Iranian Journal of Health Education and Health Promotion
Year:2015 | Volume:2 | Issue:4|Papers Count:8

Community action is one of the health promotion strategies that is considered to solve health problems. Community action has a positive effect on the improvement of public health, especially in reducing non-communicable diseases. This strategy uses available resources within the community to implement changes. It is based on these principles: empowering communities to act effectively to improve health and empowerment of the health care system to work with communities. The purpose of strengthening community action is to support people to recognize their capacity for creating safe and healthy communities. Thus, community action is not imposed on individuals from special representative or specific organs.

Background and objective: Nowadays, waterpipe smoking (WPS) had a growing trend especially among young people. The increased prevalence of tobacco use among women is getting more concerned. Thus, this cross-sectional study was carried out to examine the predicting factors affecting continued intention of WPS among women consumers in the city of Bushehr, Iran by using the theory of planned behavior.Methods: In this cross sectional study, 430 women waterpipe tobacco smokers living in Bushehr were examined using convenience and snowball sampling methods. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect the data. After data collection, data were analyzed using SPSS20 and appropriate statistical tests, including descriptive statistics, analyze of variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation coefficient, Independent t-tests and linear regression.Results: There was an association between continued intention of WPS and marital status. Affective attitude (r=0.57, p=0.000), instrumental attitude (r=0.44, p=0.000), subjective norms (r=0.26, p=0.000), self-efficacy (r=-0.27, p=0.000) and perceived behavioral control (r=-0.17, p=0.000) was associated with continued intention of WPS. Affective attitude was the strongest and subjective norm was the weakest predictors of continued intention of WPS (R2=40%).Conclusion: Regarding to the impact of personal attitudes on continued intention of WPS, it is recommended that professionals should concentrate their attention on changing attitudes, reinforce behavioral control and increasing their self-efficacy in coping with WPS temptation among women consumers.

Background & objective: An appropriate sexual intercourse resulting in both parties' satisfaction can play a crucial role in couples' relations and family strength. Forgiveness is one of the psychological and relational processes for enhancing hurt-healing which influence many indicators of mental health. Women' mental health guarantees family and, in turn, society’s health. Thus, this study aims to explore the relationship between sexual knowledge and marital forgiveness with the mental health of married women aged 20-40 yrs. in Aleshtar city in Lorestan Province, Iran.Methods: The Hooper Sexual knowledge scale, Pollard Forgiveness scale (FFC), and Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) were used in the study. The statistical population consisted of married women in Aleshtar city in the year 2012. Samples comprised of 120 people were selected by clustering sampling. Data was analyzed through SPSS16 using simple correlation coefficient; regression and t-test were used for comparing means and analysis of variance. In this study, the significance level was considered 0.05.Results: There was a significant positive correlation between sexual knowledge and mental health of married women (r=0.215, p<0.05). There was also was a significant positive correlation between forgiveness and mental health of married women (r=-0.347, p<0.001).Conclusion: Education and increasing the sexual knowledge of women could improve their mental health. In addition, forgiveness has a positive role in improving the mental health of married women.

Background and objective: Reluctance of dentists to treat HIV/AIDS patients represents a major concern. The present study was aimed to determine predictive factors of intention of dentists for providing dental care to HIV/AIDS-infected patients based on Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) constructs.Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 80 dentists in the city of Shahriar, near Tehran, were selected through census. A scale based on PMT constructs was developed and validated through qualitative content analysis by a panel of experts and its reliability by Alpha Cronbach. Data was analyzed using SPSS16 and tests such as Pearson correlation, one-way ANOVA, independent-samples t tests and multiple linear regression using the stepwise method.Results: The mean age of participants was 38.21 (±7.57) years old; 31 (38.8%) of the participants were women. Participants had an average of 117.98 (±71.83) months of working experience. Among PMT constructs, self-efficacy could predict 54% variance of intention among the subjects (R2=0.54, F=24.28, p<0.001).Conclusion: For increasing the intention of dentists willing to provide dental care to HIV/AIDS-infected patients should be focused on developing interventions aimed at to increase their self-efficacy.

Background and objective: Quality of life in end-stage patients are different from the quality of life other people and patients. The aim of this study was to explore viewpoints of participants about factors that have effected the quality of life in end-stage patients in order to provide higher quality care for these patients.Methods: In this qualitative study data were analyzed by the thematic framework method. 25 participants, including 8 patients, 5 their families, 3 nurses, 3 physicians, 3 psychologists and 3 clergymen were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. We used the thematic framework method for analyzing qualitative data.Results: Seven subject was extracted from the data as factors shaping quality of life of end-stage patients: reducing stress and worrying, participation, home care, education, independence, support, resources and facilities.Conclusion: seven factors have roles in the quality of life among end-stage patients. Paying attention to the end-stage quality of life, especially by the health professionals can provide appropriate services for patients and their families.

Background and objective: The most important psychological-social effect of computer games is their dependence and this can not only lead to financial problems, but can also lead to the appearance of some problems in school and in social communications with other people throughout life. Thus, the present study was done with the aim of determining the predictive power of the theory of planned behavior upon dependence to computer games among teenagers.Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study 300 teenagers referring to affiliated playing clubs that were diagnosed, in the first stage of the study to be depended on computer games, were randomly selected. Data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire consistent with the theory of planned behavior constructs and adolescents Gaming Dependence Questionnaire (GAS). The data were analyzed using t tests, regression, Mann-Whitney, chi-square test.Results: Median age of participants was 15. Regression results showed that the perceived of behavioral control (p<0.001), attitude (p<0.001) had predictable insight. And prognosticated consciousness of game dependence and that they intended to use games. Among the demographic variables, age, type of admission to clubs played, the number of hours of play during the week and the time referring to playing clubs, 96% of the variance in gaming dependency predictions was for their target population.Conclusion: The theory of planned behavior could predict the bulk of computer games. The results suggest that the use of the theory of planned behavior, focusing on attitudes and perceived behavioral control in educational interventions, can bring effective results.

Background and objective: Teachers play an important role in promoting mental health of students. The present study aimed at analyzing the effect of job stress on mental health of elementary teachers through the moderating role of job burnout.Methods: This study was a non-experimental design (correlation) one using a structural model investigated the relationship between the variables. A sample of 186 elementary teachers of Azadshahr in Golestan province, Iran was asked to respond to three scales (demographic questionnaire, the General Health Questionnaire, and The Maslach Burnout Inventory). The results were analyzed by SPSS 21 and Amos 21. To determine the association between variables Pearson correlation coefficient was applied. Path analysis was used for verification and determination of model fit.Results: Job stress, emotional exhaustion and depersonalization positively, and personal accomplishment negatively can predict mental health. Emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment play a mediating role in the relationship between job stress and mental health.Conclusion: Job stress and job burnout in teachers endangers their mental health. The model obtained is appropriate for explaining mental health of teachers.

Background and objective: Personal protection has an essential role in preventing and decreasing solar UV radiation-induced cancers. This study aimed to determine the effect of education based on protection motivation theory on the harmful effects of sun rays on male students.Methods: This semi-experimental study was conducted on 200 male students from eight primary schools randomly divided to control and experimental groups. The tool used for data collection was a researcher-made questionnaire. This questionnaire included demographic and protection motivation theory questions. The validity of the study instruments was assessed and confirmed by an expert panel and the reliability by Cronbakh Alpha test (s=0.83) through 20 samples. After primary data collection, educational intervention including lecture, with cartoon clip with PowerPoint, was performed for the intervation group. Two months later, data in both groups were collected again and analyzed through SPSS16 using descriptive and analytic statistics (independent and paired t test, Chi-square, ANCOVA (p<0.05). Results: After intervention among experimental group, the mean scores of knowledge and behavior increased from 9.55 to 15.88 and from 6.15 to 10.55, consecutively. Based on linear regression testing the model could predict 12% of protective behaviors against UV radiation.Conclusion: Educational intervention, based on protection motivation theory, was useful in increasing knowledge and promoting preventive behaviors of ultraviolet radiation disorders In male primary school students.