Design and Validation of a Health Literacy Assessment Tool for COVID-19 Among Iranian Workers.

BACKGROUND: The workforce is an organization's most important asset, and ensuring their health and safety is crucial for achieving the organization's mission and goals. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to design and validate a health literacy tool for COVID-19 among Iranian workers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved a total of 201 participants. A personal information questionnaire was administered, and The Health Literacy Assessment (HLA) Tool was used to collect data specifically related to COVID-19. The HLA for COVID-19 was designed and developed, and the validity of the tool was evaluated through face, content, convergent, and construct validity analyses. To examine convergent validity, the Perceived Stress Scale was used. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using internal consistency measures, such as Cronbach's alpha coefficient. KEY RESULTS: The mean content validity index was 0.93, indicating high content validity. Confirmatory factor analysis results supported the five-dimensional structure of the tool. Significant correlations were found between the HLA for COVID-19 and perceived stress levels. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for all items was 0.84, indicating high internal consistency. CONCLUSION: The HLA for COVID-19 is a concise, reliable tool for measuring health literacy related to COVID-19 among Iranian workers. Assessing COVID-19 health literacy in this population can be useful in evaluating the effectiveness of government officials, the media, and the medical and scientific community in providing necessary information. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2024;8(2):e62-e68.].

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: The workforce is an organization's most important asset, and ensuring their health and safety is crucial for achieving the organization's mission and goals. The objective of this study was to design and validate a health literacy tool for COVID-19 among Iranian workers.The HLA for COVID-19 is a concise, reliable tool for measuring health literacy related to COVID-19 among Iranian workers. Assessing COVID-19 health literacy in this population can be useful in evaluating the effectiveness of government officials, the media, and the medical and scientific community in providing necessary information. Health literacy plays a crucial role in disease prevention, including the control of epidemics. It can be particularly valuable in empowering societies affected by crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a profound impact on all aspects of human life. In international studies focused on assessing health literacy during the pandemic, researchers utilized public health literacy scales. However, only one study developed a specific scale to evaluate people's health literacy concerning COVID-19.

The effectiveness of educational intervention based on the Health Action Model (HAM) in improving breast cancer screening behaviors.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer disease is known as the most common cancer among women. Lack of knowledge and awareness is a leading cause of breast cancer, and since nearly all women are increasingly susceptible to this disease, training screening behaviors for early detection is proven essential in order to reduce breast cancer mortality. Therefore, the present study was designed to determine the effect of educational intervention based on the Health Action Model in improving breast cancer screening behaviors in women aged 30 to 69 in Kashan, Iran. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 162 women aged 30-69 years old among the clients of Comprehensive health service centers in Kashan, Iran and they were assigned to intervention and control groups. The research instrument included a questionnaire assessed within three phases: baseline, 3-months, and 6-months, containing Health Action Model (HAM) structures and also three screening behaviors. The intervention consisted of a model-based education package and was carried out over 2 months. To evaluate the effect of the intervention, the mean of model structures and proportion screening behaviors in the third and sixth months were compared with the baseline phase. All analyses were carried out using SPSS, version 22. RESULTS: The intervention and control groups were homogeneous regarding the structures of the HAM and the proportion of screening behaviors in the baseline phase (p > 0.05). In the 3-month (p < 0.05) and 6-month (p < 0.05) phases, the mean scores of the HAM constructs in the intervention group were found higher compared with the control group. Moreover, the proportion of clinical breast examinations in the intervention group was statistically higher than in the control group in the 3-month (p < 0.001) and 6-month (p < 0.001) phases. In addition, the proportion of mammography performed in the 3-month (p = 0.002) and 6-month (p < 0.001) phases were reported to be higher in the intervention group compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: Overall, these results provide important insight into the effectiveness of the interventions based on the Health Action Model in promoting breast cancer screening behaviors and the determinants of such behaviors.

Predictors of musculoskeletal disorders and job satisfaction among office workers of an oil company: A cross-sectional study in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders are among the significant causes of disabilities and occupational injuries all over the world and can reduce the quality of life and job satisfaction. These disorders prevail among the office workers of the Iranian Oil Company, though research on the involved factors is limited. OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the incidence and risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders and their association with job satisfaction among the office workers of the Iranian Oil Company. METHODS: The present research was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study on 210 male office workers of the Iranian Oil Company. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and the rate of job satisfaction were measured by Nordic Musculoskeletal and Minnesota job Satisfaction Questionnaires, respectively. The relationship between the variables was analyzed by the SPSS 28 software. RESULTS: The most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders among office workers in the past 12 months were associated with the neck, waist, and knee organs, with 45.70, 41, and 38.10 percentages. Smoking, second jobs, and physical injury histories were identified as three risk factors connected to musculoskeletal disorders (p < 0.05). Forty-one percent of the participants were moderately satisfied with their jobs, and this number was significantly related to musculoskeletal disorders in the shoulders, elbows, back, waist, and knees (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that second jobs, smoking, and physical injury histories are three risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders among office workers of the Iranian Oil Company. Thus, it is imperative to identify at-risk office workers and train and encourage them to take preventive actions and employ ergonomic job equipment.

Psychometric Validation and Setting Cutoff Point for Persian Version of World Health Organization Quality of Life-Old Questionnaire.

Health professionals assume the quality of life (QOL) as a main outcome of health care activities, especially in the elderly. Thus, they need valid tools for evaluating the effectiveness of their interventions. This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the World Health Organization quality of life-old questionnaire (WHOQOL-OLD). The questionnaire was translated into Persian by standard translate/back-translate procedure. The Cronbach's alpha and intra-class correlation (ICC) coefficients were estimated to assess the internal validity and reliability. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) in a sample of 300 Persian-speaking elderly in Shiraz, Iran, were used for construct validity assessment. ROC curve analysis was used to determine the cutoff point for poor or good QOL. All the analyses were conducted using SPSS 24 and IBM AMOS 24. The internal consistency and reliability indices of the Persian version of WHOQOL-OLD were acceptable (Cronbach's alpha: 0.66-0.95; ICC: 0.71-0.91). CFA confirmed the WHOQOL-OLD six-domain structure (CMIN/df = 3.12, p < .001; CFI = 0.93; NFI = 0.89; RMSEA = 0.08). The ROC curve indicated 71.5 as the best cutoff point, with a sensitivity of 82.3% and specificity of 61.8%. The Persian version of the WHOQOL-OLD is valid and can be used for investigating the QOL in Persian-speaking elderly.

Validation of the Persian version of the 9-item Berg Balance Scale Among Older Iranians.

Objectives: Old age is often associated with a progressive decline in the capacity of individuals to maintain dynamic and static balance, leading to falls and fear of falling. This study aimed to validate the 9-item Berg Balance Scale (BBS-9) for the older Iranian population. Methods: The current psychometric study involved translation of the BBS-9 to Persian language and its validation among a cohort of Persian-speaking elderly people. Confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency, construct validity, test-retest reliability, receiver operating characteristic analysis, inter-rater, and convergent validity of the BBS-9 (Persian) were investigated and statistically analyzed. Results: The participants were 9117 Iranians with an average age of 64.3±2.45 years. The cohort was 54.1% female. Nearly three quarters of the subjects (72.4%) lived alone, 92.9% needed help with activities of daily living, and 93.0% sustained falls in the previous two years. Internal consistency was confirmed using intraclass correlation coefficient and McDonald's Omega (≥ 0.75). The receiver operating characteristic analysis represented the exact cut-off values for male and female and with or without fear of falling with good specificity and sensitivity. Analysis of variance revealed that fear of falling was significantly related to age, Aging in Place, loneliness, hospitalization rate, frailty, and sense of anxiety (effect size ≥ 0.130, p ≤ 0.050). Conclusions: The Persian version of BBS-9, a psychometrically sound self-reported measure of fear of falling, retained the original's satisfactory psychometric properties. It has the potential to be used among older Iranians in community-based and clinical settings.

Effectiveness of Otago Exercise Program on Successful Aging within Older Women with Migrant Children Referring to Public Health Centers in Shiraz City, Iran.

Background: Successful aging (SA) is considered an indicator of satisfaction of older people. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Otago Exercise Program (OEP) on SA among older women. Materials and Methods: quasi-experimental research with a control group was conducted in 2021 on 120 older women in Shiraz city, south Iran. Eligible samples were selected by a three-stage cluster sampling method and were classified into two equal intervention and control groups. Eight training sessions (exercises) were conducted for the intervention group using the OEP. SA questionnaire was completed at the beginning and 2 months after the intervention. The data were analyzed using the IBM-SPSS version 26, and the effect sizes were extracted. Results: The mean age of samples in the intervention and control groups was 69.71 + 59.59 and 68.83 + 5.08 years, respectively. Although there was no significant difference in the mean scores of SA between the two groups at the beginning of the study, 2 months after the intervention implementation, the mean scores of SA increased significantly in the intervention group (t = 8.57, p ≤ .001). Conclusion: It seems that OEP is an effective strategy for supporting SA in older people.

The effect of positive thinking on resilience and life satisfaction of older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

The cumulative effects of adversity and unhappiness affect life satisfaction and quality of life in the growing older adult population. Most of the interventions aimed at improving the health and quality of life of older adults have adopted a problem-oriented or weakness-focused approach. However, a positive or strengths-focused approach can also have a virtuous but more effective capacity to contribute to the well-being and life satisfaction of older adults. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of positive thinking training on improving resilience and life satisfaction among older adults. A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 100 older adults with simple random sampling. The intervention group received 90-min weekly sessions for eight weeks on positive thinking training through written homework for reflection, group discussion, and media. The data were collected using Ingram and Wisnicki Positive Thinking Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Tobin Life Satisfaction Questionnaire at baseline and one week and two months after the training. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS software 26. P values below 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Positive thinking training led to better thinking (p < 0.001), higher resilience (p < 0.001), and greater life satisfaction (p < 0.001). The study's findings showed the effectiveness of the positive thinking training approach in improving resilience and life satisfaction in older adults. It is recommended to evaluate the long-term outcome in populations with different social, economic, and cultural statuses in future studies.

A health communication campaign for prevention of osteoporosis in rural elderly women.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis, as the most common metabolic disease and the leading cause of death among older people, affects more than 200 million women throughout the world. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a health communication campaign on knowledge, attitude, and practice of older women towards prevention and control of osteoporosis. METHODS: In this multi-stage mixed methods study, 30 days' health communication campaign for prevention of osteoporosis was conducted on 60- 75-year-old women, in rural areas of Fasa, Iran. Subjects were divided into two groups, control (n = 103) and intervention (n = 98). Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS 25.0. The significance level was set at < 0.05. RESULTS: Inter-group group analysis revealed that the mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and practice were not significantly different between the two groups before the intervention, but after the intervention, unlike the behavior (P = 0.569), mean scores of knowledge (p < 0.001) and attitude (p < 0.001) of the intervention group were significantly more than the control group. Intra-group comparisons showed that, unlike the control group, the mean scores of knowledge (p < 0.001), attitudes (p < 0.001), and behavior (P < 0.001) increased significantly in the intervention group. CONCLUSIONS: Health communication campaign is an effective way to change the knowledge and attitude and to a lesser extent the practice of the eldery toward prevention and control of osteoporosis.

The impact of family social support on postpartum quality of life among Iranian women: structural equation modelling.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of family social support (FSS) on postpartum quality of life (PQOL). METHODS: This analytical cross-sectional study enrolled postpartum women and asked them to complete the PQOL and FSS questionnaire (FSSQ) between October 2021 and February 2022 in three urban health centres in Shiraz, Iran. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis and multiple regression were used to determine the relationship between the FSS and PQOL variables. Structural equation modelling was used to determine the relationship pathways of the impact of FSS on PQOL. RESULTS: A total of 240 women were enrolled in the study. The mean ± SD scores of PQOL and FSSQ were 61.63 ± 9.59 and 69.80 ± 11.19, respectively. Family support seeking (7.95) and emotional support seeking (-6.80) were two factors affecting PQOL. CONCLUSION: Women should be empowered to seek support through education and actions from health workers, especially nurses and midwives, during routine regular prenatal care.

Design and psychometric evaluation of the breast cancer screening behaviors scale based on the health action model (HAM).

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is known as the most common cancer and the first-rank malignancy among women. Screening plays a crucial role in early diagnosis and timely treatment. This paper presents the results of design, evaluation and analysis of a questionnaire based on the health action model to investigate breast cancer screening behaviors and their relevant factors. METHODS: The study is based on using a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches for optimal design and development of research tools. In order to design the structure of the health action model and screening behaviors related factors, both qualitative methods such as semi-structured interviews and quantitative approaches studied. Psychometric properties of the research tool were investigated through literature review. The research population consisted of 210 30-69 years old females based in Kashan who were selected through simple random sampling. The relative and content validity indexes were calculated to judge the content of the tool. Also, the confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the construct validity. Additionally, intra-class correlation coefficient and Cornbrash's alpha coefficient were calculated to evaluate the reliability of the instrument. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 22 and AMOS 22 software packages. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 43 ± 9.82 Years old. The final version of the questionnaire was prepared in four sections, namely demographic factors (15 items), knowledge (12 items), constructs of the health action model or the factors related to breast cancer screening behaviors (67 items), and behavior (6 items). Factor analysis confirmed that the health action model fits in measuring breast cancer screening behaviors. CONCLUSION: The tool designed for measuring breast cancer screening behaviors showed acceptable psychometric properties amongst females and can be used as a valid tool in conducting research in health studies.

The Effect of a Theory-Based Educational Intervention on Reducing Aggressive Behavior among Male Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial Study.

Introduction: One of the most challenging issues in public health is preventing aggression and violent behavior, generally in the adolescent population. Intervention studies in this field, especially in Iran, were few. Moreover, their findings are controversial. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of educational intervention based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) on reducing aggression among male students. Method: This study used a randomized controlled trial design. The sample comprised 98 middle school students aged between 13 and 16 years (14.28 ± 0.7). Educational intervention for the experimental group consisted of five sessions of 45-60 minutes. Data were collected using two self-administered questionnaires to measure aggression and constructs of TPB. Data were analyzed using paired t-test, independent t-test, and chi-square test at a significance level of 0.05. Results: After the intervention, the experimental group showed a significant increase in all TPB constructs except the subjective norms, compared to the control group (p < 0.001). After two months of intervention, the mean score of the aggression behaviors in students in the experimental group showed a remarkable improvement in the experimental group, while the control group showed no significant difference. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that the theory-based educational intervention was effective on the improvement of aggressive behavior. To achieve a significant change in perceived mental norms, more training sessions are recommended, and emphasis is placed on educating parents, peers, and school staff.

Lifestyle Intervention for Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Introduction: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, accounting for about 25% and 33% of the world's adult population and Iranians, respectively. There is currently no effective therapeutic agent available for the treatment of NAFLD. However, lifestyle modifications aimed at weight loss have been introduced as a cornerstone of NAFLD management. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of educational intervention on lifestyle and anthropometric indices in patients with NAFLD. Methods: The randomized controlled clinical trial was performed on 87 overweight or obese patients with NAFLD, including intervention (n = 42) and control (n = 45) groups. The intervention received 8 training sessions based on theory of planned behavior (TPB), while the control groups received nutritional and physical activity recommendations from their internal specialist and nutritionist. Analyses were carried out based on data collected from TPB constructs and anthropometric indices (weight, body mass index (BMI), waist size, and waist-hip ratio (WHR)) at three stages (before intervention and two and 12 weeks after the intervention), as well as data obtained from liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)), and ultrasound-based grading of NAFLD at two stages (before and 12 weeks after the intervention). Results: After the intervention, a significant difference was found between the intervention and control groups, resulting in the increased mean scores of TPB constructs, decreased liver enzymes, and decreased degree of NAFLD ultrasound. In addition, the intervention group experienced more activity and healthy diet as compared with the control group. Anthropometric indices showed only a significant decrease in BMI in the intervention group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: TPB-based training, as compared with traditional training, is a more effective and cost-effective strategy for altering nutritional behavior and physical activity of patients with NAFLD.

Effectiveness of resilience training intervention on psychological capital of the underprivileged widowed women of Fasa City, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: Women heads of households (widows or divorcees) are vulnerable groups in society who face various psychological problems and have less resilience than other women. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of resilience educational intervention on the psychological capital of poor widows in Fasa city, south Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this quasi-experimental study, 120 widows covered by Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation were selected by a simple random sampling method based on a random Efron algorithm (Efron coin) and randomly assigned into two interventions and control groups (60 people each) in the second half of 2021. About 8 training sessions on resilience and psychological capital were held for the experimental group through training clips, audio transmissions, and podcasts. Data were collected using demographic characteristics forms, widowers' resilience assessment questionnaires, and Luten's psychological capital scale for testing and control before and two months after the intervention. Data were analyzed with Chi-square test, independent and paired t-test using SPSS V. 26 software. RESULTS: There were differences between the two groups at pretest in demographic variables and psychological capital and its subscales, and resilience and its subscales (P ≥ 0.05).. But two months after the educational intervention, a statistically significant increase was observed in the experimental group in these variables compared to the control group (p < 0.05). It indicates that there was an improvement in the outcomes from pretest to post-test within the intervention and no change in the outcomes over time within the control group. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Using a resilience-based educational approach as a novelty of this research to promote psychological capital and resilience can increase resilience and psychological capital in widows. Then, considering the positive effect of this educational approach and the low cost of this intervention, it seems that the implementation of such interventions should be included in the plans related to widows.

The Patient Health Engagement Model in Cancer Management: Effect of Physical Activity, Distress Management, and Social Support Intervention to Improve the Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients.

Background: Providing better care and encouraging behaviors promoting health are effective measures to manage breast cancer patients. The present research was conducted to carry out an intervention based on the PHE model to promote physical activity, distress management, social support, and quality of life in breast cancer patients. Methods: This randomized control trial study was conducted on 123 women with breast cancer and their caregivers (group 1 = 61 and group 2 = 62). Subjects entered the study from the oncology ward of a specialized clinic in Shiraz, Iran. The education was done through clips, pamphlets, and lectures in 8 sessions with a duration of 15 to 25 minutes. A posttest was carried out in the both groups in 2 times (the end and 3 months) after intervention. The SPSS 25 software was used to analyze the data. Results: The mean and SD of age of group 1 were (45.77 ± 8.84) and control group 2 (45.58 ± 77.64). The fiding showed a significant difference between the mean scores of distress management, social support, physical activity, and cancer self-efficacy in group 1 vs. group 2 after intervention (P < 0.001). Also, the educational intervention improved quality of life (P = 0.003). Conclusion: Intervention program based on the PHE model may facilitate the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes in breast cancer patient. Thus, it appears that the PHE model might promote patients' quality of life.

Salt Consumption and Blood Pressure in Rural Hypertensive Participants: A Community Filed Trial.

Purpose: Hypertension is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. This study aimed to evaluate an intervention based on the Health Belief Model regarding the whole family's salt consumption and blood pressure among hypertensive patients in rural areas in Iran. Methods: This clinical multicenter trial (clinical and community) with a control and an intervention group was conducted on the residents of 14 villages covered by 14 health houses. Totally, 200 hypertensive patients (n = 100 in each group) were selected via multistage random sampling. The intervention included a two-day workshop on blood pressure and reducing salt consumption based on HBM structures for health personnel and an eight-session workshop on how to reduce salt intake and blood pressure for mothers who were responsible for the families' diets. Participants completed the questionnaires before and immediately after the intervention. Results: Compared to the control group, in the intervention group, a significant reduction was observed in salt consumption by the families (urine sodium and creatinine reduced by 35 mEq/l and 7.5 mg/dL, respectively). The results also revealed a significant decrease in blood pressure in the intervention group. Conclusion: The results showed that the mothers' model-based education could effectively improve the diet of the whole family members and, as a result, reduce the associated diseases. The main advantage of this study was the involvement of the rural health personnel, which helped run longer and larger-scale health-promotion programs in the communities.

Alleviating work-family conflict for female employees in Iran: The effect of a multimedia educational intervention.

Work-family conflict can lead to irreparable losses to individuals, families and organizations. This matter is especially important for married working women who cannot eschew home responsibilities. To consider an appropriate intervention for this issue, we investigated the effect of a one-month intervention on support from the workplace and the family, individual characteristics and work-family conflict. This quasi-experimental longitudinal study includes an intervention group and a control group, and uses a pre-test, post-test and 6-months follow up design. Participants were 120 married women working in healthcare services, recruited from two cities in South Iran. The web-based multimedia educational program comprised four modules: one for each of the women participants, their spouses, their co-workers, and their workplace supervisors. Data collection tools included a demographic information form, and co-worker support, supervisor social support, spouse support, core self-evaluation and work-family conflict questionnaires. The effect of the intervention was examined at two post-intervention time points. A comparison of changes in mean scores between the intervention and control groups indicated that scores of supervisor support, spouse support, core self-evaluation and work-family conflict in the intervention group one month and six months after the intervention were all significantly improved compared to before the intervention. There was no benefit of the intervention in terms of a change in co-worker support. There was no significant difference across the three time points in the control group. These results confirm that online educational methods can enable health promotion professionals to reduce work-family conflict to the benefit of both employees and organizations.

Investigating the predictors of breast cancer screening behaviors (breast self-examination, clinical examination or examination by physician/midwife and mammography) based on protection motivation theory (PMT) in women.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is one of the most common health problems worldwide. The mortality rate of this disease is due to the lack of knowledge about screening methods and late diagnosis of cancer. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to determine the predictors of breast cancer screening behaviors using protection motivation theory. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The conduction of study was cross-sectional and on 400 women aged 30-59 in Kashan. The data collection instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire based on protection motivation theory. Sampling was performed from all community health service centers in Kashan and the proportional to size sampling method was used as available sampling. The statistical tests were Pearson correlation and linear regression. The software used was version 22 SPSS and the significance level was 0.05. RESULTS: The results showed that the average age of women was 39.7 ± 7.9 years. There is a direct and statistically significant relationship between perceived breast cancer screening behaviors and perceived self-efficacy (P < 0.05) and there is an inverse statistically significant relationship between breast cancer screening behaviors and perceived cost (P < 0.05). There is also a direct and significant statistical relationship between motivation of protection and perceived sensitivity, intensity, self-efficacy, cost, and perceived response efficiency (P < 0.05). Perceived self-efficacy, cost, and response efficiency are the predictors of breast cancer screening behaviors. The perceived cost is the negative predictor. CONCLUSION: Overall, health care providers can view PMT as a framework for developing educational interventions aimed at improving behaviors related to breast cancer screening of women.

Lifestyle in Female Teachers: Educational Intervention Based on Self-Efficacy Theory in the South of Fars Province, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: Today, improving lifestyles and promoting health are basic needs for human society. The main goal in promoting health is to achieve healthy lifestyle behaviors, and self-efficacy is one of the factors influencing people's lifestyle. Therefore, the impact of educational intervention based on self-efficacy theory on improving lifestyles of the female teachers in Galledar was investigated. METHOD: This study was a semiexperimental study with educational intervention with a control group that was performed on 120 teachers in Galledar. Data collection tools included demographic information questionnaires, health-promoting lifestyle questionnaires, and Sherry's self-efficacy questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25 software. RESULT: The mean age and standard deviation of teachers in the control and intervention groups were 33.40 ± 5.68 and 32.83 ± 6.46 years, respectively. Health-promoting lifestyle variables are significant correlation with self-efficacy and overall lifestyle index. Six dimensions which consisted of spiritual growth and self-actualization, health responsibility, interpersonal relationships, stress management, exercise and physical activity, and nutrition showed significant statistical differences before and after educational intervention (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Due to the sensitive role of teachers as an effective human force in the development and evolution of society and their students' role modeling, the authorities should formulate policies, regulate educational interventions, and design strategies for promoting self-efficacy beliefs and promoting a healthy lifestyle for all teachers. We suggest that other methods and theories of behavior change be used in future studies to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Developing strategies to improve the community readiness level to prevent drug abuse in adolescents: Based on the community readiness model, Eghlid City, Iran, 2019.

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of readiness of Eghlid city community for adolescents' substance abuse prevention programs, and to develop strategies to improve community readiness levels based on the community readiness model (CRM). In this two-stage qualitative study, a 36-item semi-structured CRM questionnaire, was used to interview 11 key informants in Eghlid city, Iran, 2019. The interviews were analyzed and scored by two independent researchers. Strategies for increasing the level of readiness were developed and prioritized by participants using the nominal group method. The readiness levels to prevent substance abuse in community efforts and leadership dimensions were at stabilization and preparation stage. In terms of community awareness of efforts, community space, and public awareness of the issue, the readiness level was at the pre-planning stage, and in the resources for prevention efforts dimension, it was at the vague awareness level. In the strategy development section, the key participants focused on using traditional methods such as holding face-to-face training programs and festivals, using IRIB platform, local media, and lectures. The general level of readiness is at a moderate level. It seems necessary to focus on resources and areas related to public information.

Development and validation of dust exposure prevention questionnaire for cardiovascular patients based on the health belief model.

BACKGROUND: Many cardiovascular patients suffer from respiratory failure. Environmental conditions can exacerbate symptomatology. It is necessary to prevent exposure to dust by taking educational steps to identify and modify patient behavior. This study aimed to develop and validate a dust exposure behavior questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model. METHODS: A mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods was employed to design and develop the desired tool. Qualitative methods were used to identify the preventive behaviors needed by cardiovascular patients at risk of dust exposure using the opinions of two expert panels and a literature review. The quantitative phase of the research was performed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the research tool. The research population comprised 417 people with cardiovascular disease referred to a heart hospital in Bushehr, Iran in 2018. Consenting participants entered the study through consecutive sampling. RESULTS: The final version of the questionnaire included 27 items across six domains, namely perceived susceptibility, perceived barriers, perceived severity, perceived benefits, cues to action, and self-efficacy. The mean values of the content validity ratio and content validity index were 0.93 and 0.9, respectively. In addition, all items had a good correlation with the total score of their parent domain (P < 0.01). The model fit was initially unsuitable, according to the related indices. Hence, to achieve a better model fit, the model was improved by releasing some parameters based on the modifications suggested by the AMOS software. The modified model featured an acceptable fit (χ2/df = 2.2, P < 0.001). Cronbach's alpha coefficients also confirmed appropriate reliability for all six domains. CONCLUSION: The Dust Exposure Prevention questionnaire has desirable psychometric properties and appropriate validity to determine the behavioral factors involved in harm from dust exposure among cardiovascular disease patients. This marks an effective step toward evaluating the factors effective in preventing complications related to dust exposure among such patients.