Iranian Immigrant Women's Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence: A Literature Review.

Immigrant and refugee women are vulnerable to experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) due to a range of factors associated with immigration. This study aims to consolidate existing research concerning IPV among Iranian immigrant women and examine its impact on their lives. A comprehensive literature search for articles of any design published in the English language in the past 15 years was performed using Medline, Embase, CINAHL, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (ProQuest) and PsycINFO databases. The topic of IPV among Iranian immigrant women has been underexplored in research, and only 11 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria for this topic. The findings from these studies indicate that Iranian immigrant women have experienced different forms of IPV, with psychological IPV being prominent and replacing physical violence. These experiences have had adverse effects on the women's physical and mental health. The women's experiences of IPV were influenced by various cultural, religious, and individual factors. They predominantly sought informal help rather than accessing formal resources to address their situations. There is a need for rigorous studies to thoroughly investigate IPV among Iranian immigrant and refugee women. Such research is essential for establishing effective strategies that are culturally sensitive to reduce IPV incidents within this population. Moreover, it is essential to enhance IPV awareness among these women and ensure their access to formal resources that are proficient in addressing IPV. This comprehensive approach not only tackles the immediate issue but also fosters a safer environment and promotes long-term wellbeing within this community.

Does educational-supportive program affect anxiety in women with endometrial cancer? Result from a randomized clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Following a diagnosis of cancer, distress is a common reaction. For Iranian women with endometrial cancer, treatment and survivorship can result in disabling symptoms of depression, anxiety, social, and spiritual crises. The aim of this study was to determine whether a combination of education and support intervention as a comprehensive program focusing on education, coping, and support had better short- and long-term effects on anxiety of these patients. METHODS: The current randomized clinical trial was performed on a sample of 140 women with endometrial cancer. A two-part instrument was used - a demographic information form and "Beck's Anxiety" questionnaire. The intervention was an educational-supportive program in 3 weekly sessions in experimental group (N = 70), whereas control group (N = 70) received routine care. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, t-tests, and repeated measure analysis of variance were used to analyze data. P value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: The total scores of anxiety (mean± standard deviation) was significantly lower in the experimental group immediately after intervention (8.46 ± 5.17, P < 0.001), 1 month (7.78 ± 4.59, P < 0.001) and 2 months (7.55 ± 4.55, P < 0.001) after intervention to compare with before intervention (16.82 ± 10.19). CONCLUSION: In this study, this program could decrease the anxiety in women with endometrial cancer.

The psychometric properties of the Bergen-Yale sex addiction scale for the Iranian population.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of sex addiction among different populations requires a valid and reliable tool. Since the Bergen-Yale Sex Addiction Scale (BYSAS) was not available in Iran, this study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the BYSAS. METHODS: After translation/back-translation procedure, a total of 756 Iranian men and women completed the BYSAS. The structural validity of this tool was evaluated by exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. An expert panel review also examined content validity of the items. Psychometric properties of the scale including validity, reliability (internal consistency [Cronbach's alpha]) and test-retest) and factor structure were assessed. RESULTS: Content Validity Index (CVI) and Content Validity Ratio (CVR) scores for the BYSAS were 0.75 and 0.62, respectively. In the measure's structural validity, the results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported the One-factor structure. Data analysis demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.88 to 0.89). DISCUSSION: Study findings suggest that the BYSAS is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing sex addiction among Persian speaking adults. Replication of research findings is needed to expand the BYSAS for clinical and non-clinical Iranian populations.

Association Between Antenatal and Postpartum Depression and Anxiety with Weight Retention 1 Year After Childbirth: A Longitudinal Study.

This was an observational, longitudinal study investigated the association between anxiety and depression in trimesters of pregnancy and early postpartum with weight retention 1 year after childbirth. Sixty-two pregnant women aged 18-35 years with a BMI of 35 or higher and 245 pregnant women with normal BMI (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2) were recruited at their initial prenatal visit in the health centers. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI-II) were completed in five time points, the first, second, third trimester of pregnancy, 6-8 weeks and 12 months after delivery. Pre-pregnancy weight and weight retention at 1 year postpartum was measured. A significant relationship was found between first trimester (adjusted mean difference: aMD 3.416; 95% CI 1.392-5.441) and postpartum (aMD 3.042; 95% CI 0.538-5.547) depression as well as first trimester's anxiety (aMD 3.050; 95% CI 0.631-5.470) with weight retention at 1 year after childbirth.

The relationship between paternal prenatal depressive symptoms with postnatal depression: The PATH model.

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between men's prenatal and postnatal depressive symptom (PDS). In a descriptive study, 403 fathers meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled using Poisson random sampling method from public health clinics in Zanjan, Iran. All participants were selected in the third trimester of pregnancy and were followed up eight weeks after childbirth. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to screen the participants for depressive symptoms. Data was analyzed using descriptive test, Path analysis at a confidence level of 95%. Results showed that the effect of the prenatal depressive symptoms on PDS had perfect good fitness indices. A high level of prenatal depressive symptoms predicted a high level of PDS. We found significant total mediating effects of state, trait, and total anxiety on PDS. The total moderating effect of income on PDS was not statistically significant. These results suggest that a high level of prenatal depressive symptoms is a risk factor for a high level of PDS. Therefore, health providers should pay more attention to the psychological health of fathers during the pre and postpartum period. The predictor factors should be considered in both intervention and clinical assessment of paternal PDS.