فصلنامه حیات
سال بیست و ششم شماره 1 (پیاپی 85، بهار 1399)

Some studies across different disciplines have investigated students’ learning styles (LS) separately. However, few studies have investigated the LS of students of various educational disciplines in Medical Sciences. We aimed to determine the LS of students of Semnan University of Medical Sciences.

 In this descriptive-cross-sectional study, 228 students of Semnan University of Medical Sciences were selected by cluster sampling in 2017. Data collection tool was the latest version of Kolb's learning style inventory. Finally, the data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical (Chi square) tests using the SPSS software version 18.

In this study, 54.8% of students were female and 89.5% were single. 63.2% had the average scores higher than 16 and 52.2% were at second semester. The LS of students were assimilation (40.4%), divergent (21.9%), accommodation (19.3%), and convergent (18.4%). There was a significant relationship between the type of LS with the field of study (P=0.014) and average score (P=0.006), but there were no correlations between the type of LS with gender, age, marital status and academic semesters (P>0.05).

Considering that the assimilation LS was predominant within the students and given the fact that medical profession is a communicative, people-centered, and practical work, the faculty needs to emphasize the LS of students, and use various teaching strategies to strengthen and enhance the capabilities which are necessary for this group in educational and clinical settings.

Menstrual health is an important aspect of adolescent health. Most girls do not have proper information about menstrual health, and incorrect information from unreliable sources makes problems for them. Aim of this study was to compare small group-based education with maternal participation and routine education on adolescent girls’ menstrual health behaviors.

 This randomized clinical trial study was performed on 60 high school students with regular menstruation in the groups of intervention and control. Among high schools in Mashhad in 2018, two schools were assigned to one of two groups by lottery. Menstrual health education was provided to the intervention group in four sessions as the groups of 3-4 people. For mothers in this group, two 2-hour sessions with the same content were held and the students in control group received routine education. Data were collected by a questionnaire on menstrual health behaviors, before the intervention, after the end of the first and second menstrual cycle. Data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney, Chi square and independent samples t-test using the SPSS software version 16.

before the intervention, there was a statistically significant difference in the menstrual health behaviors score (P=0.199). After the intervention, mean score of menstrual health behaviors (the end of the first and second menstrual cycles) significantly increased (P<0.001) for the two groups. Also, mean score of menstrual health behaviors for the intervention group was significantly higher than that of for the control group (P<0.001).

The small group-based education with the participation of mothers in comparison to routine education was more effective in promoting menstrual health behaviors in adolescent girls. This method is recommended to health planners for education of health issues, including menstrual health.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT20180904040952N2

Pregnancy and childbirth is one of the most important events in the life of every woman that can be a memorable experience with positive consequences for the mother and the baby, under support of others, especially the spouse. Numerous interventions to promote men's participation have been conducted during this period. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of a systematic review of men's participation in prenatal care.

  This study is a systematic review of published articles on strategies to promote male participation, during pregnancy, childbirth and after childbirth (from 2000 to 2019), based on PRISMA guidelines, and the search was conducted by two scholars on the valid databases. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies, published on strategies for increasing male participation during perinatal period, published in national and international journals, were included in the study. Qualitative assessment of the articles was done using the Jadad and CONSORT checklist and the data extraction was based on the researcher's checklist.

In this systematic review, 4808 articles were identified. After reviewing the titles, and considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 articles were included in the study. The promotion strategies were categorized into four groups: female-centered, couple-centered, community-centered, and facility-centered.

According to the results of the study, in order to promote the participation of men in perinatal care, it should be planned on four areas of female-centered, couple-centered, community-centered and facility-centered.

The experience of approaching death is one of the undeniable facts of aging that can cause fear and anxiety in the elderly. Given that spirituality as a solid base can be a powerful factor in controlling tense situations, this study was conducted to examine the effect of spiritual group therapy on death anxiety in the elderly.

 This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 50 elderly people attending the elderly daily center in Aliabad Katoul (Golestan Province) in 2018. Sampling was done using the convenience method and participants were randomly assigned into either experimental- or control group. The experimental group received spiritual group therapy in 8 sessions within eight weeks. The data were collected using a demographic characteristics questionnaire and the Templer death anxiety scale. Using the SPSS software version 16, data were analyzed through independent t-test, paired t-test and covariance test at a significance level of less than 0.05.

The rate of death anxiety before the intervention in the experimental- and control group were 7.36±3.67 and 7.32±1.65 respectively, which did not show a statistically significant difference (P=0.961). After the intervention, the average score of death anxiety for the experimental group was 5.24±3.28 and for the control group was 7.84±1.92 which showed a statistically significant difference (P<0.001).

According to the results, it is recommended to provide the necessary conditions to the elderly to participate in spiritual activities, which can be effective in improving the psychological state of the elderly.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT20181207041877N1

Gestational diabetes mellitus is the most common medical disorder during pregnancy that has many negative psychosomatic effects on the pregnant women and their fetus. According to existing studies, the role of counseling and husband’s support in gestational diabetes has been less studied, so the present study aimed to determine the effect of couples' supportive counseling on self-care behavior in women with insulin-treated gestational diabetes.

 In this randomized clinical trial, 64 pregnant women (26-30 weeks of gestation) with gestational diabetes referred to the diabetes clinic of Umm al-Banin Hospital in Mashhad in 2018-2019 were divided into the intervention or control groups using the 4-way blocking method. For the women and their husbands in the intervention group, couples' supportive counseling was conducted by the researcher in the form of three one-hour sessions with one week interval. A diabetes self-care questionnaire was completed in two stages, before and four weeks after the intervention for both groups, and data were analyzed by independent t-test and paired t test using the SPSS software version 16.

There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in pre-intervention self-care scores (P>0.05). After the intervention, the difference between the mean of self-care scores before and after the intervention in the intervention group was 12.09±7.56 and in the control group was 0.00±3.60, which a significant increase was observed in the self-care score for the intervention group compared to the control group (P<0.001).

Couples' supportive counseling helps to promote self-care behavior in patients with gestational diabetes and can be used as an effective method to reduce the adverse consequences of gestational diabetes.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT20181002041202N1

Hysterectomy is one of the most common surgeries in women, which causes many physical and psychological complications including anxiety. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of diaphragmatic breathing and pursed lip breathing on anxiety in women undergoing hysterectomy.

In this double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial, 126 patients referred to Taleghani hospital of Arak during 2017-2019 were selected by convenience sampling, and then assigned into three groups of diaphragmatic breathing, pursed lip breathing and control using the random number table. Anxiety was measured the evening before the operation (before the intervention), one hour before entering the operating room (after the intervention) and two hours after the operation, using the Spielberger Anxiety Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytic statistics using the SPSS software version 16.

The mean and standard deviation of anxiety scores for the diaphragmatic breathing, pursed lip breathing, and control groups were 55.33±10.49, 55.4±9.84, and 55.07±11.31 respectively, and there was no significant difference between the groups (P=0.983). One hour before going to the operating room (after the intervention), the mean and standard deviation of the anxiety score was 41.98±8.5, 42.43±7.88, and 52.86±11.5, respectively, and after the operation, the scores decreased to 37.79±8.13, 38.07±8.33 and 50.62±11.35 respectively. There was a significant difference between the three groups (P<0.0001). There was no statistically significant difference in the anxiety scores between the diaphragmatic breathing group and the pursed-lip breathing group after the intervention (P=0.999).

The results of this study showed the diaphragmatic breathing and pursed-lip breathing techniques are effective in reducing hysterectomy anxiety in women. Therefore, using this non-pharmacological approach is recommended to reduce anxiety before and after hysterectomy surgery.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT20180103038211N4

Tokophobia was introduced as a psychiatric disorder for the first time in 2000. The purpose of this study is to answer four questions: What is tokophobia and how does it occur? What is the global prevalence of tokophobia? What are the symptoms of tokophobia? and what are the strategies for the control and treatment of tokophobia?

This systematic review was conducted by searching articles in English and Persian published between January 2000 and January 2018 on international databases; PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and domestic databases; Magiran and SID, along with a manual search in resources.

After reviewing 151 articles, finally 16 were included in the study. The results indicate that tokophobia is a severe and pathological fear of childbirth. In the categorization of psychiatric disorders, it is classified as a specific phobia based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV). The etiology of tokophobia is multifactorial, and its prevalence in pregnant women was reported around 14 percent among 18 countries. The signs and symptoms of the disorder are insomnia, crying, restlessness, depression, anxiety and severe worry about childbirth. Psychological strategies, cognitive behavior therapy and medication have been proposed to reduce the fear of childbirth in women in different studies.

As a guide, these results can assist the healthcare team members to recognize and screen at-risk women as well as to perform nursing interventions and psychotherapy in the prenatal and delivery stages.

Physical activity is a health behavior that helps one's mental and general health, improves the health of women during preconception period and reduces pregnancy and birth complications. The aim of this study was to predict physical activity based on the BASNEF model constructs during preconception period among women referred to Uremia health centers.

 This cross-sectional study was conducted on 230 women during preconception period, who were selected using the multistage sampling method in 2018. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire containing sociodemographic information, the BASNEF model constructs, and a short form of the international physical activity questionnaire. Data were analyzed using logistic and linear regression and t-test through the SPSS software version 16.

The results showed that 61.3% of women had low levels of physical activity. Knowledge (β=0.2, P<0.003), attitude (β=0.15, P<0.017), and enabling factors (β=0.18, P<0.004) significantly explained their intention to do physical activity. Also, among the predictive variables, knowledge (P<0.001) significantly explained physical activity.

Low rate of women's physical activity during preconception period calls for designing an intervention based on BASNEF model in order to influence knowledge, attitude and enabling factors.