The impact of yoga on successful aging based on the selection, optimization, and compensation model in elderly women: A quasi-experimental study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of yoga on successful aging based on the selection, optimization, and compensation model in elderly women. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental study. SAMPLE: Seniors' meeting points and parks and clubs for the old age pensioners of the ministry of education, ministry of healthcare, and the oil corporation in Shiraz, Iran. 68 elderly women within the age range of 60-86 years were divided into a yoga and a control group. MEASUREMENTS: The subjects in both groups were asked to complete the selection, optimization, and compensation model questionnaire before and after the intervention. Successful aging was measured using the selection, optimization, and compensation questionnaire. INTERVENTION: The yoga training program was implemented in 1-h sessions twice a week for eight weeks. RESULTS: After eight weeks of yoga training, the results showed a significant difference between the pretest and posttest successful aging total scores of the yoga group (P = .005). However, the difference between the yoga and control groups' posttest mean total scores was not significant (P = .601). CONCLUSION: Based on the results, it seems that yoga training can improve successful aging. Thus, yoga is recommended as an inexpensive and entertaining method.

Iranian future healthcare professionals' knowledge and opinions about rare diseases: cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Rare diseases are a new global health priority, requiring evidence-based estimates of the global prevalence of diseases to inform public policymakers and provide a serious challenge to the healthcare system that must not be ignored. The purpose of this study is to investigate Iranian future healthcare professionals' knowledge and opinions about rare diseases. RESULTS: A total of 6838 students responded to the questionnaire. Nursing and medical students had the highest participation. Almost 85% of participants rated their knowledge about rare diseases as poor or insufficient. While nearly 70 percent of participants took courses about rare diseases at university. Finally, 72.7% of future healthcare professionals did not feel ready to take care of a patient with a rare disease. CONCLUSION: The present study has indicated a gap in Iranian medical students' knowledge of rare diseases. The researchers believe that health science policymakers should make a joint effort to improve knowledge about rare diseases. Including courses with regard to rare diseases would be of benefit to future healthcare professionals.