Health Education and Health Promotion
Volume:3 Issue: 3, Summer 2015

Aim: Hypertension is a chronic and asymptomatic disease leading to death of at least 45% of patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Self-care is important to minimize the risks and complications caused by hypertension.
This aim of the present study was to determine the predictive power of constructs of the Health Belief Model (HBM) in self-care behaviors of patients with hypertension.
This was a descriptive-analytic study of cross-sectional type carried out on 125 patients over 30 years old with hypertension who referred to the rural health centers in Rasht city. Sampling was done in multi-stage form, and the patients were selected randomly. To collect data, a valid and reliable questionnaire containing demographic information and questions of constructs of the HBM and self-care behaviors was used.
Findings: Based on Pearson’s correlation analysis, a significant and negative relationship was observed between self-care behaviors and construct of perceived barriers. Also there was a significant and positive relationship between self-care behaviors and the construct of cues to action. Based on linear regression analysis, the HBM could predict 19% of variance of self-care behaviors by two constructs of perceived barriers (B=0.22, SE=0.04, P=0.01) and cues to action (B=0.19, SE=0.06, P=0.02).
According to the predictive power of the HBM and the role of constructs of perceived barriers and cues to action in self-care behaviors of patients with hypertension, it is needed to focus on educational interventions based on this model to reduce the perceived barriers and influencing the cues to action.

Aim: Regular physical activity has several physical, psychological and social benefits. However, it is a global health problem, especially among ICU nurses. Therefore, in order to improve nurses’ physical activity, it is required to determine the effective correlated factors. The aim of this study was to delineate predictive factors on the physical activity of ICU nurses based on a trans-theoretical model (TTM) using path analysis.
Accordingly, in this cross-sectional study, 82 nurses from eight intensive care units of six hospitals in Guilan University of Medical Sciences completed the translated version of Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and another questionnaire, which included a range of constructs from the TTM. Data were analyzed using bivariate correlation and path analysis.
Findings: It was revealed that self-efficacy (β=0.24) and Pros (β=0.18) had a direct effect on the participants’ physical activities. It is important to state that self-efficacy was effective on the participants, behavioral physical activity both directly and indirectly. Totally, self-efficacy with the path coefficient of 0.62 was considered as the strongest predictive factor of physical activity among the ICU nurses.
To enclose, the determined effective factors in improving the ICU nurses’ physical activity were expected to be of more concern, especially self-efficacy as the strongest one.

Aim: The aim of this study was to design a tool and to assess its validity and reliability based on native culture characterization to evaluate the health belief model (HBF) constructs about prenatal care.
215 pregnant women covered by the health centers of Iranshahr in the age group of 18-35 years and the least ability of reading and writing participated in this cross-sectional study. After reviewing the literature, the tool was designed, and its validity and reliability were approved based on psychometric data of the target group and the view of a panel of experts through calculating the content validity ratio, content validity index, exploratory factor analysis, and internal consistency.
Findings: The validity of 42 items was assessed through calculating the index score of the item effect above 1.5, content validity ratio more than 0.80, and content validity index higher than 0.79. By using exploratory factor analysis with a special value greater than 1, six factors and 35 items remained that were classified into six categories based on the literature review and content items, which were able to predict 77.095 % of the total variance of the tool. The reliability of the research tool was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha equal to 0.816.
The results of this study provide proper evidence about the strength of structural factors and the reliability of the assessment tool for the structures of HBM about prenatal care. It can be considered by the researchers in developing a tool for research, education and action.

Aim: Identification of contributory factors in smoking and gaining insight into the roles played by each of these factors including health literacy (HL) may account for quitting or decreasing the prevalence of smoking. The aim of the current study was to identify the effects caused by different HL levels on smoking.
347 students inhabiting the dormitories of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences were included in a cross-sectional correlational study. Random cluster sampling was used for the selection of participants. HELIA questionnaire (used for HL measurement in Iranian urban population between 18-65 years of age) and a researcher-made questionnaire (for determining the status of smoking in individuals) were used to collect information from the participants. All data were statistically analyzed by SPSS software.
Findings: The mean and standard deviation of HL score was 70.52±14.12 out of 100. The results indicated that among the university students, 59.7% (201 people) were non-smokers, 23.1% (78 people) were smokers, and 17.2% (58 people) had experienced smoking. These findings reveal that HL is significantly correlated with smoking in university students. Also different levels (insufficient, relatively sufficient, and sufficient) of HL show its significant correlation with smoking, meaning that less HL levels are accompanied by a higher chance of smoking.
The relatively high prevalence of smoking in university students and the impact of HL on smoking highlight the need to increase the level of HL in university students and develop an efficient tool for measuring smoking literacy in all age groups.

Aim: Sexual function is influenced by different individual and environmental factors. Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) can lead to serious conditions for women and their family. The present study aimed to identify the prevalence and risk factors for FSD, in Kashan, Iran.
In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 200 women refering to educational gynecology clinics and meeting the inclusion criteria was selected in Kashan, Iran, 2014. Three anonymous self-administered questionnaires were completed by the participants: Demographic, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Chi-square, T-test, Mann Whitney's and Pearson's correlation coefficients were performed for the determination of factors associated with FSD. A score less than 28 out of a possible score of 36 suggests the presence of FSD based on FSFI.
Findings: Of total participants, 119 (59.5%) had FSD. Thirty-nine percent reported desire disorders, 37% arousal disorders, 28.5% lubricant disorders, 24%5 orgasmic disorders, 19.5% pain disorders, and 22.5% satisfaction disorders. Sexual dysfunction was more common in depressed, anxious and stressed and low educated women with older age and longer duration of marriage.
Sexual dysfunction is common among women and some demographic and emotional problems likely contribute to the experience of sexual dysfunction. This finding may have implications on the clinical evaluation of sexual function and identifying the effect of demographic and psychological factors on FSD in women.

Aim: Smoking is the first factor of diseases, and death, and one of the major health problems all over the world.
The aim of this study was validating the Persian version of short-form decisional balance scale to smoke cessation in Iranian workers.
This cross-sectional study was conducted among 218 workers from automobile manufactory in Bam City (Iran) in 2016 using convenient sampling.
Findings: The total of 218 male workers with (mean age 30.52±6.66 years) participated in this study. The results showed two factors (Barriers, and Benefits, or Cons and Pros) with good explanatory (KMO=66%; Cumulative of Variance= 58.94), confirmatory (REMSEA= 0.000; GFI= 0.995, AGFI= 0.983; P-value= 0.775) factor analysis and reliability index (ICC =0.65 95% CI (0.57, 0.72)).
This study showed the Persian version of the short-form decisional balance scale for smoking cessation was valid and reliable tool to measure decisional balance for smoking cessation.