T test, Pearson correlation coefficient.Results: The mean score of spiritual health and The mean score of hope were significantly higher in the intervention group than the control group (p<0.001). Significant correlation between the mean scores for the spiritual health and hope was found (p<0.001). Conclusion: The training intervention based on promoting spiritual health was effective in increasing the level of hope in patients. Considering the key role of spirituality and revival of spiritual health in return of these patients to normal life, it is necessary to adopt special attention by health officials to this issue.

Background and objective: Skin cancer is the most frequent malignancy in Iran. Exposure to excessive ultraviolet radiation is an important risk factor in creating skin tumors. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the Health Belief Model (HBM) on the health education of Farmers in Sirjan.Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental study. Two hundred Farmers attending health centers in Sirjan city, were selected to participate in this study (100 in intervention group and 100 in the control group). The intervention was conducted over two sessions in 60 minutes. Data were collected by a validated and reliable questionnaire (49 questions) before intervention and three months after the intervention. Data was analyzed by chi-square, Fisher’s exact, paired t-tests and independent t-test.Results: After intervention, knowledge scores increased significantly in both intervention and control group, which was probably due to the routine education program in that center. Perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy increased significantly in the intervention group (p<0.001). But, there was no increase or significant difference in the control group.Conclusion: HBM was effective in educating the Farmers. Therefore, it is proposed to use HBM along with the traditional training methods in training farmers.

Background and objective: Organ donation has been considered as a recent method of supplanting patients’ organs or in the case of advanced disability. A key obsession in transplantation is the shortage of organs for transplanting. Depending on the type of disease, about 10-25% of patients in need of transplantation die on the waiting list. The present research was conducted to delve into the awareness and attitude of Bandar Abbas residents towards organ transplantation.Methods: In this descriptive-analytic research, 900 subjects from Bandar Abbas (487 men along with 413 women) all above 20 years of age participated. Sampling was done in multiple stages. The data gathering instrument was a questionnaire devised by the researcher, the reliability and validity of which were previously at tested by the field scholars. The collected data were later analyzed by SPSS16. Descriptive tests, ANOVA and Chi-squared test were used to analyze the data. The significance level was set at p<0.05.Results: The mean score of awareness of participants in the present study was 42.26%. Television was the most influential medium to raise people’s awareness. 260 (28.9%) participants were opposed to organ donation. 52.30% stated revival as their reason for opposition. A significant correlation was found between attitude and age (p=0.016), education (p=0.022) and economic status (p=0.005). A further significant correlation was found between awareness and education (p<.001), economic status (p<0.001). Conclusion: According to the findings obtained from this study, authorities’ planning for raising public awareness of organ transplantation through mass media and healthcare organizations and changing their attitude with this regard can effectively increase the number of donations.

Background and objective: Oxidative stress is a consequence of professional sports that could endanger the health of athletes. This study aimed to determine the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on health indicators of untrained men over a period of resistance training. Methods: A double-blinded, randomized controlled trial study conducted on twenty-four healthy untrained male. Study subjects were randomly assigned to two equal groups, L-carnitine and placebo (n=12). Both groups participated in 8 weeks resistance training period and supplementation of 2 g/day L-carnitine or placebo (maltodextrin) was done. Anthropometric measurements, dietary intakes and blood biochemical parameters including glutathione, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and catalase were measured at the beginning and end of the study.Results: At the end of the study in L-carnitine group, mean serum glutathione (GSH) were significantly increased (p<0.05) and mean serum malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly decreased (p<0.05). Also mean of these parameters between the two groups were significantly different from each other (p<0.5). Enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were significantly increased in both groups but the increase was higher in the supplement group (p<0.01).Conclusion: In this study, supplementation with 2 grams of L-carnitine per day for 8 weeks, increased serum glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase enzyme activity and decreased serum malondialdehyde significantly.

Background and objective: Due to the importance of breastfeeding and eating habits formed and beginning complementary feeding in the first two years of life, this period is the most important period for child growth and development. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of education on empowering mothers about correct nutrition among infants less than two years in the health homes of district 18 of Tehran Municipality.Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental study. Samples were selected using multi-stage sampling Researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect data. After confirming the validity and reliability (a=0.82), control and intervention groups selected and data were collected. Then three educational sessions were held using educational tools such as boards and educational methods questions and answers to the intervention group. Three months after the intervention data were collected and analyzed using of descriptive statistics and independent T and paired T.Results: Before the intervention, the mean scores, among intervention group, of knowledge 13.30, attitude 24.99 and behavior 13.97 and after the intervention increased to 14.92, 27.45 and 14.39, respectively. Also mean score of knowledge, attitude and behavior of the control group before the intervention were 13.2, 23.70 and 13.59 and after the intervention were 13.24, 24.47 and 13.45, respectively.Conclusion: According to the result of this study, education can be used as an effective tool in the promotion of knowledge, attitude and practice of child nutrition.