shahab papi

The elderly's sleep quality and social support are important variables related to quality of life and factors affecting successful aging.Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the relationship between the elderly's sleep quality and social support. In this descriptive cross-sectional analytical study, the research population included 150 older people referring to elderly care centers living in Qaem Shahr,Iran, and the sampling method was convenience. To collect information, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Philips̍ Social Support Questionnaire used as self-report. The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 26. The results of the Spearman test showed a significant negative relationship between the sleep quality score and social support. However, there is a significant relationship between the social support score and the educational level of the elderly. This study's findings emphasize the major role of social support in ensuring adequate sleep quality in the elderly. Therefore, it is recommended that policymakers in this field develop programs centered on social support to improve the sleep quality and health of the elderly.

With the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes, particularly among older adults, the importance of self-care has become increasingly significant. In this study, we analyzed the effects of mobile phone-based training using the Idia software on self-care behavior and glycemic control in older adults with type 2 diabetes.

This investigation aimed to test the hypothesis that a mobile applications (app) would improve self-management, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels compared to controls.

The study was a randomized controlled trial involving 51 participants in the experimental group who received the intervention via the Idia app for one month and 51 participants in the control group who received usual care for the same period. Outcomes were assessed using HbA1c, FBS, and responses to the summary of diabetes self-care activities before and after the training sessions.

At the end of the study, HbA1c levels in the experimental group decreased from 7.25% to 6.8% (P < 0.001), while in the control group, levels decreased from 7.24% to 7.19% (P < 0.001). Similarly, FBS levels decreased from 171 mg/dL to 122 mg/dL (P < 0.001) in the experimental group and from 181 mg/dL to 145 mg/dL (P < 0.001) in the control group. Although both groups showed improvements, the differences were more pronounced in the experimental group compared to the control group.

The key finding of this study is that educational interventions through mobile apps have the potential to improve self-care behaviors and HbA1c and FBS levels in older adults with type 2 diabetes. However, further studies with longer follow-up periods are recommended to validate these results.

Cardiovascular diseases are among the chronic diseases with a high mortality rate. Considering the importance of person-centered medicine and Iranian medicine, the concept of temperament has a great impact on the occurrence of diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the temperament of patients with an acute heart attack.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 280 new patients, aged 20 to 60 years, diagnosed with their first acute heart attack, confirmed by a cardiologist based on clinical and laboratory findings, at the Mazandaran Heart Center from April to September 2024. The study population was selected using convenience sampling.

The mean age of the patients was 51.81±5.98 years, and 70% were male. The frequency of hot temperament, both singly and in combination, differed significantly between the sexes (P= 0.011), as did wet temperament compared to other temperaments (P<0.001).

The results of this study indicate that most patients with acute heart attacks have a hot and humid temperament. Therefore, according to the principles of Iranian medicine, maintaining health and effectively treating these patients requires avoiding factors that increase hot and humid temperament, such as overeating, obesity, physical inactivity, and inadequate sleep. In other words, individuals with a hot and humid temperament are more susceptible to this disease and should adopt preventive measures that help reduce this temperament, including proper nutrition, regular exercise, and adequate sleep.

Considering the rising prevalence of mental health issues among older adults and potential barriers to treatment seeking, investigating mental health literacy and attitudes toward professional psychological services in this demographic is crucial for enhancing access to care and fostering psychological well-being.

This study aimed to explore the association between mental health literacy (MHL) and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help (ATSPPH) among older adults attending health centers in Amol, Mazandaran, Iran, in 2023.

A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 128 older adults attending health centers in Amol, Mazandaran, Iran, in 2023. Participants were selected using cluster random sampling and completed research instruments including O'Connor and Casey's Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) and the short form of Attitude Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help (ATSPPH-S). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t -tests, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson's correlation coefficient in SPSS 24 software.

The Pearson correlation coefficient revealed a positive and significant relationship between older adults' level of MHL and their ATSPPH (r = 0.28, P < 0.05). Tukey's post hoc test indicated a significant association between older adults' MHL and their educational level. Additionally, independent t-test results demonstrated a significant correlation between ATSPPH and gender as well as the history of visiting a psychologist or psychiatrist (P < 0.05).

The study findings suggest that higher levels of MHL among older adults are associated with an increased willingness to seek professional psychological help. Therefore, initiatives aimed at enhancing MHL through education and promotion may play a vital role in encouraging older adults to seek appropriate support.

Students often express confusion and dissatisfaction with the current internship structure for their master's degree in geriatric health. They feel the lack of clear evaluation criteria and a portfolio system to track their progress. Additionally, the field is relatively new, and traditional teaching methods may not be optimal. This study aimed to design and implement a portfolio based on problem-based learning (PBL) for the geriatric health master's internship program. We also evaluated student satisfaction with this approach.

This semi-experimental quantitative study was conducted in 2024. The stages of conducting the research included designing, implementing, and evaluating the level of satisfaction of students from the portfolio and comparing it with the traditional method. In this way, after designing and compiling the portfolio in problem-based learning, during the implementation phase of the internship program, all the students in the internship unit in the field of elderly health, who were ten people, were randomly divided into two groups: control (five people) and test (five people) were divided and during 12 weeks they passed the training course using the traditional method (control group) and the portfolio method (test group) It was implemented and the internship scores were announced for the students of each group. In the third step, to measure the level of satisfaction of students, the two mentioned methods of a two-part questionnaire including demographic information and questions related to the level of satisfaction of students were used. After collecting the research data, they were entered into SPSS-26 software, and independent t-tests and Fisher's exact test were used to compare the level of satisfaction of the two groups due to the normality of the data.

The average age (standard deviation) of the control and test groups was 35.4 (8.56) and 33.6 (8.08) years, respectively. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of age, grade point average, gender distribution, or marital status. The mean (standard deviation) of overall satisfaction scores for the control and test groups was 26.8 (8.1) and 35.8 (2.28), respectively. The independent t-test revealed a statistically significant difference in overall satisfaction between the two groups (t=2.38, p ≤ 0.05).

This study suggests that geriatric health master's students find the PBL portfolio method more satisfying than the traditional internship approach. Students in the PBL group reported higher motivation and felt a stronger connection between theoretical knowledge and clinical practice. Therefore, incorporating the PBL portfolio method into geriatric health and other medical science internship programs is recommended. Notably, this is the first study to explore this method with geriatric health students. A limitation is the small sample size. Future research should involve a larger and more diverse student population across multiple universities.

Fear of falling is considered an important factor in reducing the daily life activities of the elderly with diabetes. It seems that the fear of falling can play a decisive role in creating a sense of loneliness and social isolation in the elderly with diabetes by creating functional limitations and reducing the social activities of the elderly. Therefore, the direct relationship between fear of falling and social isolation and loneliness in diabetic elderly has not been investigated. The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between fear of falling social isolation and feelings of loneliness in elderly diabetics who were referred to health centers in Faridunknar City in 2023.

The current study was a descriptive-analytical study that was conducted cross-sectionally on elderly people with type 2 diabetes referring to health centers in Faridonkanar City in 2023. In this study, 398 elderly people with diabetes participated, who were selected by simple random method. The research tools included the demographic information form, the international fall efficiency scale in the elderly, the emotional and social loneliness scale of adults, and the social isolation questionnaire of the Yazdi school. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and analytical statistics such as one-way analysis of variance, independent t-test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression in SPSS21 software.

The mean age of the participants was 67.6±28.6 years, with more than half of them being female (66.8%). The mean scores and standard deviations of fear of falling, social isolation, and loneliness in the elderly were 51.53±11.60, 48.66±6.30, and 64.53±2.96, respectively. 94.7% of the elderly participants had severe concerns about falling. There was a significant positive relationship between the fear of falling and feelings of loneliness (r=0.389, P=0.001) and social isolation (r=0.156, P=0.002). The results of the multivariable model also showed that for each unit increase in fear of falling score, there was a 0.05 increase in social isolation score in elderly diabetic patients (P≥0.05).

The results of the present study showed that there is a significant relationship between the fear of falling and social isolation and loneliness. The more seniors are afraid of falling, the more they feel alone and socially isolated. Given that improving health in the elderly requires improving healthy lifestyles and controlling and managing psychological factors, including feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Knowing the factors related to them is considered one of the important pillars of interventions in target groups in the key concept of "healthy and successful aging ". Effective planning in this area requires full knowledge and awareness of the fear of falling in the elderly and eliminating the factors that can be related to it. For this reason, it is necessary to adopt appropriate intervention strategies to reduce the fear of falling and increase the sense of security in diabetic elderly to improve their participation and social presence.

With increasing age in men, the level of some essential hormones in their bodies gradually decreases, leading to physical and psychological symptoms in middle-aged and elderly men, known as andropause. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between body image and self-esteem in andropausal men referring to health centers in Neka, Iran.

In this descriptive-analytical study, 376 elderly 60 years and older living in Neka were studied, applying the multistage cluster sampling method. Data were collected using a demographic information questionnaire, the Iranian Male Andropause Symptoms Self-Assessment Questionnaire (MASSQ), Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Questionnaire, and the Multidimensional Body Self-Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ). Descriptive statistics, including mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentage, and parametric tests, including Pearson correlation coefficient, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and linear regression, were used to analyze the collected data.

The mean (SD) age of the participating elderly was 66.6 ± 5.5 years, with an age range of 60-91 years. The education level of more than half of the elderly was elementary school (66.1%). Approximately half of the participants suffered from chronic diseases. The mean (SD) self-esteem and body image scores of the elderly were 5.78 ± 3.44 and 176.33 ± 18.33, respectively. The test results showed that the variables of number of years of marriage had a significant inverse relationship, and the number of sexual relationships per month had a significant direct relationship with self-esteem score. In aadition, the results of spouse's age and number of children variables had a significant inverse relationship with body image score. Multiple linear regression results showed that variables, including occupation, spouse's occupation, socioeconomic status, lifestyle, body mass index, physical activity, underlying disease, physical illness, number of relationships per month, years of marriage, and body image score, had a significant relationship.

Understanding the meaning of body image, its influencing factors, and how they relate to the self-esteem of the elderly helps them to have a positive body image of themselves, which leads to the enhancement of their psychological-social status and improvement in their quality of life.

Driving is a crucial ability that can impact the quality of life for elderly individuals. Older adults may rely more on driving compared to other age demographics. As individuals age, there are significant changes in physical, cognitive, intellectual, and emotional abilities that are crucial for driving, a skill essential for accessing healthcare, therapy services, work, and social activities, as well as maintaining independence and autonomy in the elderly. Mobility and physical exertion are crucial aspects of health for older individuals, and driving significantly contributes to their ability to move within society. The increase in the elderly population has led to a rise in the number of older drivers. Proficiency in self-efficacy in driving is a crucial ability in this profession that acknowledges the significant aspects of this issue. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between weariness, self-efficacy, and driving behavior among older drivers in an urban setting.

This study was a progressive and descriptive-analysis study conducted among older drivers aged 60 and older who were members of the taxi association. Three hundred and ten eligible participants were chosen using the convenience sampling approach. The data was collected using the demographic data form, the multidimensional fatigue inventory, and Adele's self-efficacy scale. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression, and Pearson correlation tests.

The participants had an average age of 28.3 years with a standard deviation of 9.6 years, and their ages ranged from 60 to 75 years. 42% of the participants had university degrees. They mostly had 30 to 50 years of driving experience. The average self-efficiency in driving among older drivers was 101.87±15.74. The Pearson correlation test indicated a significant and inverse relationship between age factors, the history of the driving license, and the self-efficacy score. In other words, as age and years of driving experience increase, the likelihood of self-efficacy driving reduces substantially. The correlation between the fatigue questionnaire scores and self-driving efficiency was significant(P<0.001). There was an inverse relationship between fatigue and self-efficacy in driving. Higher fatigue levels in older adults led to a decrease in self-activity rates. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed strong associations between educational characteristics, the economic-social status of chronic illness, self-efficiency scores, and fatigue rates. The model indicates that the fatigue score decreases by 0.18 for every one-unit rise in the self-efficiency score. The regression analysis showed that monthly income, vehicle type, and fatigue score were significantly related to driving self-efficacy score(R2=39.5).

Researchers recommend implementing a driving rehabilitation program and interventions that provide psychological support in reducing fatigue for older adult drivers based on these findings. The results of the study could assist policymakers in the field of gerontology in planning rehabilitation programs to enhance self-efficacy in driving in older individuals. These programs would consider the factors that contribute to decreased driving efficiency in older drivers and would be implemented in collaboration with welfare organizations and municipalities.

Pedestrians are the most vulnerable people in the traffic system, and every year, thousands of pedestrians are injured or killed due to traffic accidents. The behavior of pedestrians is one of the human factors involved in traffic accidents. In the meantime, the damage is more in the age groups of 60 years and older. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the relationship between fear of falling and functional status with the traffic behavior of older pedestrians in Sari City.

The present study is a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study conducted in Sari City in 2022-2023. The research population included all the older adults aged 60 years and above receiving care in the health centers of Sari City. Considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria and using multistage random sampling, 630 people were determined as the sample size. In order to collect information, a demographic characteristics questionnaire, Womac functional status questionnaire, fear of falling (FES), and traffic behavior were used. The data was analyzed using SPSS-22 statistical software. The significance level of the tests was considered to be 0.05.

The average age of the older participants was 67.34±7.61 years. 53.2% of the participants were male, and 71.4% were married. The mean and standard deviation of functional state scores, fear of falling, and traffic behavior were 56.65±17.62, 30.69±12.56, and 106.06±12.01, respectively. Correlation results showed that functional status has a significant inverse correlation with fear of falling (P<0.001 and r=-0.22) and a positive significant correlation with traffic behavior (P<0.001 and r=0.32). No significant relationship was observed between fear of falling and traffic behavior. Gender, marital status, duration of walking, means of transportation, and age had a significant relationship with fear of falling and functional status (P<0.001). Walking time was significantly related to traffic behavior (P<0.001).

According to the results of the study, the fear of falling and the physical condition of the older have an effect on their traffic behavior, which may increase the number of accidents in this group, so it is important to pay attention to this issue among drivers.

The members of the Islamic Council contribute greatly to the enactment of elder laws. Therefore, the view of these people toward the elderly can play a decisive role in this matter. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the attitude of the representatives of the Islamic Council towards the elderly.

This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical research was conducted on 274 representatives of the Islamic Council who were selected by the whole number method in 2018. The needed data were collected through interviews and questionnaires. The research tools in this study included demographic information questionnaires and Kogan's attitude questionnaire on aging. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 22) using correlation tests (Pearson, Spermman), independent t-test, and one-way ANOVA.

The mean age of the participants was 53.49±8.02 years. The majority of MPs (93.8%) were male. The mean score of the attitude towards the elderly was 145.20±15.05, and the mean score of the negative attitude towards the elderly among parliamentarians was higher (62.28±12.36). Attitude towards aging showed a significant relationship with age (P<0.05) and gender (P=0.002).

Considering that the mean negative attitude towards aging was higher among parliamentarians, it is recommended to hold educational programs and workshops to familiarize representatives with the topic and issues of aging so that better policies can be developed.

We measured the psychometric properties i.e., validity, reliability, and stability of the Persian 10-item Kessler psychological distress scale (K10) among older adults in Iran.

We recruited elderly (60+ years) subjects (20 per item of the questionnaire) from various sampling units in the general population of Gorgan district, Golestan, Iran. After the translation/back-translation process, the questionnaire underwent various forms of validity and reliability, including Cronbach alpha (overall, by items, and by group of yes to an item and no to an item). The intra-class correlation coefficient was measured at a two-week interval, and inter-rater agreement was also determined. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were also conducted, along with receiver-operator characteristics vis-à-vis hospital anxiety and depression scale. 

In total, 190 subjects (47.3% males, mean age: 70.3, 95% CI: 69.2-71.4) participated in the study. A total of 35.8% had psychological distress (PD) (i.e., score >20). The alpha coefficient was 0.88 with no item below 0.86. The alpha coefficients to report a yes to an item (α=0.85) or no to an item (α=0.90) were similar to each other. The intra-class coefficient for test-retest at a two-week interval was 0.90. Exploratory factor analysis showed a one-factor structure of the underlying construct, with a cumulative variance of 97.1%. Confirmatory factor analysis showed high fit indices for the questionnaire (0.91) and a low standardized residual of 0.05. 

We measured psychometric parameters of the Persian version of the K10 scale for detecting PD among older adults, which was found to be adequately valid, reliable, and stable. Our questionnaire fills the prior gaps regarding the lack of validated tools for the timely detection and management of PD among older adults in the Persian-language cultural contexts. Our study emphasizes that the Kessler questionnaire is a unidimensional scale, and detects non-specific PD with all items indicating a single underlying construct of “distress”.

Elder abuse is a major public health concern worldwide. Considering the high prevalence of misbehavior towards the elderly, this study investigated the prevalence of elder abuse and its related factors among the elderly people in Yasouj, Iran in 2021.

Using a convenience sampling method, this cross-sectional study included 299 older adults aged over 60 years referring to the Social Security Outpatient Clinic in Yasouj. To collect data, we used the Domestic Elder Abuse Questionnaire. To analyze the data, chi-square and multiple logistic regression statistical tests were used.

Of the participants, 55.2 % reported at least one type of misbehavior. While psychological misbehavior had the highest prevalence (41.8 %), rejection had the lowest prevalence (10.7 %). Multiple regression analysis showed that elder abuse was statistically associated with higher educational status (p = 0.002), lower economic status (p = 0.002), and single people reported a higher rate of elder abuse (p = 0.001).

According to our results, more than half of the participants reported at least one type of elder abuse, and psychological abuse was the most common type of abuse experienced by the elderly. Since elder abuse can have serious effects on the health and well-being of the elderly, it is critical to identify the related risk factors. Furthermore, it is essential to implement screening programs to increase the awareness of the elderly and caregivers.

Investigation and recognition of the factors affecting the quality of life are essential to start the behavior, and continuing the behavior can be a key factor in improving the living conditions of the elderly in Tabriz.

This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on a random sample of older adults living in the city and villages of Tabriz in 2021. Data were collected through standardized questionnaires of healthy lifestyle and cognitive impairment, psychological well-being, and depression from 422 old people. The collected information was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical methods in the SPSS software (version 22). The significance level of the tests was less than 0.05 in this study.

The results of the data analysis showed that the lifestyle of the rural elderly had a significant and positive relationship with cognition (P=0.001, r=0.29). On the other hand, there was a significant and negative relationship between lifestyle and depression (P=0.001, r=-0.24) and a significant and positive relationship with psychological well-being (P=0.001, r=0.71). Among urban older adults, there was no statistically significant association between lifestyle and cognition (P=0.077, r=0.12), in addition to lifestyle and depression (P=0.9, r=0.009). However, a health-promoting lifestyle showed a significant positive relationship with psychological well-being (P<0.001, r=0.37).

According to the results of this study, the significant influence of lifestyle on cognition and memory, psychological well-being, and depression indicates the need for appropriate measures to improve the lifestyle of older adults.

Oral health is a critical factor in the quality of life (QoL) of older adults in relation to their nutrition, mental health, and healthy social relationships. This study aimed to investigate oral problems and psychological status of older adults referred to a hospital and its relationship with cognition status, stress, anxiety, and depression.

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 older adults referred to Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Shiraz City, Iran. The “Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale”, the “Abbreviated Mental Test score”, and the “General Oral Health Assessment Index” were used to collect the required data. The Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression statistical tests were used to analyze the data in SPSS v. 26. P less than 0.05 were considered significant.

The Mean±SD age of the participants was 70.1±4.6 years. Their mean±SD score of oral health was 44.83±3.91, and the mean±SD cognitive status was 9.28±0.9. The results of correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between the dimensions of mental health (cognitive status, stress, anxiety, depression) and oral health (P<0.05). According to the multiple linear regression model, there was a significant relationship between oral health and cognitive status (P=0.002) and between oral health and stress (P=0.015).

The study’s results showed a correlation between mental health and oral health. Thus, one of the ways to improve the mental health of the elderly is to provide appropriate and timely dental intervention.

Oral health plays an important role in determining food intake patterns, meeting nutritional needs, and consequently keeping the health of the elderly and their quality of life. Health literacy is also one of the biggest determinants that significantly impacts disease prevention in the elderly.

This study aimed to determine oral health status and the relationship between health literacy and nutritional status in the elderly referring to health centers in Tabriz City, Iran.

This research is a cross-sectional analytical study performed on 300 older people in Tabriz in 2020. Data collection tools included the geriatric oral health assessment index, seniors in the community: risk evaluation for eating and nutrition, health literacy for Iranian adults, and demographic information questionnaire. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics were used to sort out the data. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to check the data normality, and then simple and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between variables and control the effect of intervening variables. The level of significance in this study was considered less than 0.05.

The Mean±SD age of the elderly was 69.7±6.7 years. The number of men and women participating in this study was equal. A total of 257 people (85.7%) were married. The results showed that the oral health status of 51% of the elderly was below mean, 65.33% of the elderly were illiterate, and 69.33% were severely malnourished. Based on the results of multiple regression, the nutritional status of the individuals was a predictor of the oral health score of the elderly (Β=-13.5, 95% CI; -11.3, -15.69, P=0.001). So, people with malnutrition, mildly malnourished, and severely malnourished had lower oral health scores than healthy individuals with the control of the other variables. The R2 value in this study was 0.59.

According to the study results and the relationship between malnutrition and oral health, it is necessary to conduct studies on the factors affecting malnutrition in the elderly by intervening on the factors affecting malnutrition, changing the oral health status of the elderly, and improving their quality of life.

Background & Aims of the Study: 

This study aimed to determine the relationship between fear of falling, mental wellbeing, and depression in the elderly with cardiovascular disease.

This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 283 elderly selected per the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The required data were collected using the Center of Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), the Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES-I), and the World Health Organization- Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5). Data were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics and regression analysis methods. The significance level was considered 0.05.

The obtained results suggested that gender, place of residence, mental wellbeing, and depression were significantly associated with fear of falling in the examined sample (P<0.001). Furthermore, for every 10 units of welfare increase, the average fear of falling in the elderly decreases by 2 units. Additionally, on average, the fear of falling for the elderly females was 1.55 points higher than that in their male counterparts. Moreover, the average fear of falling for the elderly who were depressed was 3.37 points higher than that in the elderly without depression. Eventually, the average fear of falling in the elderly who lived in urban areas was 2.68 points higher than that in the elderly who lived in rural areas.

Based on the current research findings, depression and mental wellbeing were predictors of fear of falling; thus, they can be considered as effective factors in interventions to reduce the fear of falling and falling in the elderly

Increasing age is one of the most important predictors of mortality among aged population. Therefore, determining the causes of death among older people could be imperative. The purpose of this study was to investigate non-communicable disease mortality among a sample of older people in Iran from 2007 to 2018.

This was a retrospective descriptive study that applied census sampling technique to investigate 1202 Medical Records of older adults (60 ≤ years old) died during 2007-2018 at three hospitals of Khuzestan province, Iran. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 24 software.

The mean age of participants was 77.4 ± 8.38. Of whom 50.7 % were male. The highest number of deaths were related to the internal ward (41.4%), CCU (29.3%) and ICU (25.6%), respectively. In addition, Angina pectoris, Respiratory disease and Cerebrovascular Accident were the most important cause of death among aged population. Also, the history of hospitalization (87.1%) and cardiovascular disease (82.2%), and hypertension (67.8%) were the prominent risk factors for mortality among aged population. According to chi-squared, there was a significant relationship between smoking and death attributed to cardiovascular diseases among older adults.

Angina pectoris, Respiratory disease and Cerebrovascular accident diseases are the most important cause of death among older adults. Prevention and screening programs should be implemented to discern and screen these chronic diseases at the early stage among older people.

 Healthy lifestyle along with spirituality affect the physical and mental health of older adults. Regarding the older clergymen’s experience of spiritual life, this study aims to evaluate the role of health-promoting lifestyle in predicting cognitive status of older clergymen. 

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 190 older clergymen living in Qom, Iran who were selected using a convenience sampling method and based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II and Mini-Mental State Exam were used to collect data. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS V. 22 software using descriptive and inferential statistics (Correlation test, linear regression analysis, independent t-test, and ANOVA). The significance level was set at 0.05.

 The mean age of participants was 70.55±6.86. There was a significant positive relationship between health-promoting lifestyle and cognitive status (r= 0.295, P= 0.001). The results of multiple regression analysis showed that the dimensions of health responsibility and nutrition along with employment status explained almost 14% of the variance in cognitive status.

 it is necessary to pay more attention to nutrition and health responsibility in health-promoting interventions of older clergymen. Further studies with a qualitative approach are recommended to understand the mechanism of the effect of spirituality on health of older clergymen.

Regular physical activity is very effective in preventing or delaying chronic diseases and premature death in the elderly.

This study aimed to compare the effect of face-to-face education and e-learning methods on the physical activity of the elderly.

This is a quasi-experimental study conducted in Karaj, Iran in 2018. The participants were 88 elderly people referred to a senior rehab center and then were assigned into three groups of face-to-face education (n=30), e-learning (n=28), and control (n=30).The study data were collected by a demographic form and the 41-item community healthy activities program for seniors questionnaire (CHAMPS) before the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, and 3-month follow-up. Face-to-face education and e-learning were presented to the two educational groups’ during eight 20-minute sessions. The obtained data were analyzed using ANOVA, Bonferroni post hoc test, the Chi-square test, and repeated measures ANOVA. The significance level was set at0.05.

Between the two educational groups, a significant difference was observed in the mean score of physical activity at three measurement phases (P = 0.001).The effect size was 0.61 for face-to-face education and 0.64 for e-learning. Based on the results of the Bonferroni post hoc test, there was no significant difference between e-learning and face-to-face education groups.

Both face-to-face and e-learning methods were effective in promoting the physical activity behavior of the elderly. E-learning method can be used as one of the complementary methods of traditional education for improving the physical activity of the elderly.

Knowledge of physical activity (KPAQ) is very effective in preventing chronic diseases and increasing the quality of life in the elderly. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effect of face-to-face and electronic educational methods on the KPAQ among the elderly.

This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 88 elderly people referred to Kahrizak Daily Care Center in Karaj, Iran from 2017 to 2018. Participants were randomly divided into educational groups including face-to-face and electronic educational groups as well as a control group. Data collection tools included questionnaires of demographic characteristics and KPAQ, collected in three stages before, 1 and 3 months after the intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24 at a significant level of 0.05.

The findings showed that there was a significant difference between the mean scores of KPAQ in the face-to-face and electronic educational groups (P=0.001). The results of Bonferronichr('39')s post-hoc test indicated a significant difference between the control group with face-to-face and electronic educational groups (P<0.01). The rate of effect size obtained to compare the KPAQ score was 0.89 and 0.87 for face-to-face and electronic educational groups, respectively.

The present study represented that face-to-face educational method was more effective than electronic educational method in improving the KPAQ of the elderly. Therefore, electronic educational method along with face-to-face educational method can be used to improve the KPAQ of the elderly.

Objectives:

 Changes in aging peiod can have profound effects on the life and mental health of the elderly people. Optimism and perception of aging are among the factors associated with the psychological wellbing of the elderly people. The present study aimed to predict the perception of aging based on optimism among the elderly people.

Methods & Materials :

This is a correlational study. The study population consisted of all elderly residents of Qom city in Iran in 2018. Of these, 270 were selected using a convenience sampling method. Data were collected using Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) and Aging Perception Questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS v.21 software.

Results :

Participants 177 male (65%) and 93 female (34%) with a mean age of 74±6.05 years. There was a significant positive correlation between optimism and perception of aging in the elderly (P<0.01); optimism could predict and explain 56% of variations in the perception of aging (P<0.01).

Conclusion:

 Optimism can predict the perception of aging in the elderly people; Therefore, it is suggested that mental health professionals and those working in the field of aging should use the results of this study to design psychological interventions and educational packages, and hold optimism skills training workshops to improve the optimism of older people.

Population aging is one of the most fundamental challenges of today’s world. Due to the increasing growth of the elderly population and the importance of identifying effective factors on their physical activity, this study was done to determine physical activity and its effective factors among the elderly population of Khorramabad city.

This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 on 450 elderly people in Khorramabad city. Data were collected using 4 questionnaires about demographic characteristics, Community Healthy Activities Program for Seniors (CHAMPS), Knowledge towards physical activity, and Attitude scale Toward Physical Activities (ATPA). Data were analyzed using independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, ANOVA and stepwise regression in SPSS 22.

The mean age of participants was 64.20±5.51 years. The mean of physical activity was 251.02±184.81 MET-min/wk. Mean physical activity was significantly correlated with educational level (P=0.001), employment status (P=0.006) and perceived economic status (P = 0.003). There was also a direct significant correlation between physical activity with weight (r=0.102, P=0.031) and life satisfaction (r=0.120,P=0.011). Also, knowledge (P=0.001) and attitude (P = 0.001) significantly predicted the level of physical activity.

The results of this study showed that the physical activity of most of the elderly under study was low and moderate. Illiterate, worker, and low-income elderly people had little physical activity. Considering appropriate programs in this field is necessary.

Nutrition is one of the essential determinants of health in the elderly so that in older age, malnutrition and chronic diseases become prevalent, and one leads to another and vice versa.

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of malnutrition and its association with general health and multimorbidity among older people living in nursing homes in Ahvaz City in 2016.

This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 184 older people living in nursing homes located in Ahvaz. The participants were assessed using a demographic form, mini nutritional assessment tool, and the 12-item general health questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS V. 18 using descriptive statistics as well as the Spearman correlation coefficient, independent t-test, and one way ANOVA.

Of 184 participants, (66.2%) were female and (33.8%) male with a Mean±SD age of 68.9±7.8 year. Also, (19.2%) had malnutrition, (52.17%) risks of developing malnutrition, (28.8%) normal nutritional state, and (99.26%) undesirable general health status. There was no statistically significant relationship between their general health and nutritional status. About (35%) of the elderly had 3 or more diseases, where their most common disease was depression. Based on the results, their nutritional state had a significant correlation with multimorbidity (r=0.92, P=0.02) and between high-protein food intake and skin problems (r=0.71, P<0.001).

Regarding the undesirable nutritional status and the low level of general health in the elderly, nutritional, and psychological interventions for this group seems necessary.

Physical activity in late life may be a continuity of activity pattern in the early stages of life. The current study aimed to assess physical activity levels in former Iranian sportsmen and athletes, in 2016. This cross-sectional study used convenience sampling method to select 223 former Iranian sportsmen and athletes living in Tehran City, Iran. Informed consents were obtained from all study participants before the study. The short-form Persian version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used for assessing physical activity. To achieve demographic information, a demographic data Questionnaire was used. For analyzing the obtained data, SPSS was used. The Mean±SD age of the study participants was 70.81±8.29 years. In total, 5.8%, 42%, and 52.9% of the former athletes had less than 10 minutes of walking, moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity, respectively. About 4.9% of the individuals reported walking on a regular basis and none of them reported daily moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity. Moreover, 8.5% of the individuals failed to report walking for at least 10 min/d. Totally, 43.5% of the individuals reported no moderate-intensity physical activity and about 56.1% of them did not participate in any vigorous-intensity physical activities. Furthermore, 31.4, 8.5, and 5.8 of the athletes reported walking, moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity for more than 150 minutes per week, respectively. According to the three types of activity defined by the IPAQ, 49% of the athletes were inactive, 36.3% were minimally active and about 15% were physically active. Physical activity decreased with increasing age (P<0.01; r=-0.529) and had a direct relationship with educational level (P<0.01; r=0.278). The findings highlight the importance of considering active intervention programs at younger ages to ensure better leisure participation of the elderly, especially in physical activity.

The present review study was conducted to investigate the effect of family-centered care education on outcomes of heart failure in Iranian patients

Heart failure is a complex clinical syndrome that poses a health problem due to its chronic, progressive, and irreversible nature

 A comprehensive searching out scientific databases and search engines including Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Medline with the keywords heart failure and family-centered care education in both Persian and English language was done to find published studies between 2000 to 2020 Six articles were found based on inclusion criteria and reviewed to report their dominant findings

 Studies on the effect of family-centered care education on outcomes of heart failure in Iranian patients showed that this educational method has yield in effective results

 Family-centered care training improves and promotes self-care and quality of life in people with heart failure Using this training program is recommended as an effective, cost-effective training method without the need for special equipment