Health Education and Health Promotion
Volume:3 Issue: 2, Spring 2015

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a self-care educational package on patients suffering from hypertension in Khatamolanbia Hospital of Iranshahr. Self-care includes a set of healthy behaviors as well as the choice of correct lifestyle, which will prevent from disease and result in effective treatment in case of disease through proper knowledge. Since hypertension is one of the most important modifiable factors by self-care, prevention and treatment of this disease should be considered by the authorities.
A self-care educational package was used within six months to assess its impact on hypertensive patients using a researcher-made questionnaire. The target population included 50 mainly female hypertensive patients admitted to Khatamolanbia Hospital of Iranshahr in 2015 who were studied in pre-test post-test groups. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software (version 16).
Findings: It was indicated that the self-care education program had a significant impact on the participant's knowledge, attitudes, health behaviors and blood pressure control (p The results of this study showed that the self-care program could be used as an effective approach to practically reduce and control blood pressure.

Aim: This study focuses on the impact of contraceptive methods on weight gain among female athletes. Clinical studies confirm that weight gain is often considered a side effect of hormonal contraceptives and many women think that an association exists; this is while, Sports Medicine and Injuries’ Studies report that this effect is still unclear. This comparative study was designed to dwell on the results of similar studies.
Two groups of voluntary female athletes agreed to participate in this study. They were distributed based on the conditions proposed for this study (Group 1 took the oral contraceptive, and Group 2 practised condom) for three cycles of the ovum of the same marital lifestyle. Then they were tested based on the U.S. Federal Government’s Standard Fitness Tests for Women, and their homogeneity was calculated on the basis of age (training and chronology), the typical training program, and social condition.
Findings: Based on the research findings:• The proposed techniques prevent pregnancy record in regulating the samples’ menstruation cycle during the experiment.
• Practising condom preserves the body weight index composition with a positive physical potential.
• Taking oral contraceptive increases the body fat with negative physical potential.
• There is a strong positive relationship between the body fat and the level of body fitness in the benefit of condom.
Our results are in line with the findings from similar clinical and sport medicine studies, confirming that the use of oral contraceptives increases the percentage of body fat and decreases aerobic fitness among female athletes.

Aim: Health locus of control includes the degree of a person's belief in the fact that his/her health is controlled by internal or external factors. The aim of this study was to determine the status of health locus of control and its related factors among Iranian pilgrims.
This cross-sectional study was performed on 600 pilgrims of the holy shrines in Tehran in 2015. People aged over 15 years who had come for pilgrimage to the shrines entered the study by convenient sampling and after consent. The A form of the Multi-dimensional Health Locus of Control scale was used. This form consists of Internal Health Locus of Control (IHLC), Powerful others (PHLC) and Chance External Locus of Control (CHLC). The relation of between age, gender, education, income, marital status and location of residence on each construct was evaluated by t-test, ANOVA and linear regression through SPSS21.
Findings: Among the total pilgrims, 302 were females (50.3%). The mean age of the participants was 33.15±11.06 years. The highest and lowest averages were associated with the internal locus of control (25.60±3.34) and the chance locus of control (18.20±5.13), respectively. There was a significant relationship between educational level and IHLC; between income and education level with CHLC; and between marital status and age with PHLC.
According to our results, most people think that they control their health or life events themselves. People with a higher internal locus of control score have more tendency to practice health promotion and disease prevention and seek health through visiting holy sites and appealing to God.

Aim: Despite the evidence suggesting the positive impact of the immediate mother-newborn Skin-to-Skin Contact (SCC), it has not yet been adopted to use for healthy newborn in Iran. No study has explained the reasons. This study aimed to survey midwive's opinions about the predisposing factors in SCC at birth in Tehran hospitals in 2014.
The samples, in this cross sectional descriptive study, were 292 midwives who worked in labour wards, and a multi- stage cluster sampling was applied. First we applied stratified and simple random approaches. Then they were classified into educational, social security, and private groups. Data collection instrument was a self- developed questionnaire consisting of 9 demographic characteristics and 38 items concerning the predisposing factors in SCC. We applied face/content validity and item impact method for the instrument's validity. For assessing the internal consistency of the instrument, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS-18.
Findings: The findings showed that 95.5% of the midwives possessed good knowledge of SSC, 93.2% had positive attitudes, 96.6% believed in SSC effects, and 94.9% had a good self-efficacy perception. The Cronbach‟s alpha coefficient of the 38-item instrument showed excellent internal consistency (α=0.88), and it was valid and reliable to measure predisposing factors in SSC.
The knowledge and attitudes of conducting SSC at birth were evaluated at “good” and “positive”, respectively. Therefore, we suggest further analytic studies to determine how these factors could affect on midwife behaviour.

Aim: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the main contributor to disability and the leading cause of death in Iran and worldwide. This study was done to determine the effect of education on behaviors related to CVDs among Yazd city restaurants` chefs.
In an experimental study, the intervention factor for case group was education through lectures, pamphlets, and videos. All the restaurant and hotel chefs of Yazd were divided into two groups: intervention and control (each group 39). Data were gathered through a researcher-made questionnaire with confirmed validity and reliability. All registered data were transformed to the SPSS program and analyzed under Mann-Whitney's U, Wilcoxons, McNemars, Marginal homogeneity, Spearman's correlation, and Chi-square tests.
Findings: Before training, the average scores of knowledge, attitude and practice had no significant differences between the case and control groups (p≥0/05), but this difference was significant immediately and three months after education (p>0/05). Significant differences were observed in the scores of the knowledge and attitude of the intervention group between prior and immediately and three months after education (p>0/05). Also three months after the intervention, the mean score of practice was increased in the intervention group. The main information source of the subjects was media (63.5%) with physicians being their preferred source (62.2%).
According to the average knowledge of chefs before the intervention and significant role of chefs on cardiovascular health, improving their information through regular training programs (in consultation and health education centers), posters, pamphlets, and media is suggested.

Aim: Pediatric sleep problems can result in negative consequences for both mothers and children. Considering the relatively high prevalence of sleep disorders among children with ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), this study was designed to investigate the impact of a sleep hygiene intervention to promote sleep problems in children with ADHD and maternal mental health.
This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 62 children aged 7-13 years with the diagnosis of ADHD and comorbid sleep disorders accompanied by their mothers. Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) were completed by the children's mothers, and then the participants were allocated randomly into experimental and control groups. Mothers of the children in the experimental group received a sleep hygiene educational intervention, which was delivered through a training session and a booklet followed by two telephone calls and educational text messages. Participants in the control group received usual clinical care. The post-test was performed two months after intervention.
Findings: 56 participants (experimental group: n=28, control group: n=28) completed the survey. Data analysis showed that, compared with the control group, the experimental group had a significant reduction in mean scores of CSHQ (P=0.001) and stress subscale scores (F= 0.106, P= 0/015), after controlling pre-test. Besides, the mother's stress was correlated with the children's CSHQ overall scores (r= 0.52, P= 0.001).
Implementing a sleep hygiene intervention in a sample of children with ADHD could result in improved children sleep problems and maternal well-being.