Journal of Education and Community Health
Year:2014 | Volume:1 | Issue:3|Papers Count:8

Background and Objectives: Injuries constitute a major health problem throughout the world. School injuries are among the main injuries in young and school-aged children. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of an educational program based on the Health Belief Model for the prevention of school injuries among junior high school students in Famenin.Materials and Methods: The present experimental study was conducted on male and female students in junior high schools of Famenin in Hamadan, Iran, from March to May 2014. A total of 144 students were randomly selected for participation in the study and then divided into an intervention group and a control group. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire with items on the students' demographic information and their knowledge, practices and the Health Belief Model constructs. The present study included a pre-test and a post-test in two groups and a five-session educational intervention with an educational booklet for the intervention group. Data were analyzed using the independent and the paired t-tests and the chi-square test.Results: After the educational intervention and based on the Health Belief Model, the mean scores obtained by the students for knowledge, practice, perceived susceptibility, cues to action and self-efficacy were significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group (P<0.001), while the mean score obtained for perceived barriers had decreased significantly in the intervention group compared to the control group (P<0.001).Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that an educational intervention based on the Health Belief Model can improve the students' practices in the prevention of school injuries.

Background and Objectives: Brucellosis is among the most common zoonotic diseases. Educational programs can be effective in the prevention of this disease in humans. The present study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of an educational intervention based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) in the empowerment of stockbreeders against high risk behaviors associated with brucellosis in Charuymaq county, East Azerbaijan.Materials and Methods: The present quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2014 in Charuymaq county. A total of 200 people selected through stratified random sampling participated in the study. Data were collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire including items on participants' demographic information, knowledge and the HBM constructs. Training sessions were then designed and held for the intervention group. Three months after the intervention was held, data were collected from both groups and then analyzed using descriptive statistics including the Mann-Whitney U test and the Wilcoxon test.Results: The mean scores obtained for knowledge, HBM constructs (perceived susceptibility, severity, barriers and benefits and self-efficacy) and brucellosis preventive behaviors showed no significant differences between the two groups before the intervention; however, after the educational intervention, significant differences were observed between the mean scores obtained by the intervention group and the control group (P<0.05).Conclusion: The cooperation of charismatic individuals with intervention programs and the use of education theories can be more effective in modifying high-risk behaviors; these pro-grams should therefore be widely implemented across the country.

Abstract Background and Objectives: Despite associating regular breakfast consumption habits with a range of health benefits, the rate of skipping the meal is high. The present study was con-ducted to determine the factors associated with breakfast consumption among female students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences based on the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT).Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was carried out on 423 female students in different faculties of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. Participants were selected through multistage random sampling. The frequency of breakfast consumption and SCT variables, including knowledge, hope, outcome expectancies, observational learning, social support and self-efficacy, was measured using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed in SPSS-16 using the chi-square test, the correlation test and the linear regression analysis.Results: 24% of the students stated that they always ate breakfast. 10% of the students skipped breakfast. On average, the students ate breakfast 4.2 times a week. Self-efficacy (P<0.001) and social support (P<0.001) were good predictors of breakfast consumption in the students. These two variables were able to predict 64% of the variance in breakfast habits.Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that an educational intervention based on the Health Belief Model can improve the students' practices in the prevention of school injuries.

Background and Objectives: The cognitive determinants of social behaviors play an important role in adolescents' decision-making for starting smoking. The present study was therefore conducted to determine the predictors of tobacco smoking in male adolescents in Hamadan, Iran, based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).Materials and Methods: The present descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 810 male high school students in Hamadan selected through the multistage sampling method. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire with a section on participants' demographic information and another section based on the TPB constructs. Data were then analyzed in SPSS-18 and AMOS-18 using the Pearson correlation test and the indices of model fit.Results: Overall, 17.2% of the male adolescents reported to have smoked cigarettes in the past. Perceived behavioral control, subjective norms and attitude were the best predictors of behavioral intention for tobacco smoking, in the order of importance (P<0.001). Perceived behavioral control (b=-0.59; P<0.001) was a better predictor of the studied behavior than behavioral intention (b=0.11; P<0.001). In the structural equation model, TPB constructs ac-counted for 32% of behavioral intention variances and 50% of behavior variances. Conclusion: The results demonstrated the poor role of behavioral intention in reporting smoking behaviors in male adolescents. Other psychological factors that affect adolescents' decision-making regarding tobacco smoking should also be scrutinized.

Background and Objectives: There has been growing interest in adolescents’ emotional intelligence and strengthening their various skills including effective and efficient communication. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and communication skills of high school students in Hamadan, Iran based on the theory of social support.Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2014. Multistage sampling was performed to select 497 students from high schools of Hamadan. The subjects completed a questionnaire containing items on communication skills, emotional intelligence, and social support. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation test, Spear-man’s correlation test, t-test, and analysis of variance in SPSS-18.Results: There was a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and communication skills of the participants. The students had a moderate level of communication skills. In general, girls enjoyed higher levels of communication skills, emotional intelligence, and social support (except appraisal support) compared to boys. Moreover, constructs of social sup-port were significantly related with emotional intelligence and communication skills.Conclusion: According to our findings, educational interventions and training packages for students, parents, and schoolteachers are required to improve the students’ emotional intelligence and communication skills.

Background and Objectives: Giving birth to a child with disabilities is two-three times more likely in consanguineous marriages. Due to the various negative consequences of such marriages, this study aimed to determine the cognitive predictors of consanguineous marriages.Materials and Methods In this cross-sectional study, convenience sampling was applied to select 516 people who visited four different marriage counseling centers in Kohgiluyeh-Boyer Ahmad Province. A self-report questionnaire was administered to collect data. Bivariate correlations and logistic regression analysis were performed to analyze the data in SPSS-20.Results: The mean age of the respondents was 23.43 ± 3.96 years (range: 15-30 years). About 43.4% of the participants had married a relative. Regression analysis suggested subjective norms (OR = 1.304) and cultural factors (OR = 1.244) as the best predictors of cousin marriage.Conclusion: Considering the high rate of cousin marriage in the studied population, it is pre-marriage genetic counseling seems essential. Designing educational interventions on subjective norms and cultural factors related to cousin marriage may also be useful in reducing the rates of cousin marriages.

Background and Objectives: The high risk of physical inactivity in the postpartum period is associated with increased risk of obesity and diabetes in mothers. Therefore, the present study used the beliefs, attitudes, subjective norms, and enabling factors (BASNEF) model to identify the predictors of postpartum physical activity among women visiting health centers in Kermanshah (Western of Iran).Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 400 women who visited health centers in Kermanshah. Multistage sampling was adopted to select the participants. The subjects were asked to fill out a questionnaire containing demographic variables, the BASNEF model constructs, and a short form of the international physical activity questionnaire. Data were analyzed using logistic and linear regression analysis and Pearson’s correlation analysis in SPSS-18.Results: Most mothers (83%) had low levels of physical activity. Knowledge, attitude, and subjective norms could significantly predict the intention to perform physical activity. These variables accounted for 21% of the variance in behavioral intention. Moreover, behavioral intention was the best predictor of postpartum physical activity behaviors (P<0.001; b = 0.140).Conclusion: Based on our findings, the majority of mothers were inactive during the postpartum period. Relevant interventions should thus be designed to modify mothers’ behavioral intention and promote physical activity after childbirth.

Background and Objectives: Although social support seems to be effective in adherence to the treatment of hypertension, its effects in hypertensive patients have not been well documented. The current study tried to clarify the relationship between social support and adherence to the treatment in patients with hypertension.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study applied census sampling to recruit all eligible patients with hypertension (130 patients). A demographic questionnaire, the Hill-Bone Compliance to High Blood Pressure Therapy Scale, and the Social Support Behaviors Scale were used to collect data. Spearman’s correlation coefficient, t-test, and analysis of variance were conducted to analyze the data. All analyses were performed in SPSS-16.Results: Poor, moderate, and acceptable adherence to the treatment was detected in 9.2%, 85.4%, and 5.4% of the patients, respectively. There was a significant relationship between social support and level of compliance with the treatment regimen, i.e. patients with moderate-high levels of social support had higher adherence to the treatment. Moreover, subjects with poor compliance were found to have poorer social support. Social support was also found to be significantly related with level of education and marital status.Conclusion: This study highlighted the role of social support as a determinant of adherence to the treatment in patients with hypertension. Therefore, attention to social support can increase hypertensive patients’ adherence to treatment regimens and improve their health status.