Challenges and Problems Facing 2017 Kermanshah Earthquake Survivors: A Qualitative Study.

It is widely accepted that earthquake poses many challenges to human life. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to explore challenges and problems facing the 2017 Kermanshah earthquake survivors. The present qualitative study was conducted using conventional qualitative content analysis in Kermanshah Province, Iran, in 2018. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 28 earthquake-stricken individuals, aged over 18 years, selected through purposive sampling method. The Graneheim and Lundman method was also used to analyze the data, and then Lincoln and Guba criteria were employed to provide robustness and transferability of the research. The results of data analysis were classified into 4 main categories and 11 sub-categories. Accordingly, the main categories were: (1) health problems and issues, (2) economic problems and issues, (3) improper management of human and non-human resources, and (4) incomplete social services. According to the results, earthquake victims face many challenges. Therefore, fundamental steps can be taken to reduce survivors' problems by considering all aspects of their health, improving equal distribution of social assistance and services provided, and using local social capital in a better way.

Challenges and opportunities confronting female-headed households in Iran: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Female-headed households are one of the most vulnerable groups of society that confront many problems and challenges. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the challenges and opportunities confronting female-headed households in Iran. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted among female-headed households in Kermanshah, West of Iran, in 2019. The data were collected through Semi-structured interviews with 26 female-headed households who were selected by purposeful and theoretical sampling. Data analysis was done through conventional qualitative content analysis, and the software MAXQDA-12 was used for the management of data. The four criteria of Goba and Lincon, including credibility, confirmability, dependability, and transferability, were observed to evaluate the quality of research results. RESULTS: After analyzing the data, 4 main categories and 13 subcategories were obtained as follows: individual problems (role overload, role conflict, end of love, psychological problems), intra-family problems (declined independence, intra-family tension, poverty reproduction and family disability), social problems (stigma of being unattended, social insecurity, social isolation, social exclusion), positive outcomes (positive self-concept, social maturity). CONCLUSION: Female-headed households face many challenges that can become a big threat or an opportunity. Therefore, their health improvement can be achieved through training and helping them to adapt to new and multifaceted roles, providing more economic support and helping them raise their social status.

Experiences of rural women with damages resulting from an earthquake in Iran: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Women, with more vulnerabilities and less access to resources, are often seen as victims of natural disasters. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the experiences of rural women with damages resulting from an earthquake in Iran. METHODS: In this research, a qualitative approach, as well as the conventional content analysis was employed. The study population consisted of rural women residing in the earthquake-stricken areas of Sarpol-e Zahab and Salas-e Babajani counties in Kermanshah Province, Iran. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. Moreover, sampling was purposeful, theoretical saturation was achieved by conducting 22 interviews, and the data analysis process was performed according to the steps proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. For the strength and transferability of the research, Lincoln and Guba's Evaluative Criteria were used. RESULTS: There were seven categories regarding the experiences of rural women after the earthquakes including neglecting the health needs; tension in the family and marital relations; gender inequality in the provision of assistance; feeling insecure; ignoring the ruling culture of the region; concealing needs for fear of stigmatization, and incoherent mourning as well as two categories regarding their reactions to and interaction with the earthquake consequences including positive and negative interactions. CONCLUSIONS: Paying more attention to the needs of rural women, taking the culture governing the village into account at the time of service delivery, and helping them with positive adaptations are some indispensable measures that should be taken.

Challenges and reactions of families of women survived self-immolation: A qualitative study in western Iran.

OBJECTIVE: Families are a key source of support for women recovering from self-immolation, a common form of suicide in many parts of the world. Yet, we know little about the challenges these families face. The present study explores the challenges and reactions of the families of women saved from self-immolation in western. METHOD: This qualitative research used a phenomenological approach with the families of women who survived self-immolation in western Iran. Saturation was achieved with semi-structured interviews with 31 participants who were selected through purposive sampling and snowball sampling. The Colaizzi approach was used to analyze the data, and Guba and Lincoln's four criteria were used to improve the quality of the results. RESULTS: Two categories, 11 subcategories, and 163 primary codes were obtained from the data analysis. (a) Challenges include the cost of treatment, a lack of appropriate health and treatment centers, family stigma, fear, and worry, challenges in justifying the victim's continued treatment and counseling, unpleasant feelings, the spread of family tensions, and a lack of support. (b) Reactions include rejection of the victim, compensation for the past, tolerance of the victim, and changes in family life conditions. CONCLUSION: The families of women survivors of self-immolation face various challenges. It is possible to reduce their problems to some extent and improve their health through environmental, financial, social, and educational support. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Exploring the reasons for women to engage in sex work in Tehran, Iran: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Sex work is a growing phenomenon triggered by a number of causes. The current study uses a qualitative method to investigate the reasons why women participate in sex work in Tehran. METHODS: The statistical population consisted of all female sex workers in Tehran, Iran, from which 22 individuals were chosen via snowball sampling. In-depth interviews were conducted for data gathering, and traditional content analysis was used for data analysis. Graneheim and Lundman's method was utilized to evaluate the data, and Guba and Lincoln's criteria were employed to determine the research's strength and transferability. RESULTS: The results of the data analysis were divided into five categories (or themes) and 19 subcategories. The categories were familial instability, societal pressure, consumerism, social insecurity, and a meek and inefficient personality. CONCLUSION: Sex work may be avoided by raising women's social status, providing greater economic assistance, making society safer, particularly in workplaces, improving intra-family connections, boosting self-esteem and self-efficacy, and teaching them how to deal with life's issues.

Challenges Facing Women Survivors of Self-Immolation in the Kurdish Regions of Iran: A Qualitative Study.

OBJECTIVES: Women confront many problems after self-immolation, so the purpose of this study was to explore the challenges facing women survivors of self-immolation in the Kurdish Regions of Iran. METHOD: This study used a qualitative approach and conventional content analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 19 Kurdish women who attempted self-immolation in Iran. They were sampled through purposeful sampling and snowball sampling. The Lincoln and Guba criteria were used to strengthen the research. RESULTS: The results of data analysis were categorized into five main categories: 1-psychological problems, 2-lack of social and legal supportive structures, 3-incomplete treatment, 4-poor self-care, and 5-social problems. These categories consist of 19 subcategories. CONCLUSION: Having been rescued from self-immolation, the women confront many challenges returning to normal life. Reducing these women's problems and paving the way for their return to life requires multi-dimensional and community-based interventions. Therefore, all social organizations and institutes can cooperate and each of them paves part of the way.

Barriers to Condom Use Among Female Sex Workers in Tehran, Iran: A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: There are many barriers for condom use, which was one of the most important methods to prevent the transmission of HIV among female sex workers. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to identify the barriers to condom use among female sex workers in Tehran, Iran. METHODS: This study was conducted with a qualitative approach and conventional content analysis among female sex workers in Tehran. Twenty-two female sex workers were selected through snowball sampling and purposive sampling. The data gathering method was a semi-structured interview and the data were analyzed using Graneheim and Lundman method. Guba and Lincoln criteria were used for evaluating research transferability. RESULTS: The results of data analysis were categorized in three categories and seven sub-categories included 1) individual factors (not knowing HIV/AIDS properly, anti-loyalty and love, and personality traits), 2) structural factors (partner's desire, problems with condom availability), and 3) cultural factors (cultural taboos, following the models). CONCLUSION: The results showed that lack of condom use is the consequence of different individual, structural, and cultural factors. So, it can be useful to take some initiatives at the individual level by raising awareness and understanding of female sex workers about HIV at the structural level by lowering the price of condoms and providing them extensively and at the societal level, by changing the beliefs and taboos about condoms.

The consequences of regular methamphetamine use in Tehran: qualitative content analysis.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, methamphetamine use has increased noticeably in Iran, and this can make harmful consequences for the health of individuals and society. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the consequences of regular methamphetamine use in Tehran. METHODS: This study was conducted based on a conventional content analysis approach. Data were collected through observation and in-depth interviews with 20 regular adult users of methamphetamine in Tehran (including 15 males and 5 females). Participants were selected using snowball sampling and purposeful sampling, which continued until data saturation. Guba and Lincoln's criteria were used to assess the strength of the study. RESULTS: The extraction of the codes resulted in three main categories: (1)the short-term consequences, consisting of the sub-categories of individual and social consequences, (2) the long-term consequences, consisting of the sub-categories of psychological and physical consequences, high-risk behaviors, severely decayed memory and changes in the eating pattern, and (3) hallucinations and delusions including the sub-categories of visual and auditory hallucinations, persecutory delusions and delusion of having supernatural power. CONCLUSION: Regular methamphetamine use may have serious adverse effects on the overall health of individuals. It is therefore highly recommended that educational programs must implement with the use of methamphetamine in the high- risk groups in order to raise awareness and change attitudes about the short and long term consequences. is highly recommended.

Experiences and challenges of Prostitute Women in Iran: A phenomenological qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Prostitutes in Iran are faced with many challenges and problems that pose risks to their health. OBJECTIVE: The present study is an attempt to identify and narrate the challenges and experiences of Iranian prostitutes based on a qualitative approach. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted with a phenomenological approach in (2018) in Tehran, Iran. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 22 prostitutes who were selected using a snowball sampling method and analyzed with Colaizzi's method. In order to examine the quality of findings, Guba and Lincoln's measures were used. RESULTS: Data analysis results were classified into five main categories and 14 subcategories. The main issues are: The experience of violence, Heath risk, social ostracism, objectifying, and lack of social and legal supporting structures. CONCLUSION: Prostitutes in Iran experience numerous problems at personal and social levels. By providing social, economic, and legal supports for them such as social services (e.g. educations on how to use contraceptives, how to have safe sexual intercourse, and free counseling services for mental support), we can improve their health and welfare.

A study of Kurdish women's tragic self-immolation in Iran: A qualitative study.

Self-immolation is one of the most painful methods of suicide which is widespread among women in Kurdish regions of Iran. The present study aimed to explore the causes and sociocultural groundwork of choosing self-immolation methods by women in Kurdish regions of Iran. This present study was conducted using a qualitative approach and conventional content analysis. The research population included women who self-immolated and were rescued in Kurdish regions of Iran. The data collection method was a deep interview as well as observation. The sampling method was based on objective and snowball sampling. The data collection continued to theoretical saturation, the number of participants reached 25 in the end, and Lincoln and Guba criteria were used to strengthen the research. From the analysis of the data obtained in this study, the 8 sub-themes related to cause of suicide attempt from the participants' viewpoints including unbridled coherence, lack of supportive social and environmental structures, economic pressure, aggravation of violence, humiliated ego, dominance of modern values over the local and indigenous ones, incoherent family, and giving up on changing conditions as well as 6 sub themes based on the cause of choosing the method of self-immolation including protesting, frightening the family, catching more attention, championing and showing courage, inducing more guilty feelings in the family and society, fashion or imitation, and easy access were revealed. Self-immolation is one of the most important problems in the Kurdish regions of Iran, which is rooted in various economic, social, psychological and cultural causes. To reduce this social harm, there is a need for comprehensive programs that cover all dimensions.