Journal of Education and Community Health
Year:2016 | Volume:2 | Issue:4|Papers Count:8

Background and Objectives: Low levels of medication adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes is one of the greatest challenges in the treatment and control of diabetes. This study was designed to determine medication adherence and its related factors in patients with type II diabetes.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 300 patients with type 2 diabetes records in the health centers of Tuyserkan city were randomly selected in 2015. Data collection instrument was a self-made questionnaire, which consisted of factors related to the medication adherence. Questionnaires were completed after confirmation of validity and reliability, by interviews. To analyze the data, descriptive and inferential statistics (T-test, ANOVA, Simple and multiple linear regression) were applied, using SPSS software, version 19.Results: Overall, %26.3 of patients were male and %73.7 were female. Also, %65 of patients were illiterate, %24 had some degree of symptoms, and %59.4 had poor medication adherence. There was a significant relationship between age, education, patient care and treatment expenditure, health care team and health system, therapy-related factors and condition-related factors, beliefs about illness, efficacy, and concerns about drugs and medication adherence (P < 0.05).Conclusions: This study showed that medication adherence in patients with diabetes was not suitable and individual, economical and social factors were influential. Therefore, the role of these factors must be considered when designing intervention programs.

Background and Objectives: The amount of physical activity as an essential determinant of healthy lifestyle in females is less than is required. Theory-driven health education interventions, particularly Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), are effective in promoting and sustaining physical activity. This research evaluated the TPB-based educational intervention on exercise behavior and anthropometric indices in females residing in organizational houses in Tehran.Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was performed on 130 females residing in institutional houses in Tehran (2014). Participants were randomly chosen with multi-stage cluster sampling. The instructional sessions were carried out applying modified methods of the TPB structure (instrumental and affective attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intention and behavior). The TPB constructs, physical activity level and intensity, Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Hip Ratio (WHR) were analyzed using the SPSS 16 software in baseline, three and six months post-education.Results: Conducting the educational program led to a rise and maintained the mean of the TPB constructs and mean rank of the physical activity level and intensity, three and six months post-intervention in the case group (P < 0.001). Also, the averages of Body Mass Index (BMI) and WHR decreased and sustained in temporal sections (P < 0.001). However, no significant changes of aforesaid variables occurred in the control group (P >0.05).Conclusions: Implementing the TPB-directed instructional sessions resulted in ameliorating and sustaining exercise behavior and anthropometric indices in females.

Background and Objectives: Pap smear is a screening test for diagnosing cervical cancer in females. It is considered a health-promotion exam, and it has been shown that this test can prevent up to %60 of all deaths resulting from cervical cancer. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of this test and its related factors based on the health belief model in females referring to health centers in Qom.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 320 females, who had health records and had referred to health centers in Qom in 2014 were selected using the multistage random sampling method and through following inclusion and exclusion criteria. A valid and reliable researcher-made questionnaire consisting of demographic characteristics, awareness questions, and questions based on the health belief model was used for data collection. The data were finally analyzed by SPSS software with 0.05 significance level.Results: Overall, %11.25 of the subjects regularly underwent Pap smear screening, %51.87 irregularly participated in cervical cancer screening programs, and %36.88 did not undergo the tests. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) results showed that the mean scores of the health belief model constructs were significantly different in terms of Pap smear screening (P <0.05).Conclusions: The participants did not consider cervical cancer a serious disease. Even women who felt vulnerable tried to hide it. Therefore, while perceived vulnerability and perceived severity of the disease risk was low in them, they perceived more barriers and, for this reason, the level of utilization of Pap smear was undesirable.

Background and Objectives: Diabetic foot as one of the most common complications of diabetes is involved in more than %25 of diabetic patients’ lives, and if not treated properly can lead to amputation up to %20. The lack of self-care is the underlying cause of mortality, morbidity and chronic complications of diabetes. Identification and rectifying of diabetic foot care needs of patients can additionally reduce readmission, also, %85 of diabetic foot problems can be prevented.Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, 130 patients with diabetic foot from Shahid Modarres hospital were selected using census method. Data in forms of demographic questionnaire, self-care requisites assessment tool for preventing diabetic foot ulcer, and Social Support Behavior Scale were completed by patients and then were collected. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16.Results: In this study, a significant relationship was found between self-care and social support (P < 0.05). This means that people with better social support reported better selfcare than those with weaker social support. A significant relationship in level of education and monthly income with self-care was seen, as well as in level of education, monthly income and marital status with social support (P < 0.05).Conclusions: The results showed that social support can be considered as an effective factor in individual self-care behaviors, and with regard to this factor in educational, treatment and care programs of patients, can improve their self-care, in addition to decreasing economic costs, and improve their qualities of lives as well.

Background and Objectives: Neurofeedback training method, as a relatively new therapy method, is being used for treatment of diseases and disorders. This research aimed to investigate the effect of neurofeedback training on anxiety and depression in students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.Materials and Methods: This was a semi-experimental study with a pre-test and posttest design. The statistical population included all the elementary students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, referred to counseling centers of Pakdasht city in 2015 academic year. Totally, 40 students were selected through the available sampling method and randomly assigned to two groups (each group had 20 person). The experimental group was educated with 12 sessions of 60 minutes by neurofeedback method. For data collection, the questionnaires of Cattell anxiety and Beck depression were used. Data was analyzed using SPSS-19 software and multivariate analysis of covariance (MONCOVA) method.Results: The results showed that the mean and standard deviation of anxiety and depression before the intervention in the neurofeedback group were respectively 46.63 ± 4.22 and 37.61 ± 5.83, but after the intervention, the mean and standard deviation of anxiety and depression in the neurofeedback group become 35.09 ± 3.81 and 25.78 ± 3.64, respectively. In addition, the result showed that neurofeedback training method significantly led to the decrease of anxiety and depression in students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (P < 0.01).Conclusions: Regarding the results of this research, it is suggested that therapists and clinical psychologists use neurofeedback training for decreasing anxiety and depression in students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Background and Objectives: Pedestrian injuries are a public health problem and one of the major victims of road traffic injuries are children. Education is one of the most important strategies to solve traffic problems. To achieve effective results, education should be defined on the basis of theories and models. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of PRECE DE-PROCEE D based intervention for promoting traffic safety behaviors in elementary schools students of Tabriz.Materials and Methods: This study was a randomized controlled trial. The sample included 75 elementary students who were randomly selected from two different schools. Data was collected using a questionnaire including the PRECE DE-PROCEE D model constructs and demographic variables. Participants completed questionnaires before and one month after intervention. The intervention consisted of six sessions and was conducted in experimental group schools. The data were analyzed with Fisher’s exact test, chi square, t-test and paired t-test, using SPSS-18 software.Results: The average age of participants was 10.11 ± 0.68 years. There was no significant differences in demographic variables between the two groups before the intervention (P > 0.05). The findings showed that after the educational intervention, significant differences were observed in knowledge, attitude, enabling factors, reinforcing factors and behavior scores in the experimental group compared to the control group.Conclusions: An educational intervention based on the PRECE DE-PROCEE D model could promote students’ traffic safety behaviors.

Background and Objectives: Student-life stress can lead to various negative consequences such as physical illness, mental disorders or exhaustion. The present study was conducted to evaluate the level of student life stress and its related factors among medical students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study applied multistage random sampling to select 500 university students at Hamadan University of Medical Sciences during 2015. The data collection tool used in this study was a self-report questionnaire containing two parts: a section on subjects' demographic details and another section for Student-Life Stress Inventory (SLSI). Data were analyzed in SPSS20- using descriptive and inferential statistics, such as independent t-test, Pearson’s correlation test and one-way ANOVA.Results: This study revealed that %57 of the students had moderate levels of stress. The most important stressors included self-impose and pressure, and also the most important reactions to stressors included cognitive appraisal and emotional reactions, respectively. There was a significant association between exam stressors and branch, educational level, and mother's and father's education level (P < 0.05).Conclusions: According to the high level of stress in students and the recognition of demographic factors, effective educational interventions can be conducted to reduce stress.