Research Article
Fatemeh Ghodrati; Zahra Yazdanpanahi; Marzieh Akbarzadeh
Abstract
Background: Religious values and attitudes can be considered as a guideline for sexual relationship and gender related roles.
Objectives: The current study aimed at investigating the relationship between religious attitudes, and some sexual characteristics with marital satisfaction among females of ...
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Background: Religious values and attitudes can be considered as a guideline for sexual relationship and gender related roles.
Objectives: The current study aimed at investigating the relationship between religious attitudes, and some sexual characteristics with marital satisfaction among females of reproductive age in 2014 - 2015.
Methods: The current descriptive-analytical study investigated the relationship between religious attitudes and some sexual characteristics, and marital satisfaction on 210 females of reproductive age. Firstly, cluster sampling was conducted. The sexual trait questionnaire and religious attitude scale, which contains 25 questions in 6 areas related to the religious attitudes, were distributed. Sexual trait questionnaire includes questions on pre-sex motivations, premature ejaculation, young couple’s education, couples’ intimate relationships, and finally couples’ satisfaction. Chi-square test was applied to analyze the data, using SPSS software.
Results: The mean age of the study population was 30.35 ± 7.52 years. According to the Chi-square result, there was a significant relationship between religious attitudes and pre-sex motivations (P = 0.001), young couples` education (P = 0.005), couples’ intimate relationships (P = 0.002), and couples’ satisfaction (P ≤ 0.001). However, there was no significant association between early ejaculation and religious attitude (P = 0.11).
Conclusions: The results revealed a significant relationship between religious attitudes and pre-sex motivation, sexuality, and sexual arousal. Therefore, education on sex-based issues and couples’ intimate relationships, which leads to decreased premature ejaculation and more sexual satisfaction, seem to be necessary. The results of the current study showed a significant relationship between religious attitudes, sexuality and sexual arousal. Also, the need for sex education and emotional intimacy between male and female are necessary to reduce premature ejaculation and enhance sexual satisfaction.
Research Article
Mahboobeh Khorshidifard; Mitra Amini; Mohammad Reza Dehghani; Najaf Zaree; Narjes Pishva; Nahid Zarifsanaiey
Abstract
Background: Education is a process beginning with informing, followed by attitude-making and finally leading to appropriate behavior and performance in trainees. Breastfeeding self-efficacy, as a term, is originated from the social cognitive theory structures of Bandura. This theory refers to one’s ...
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Background: Education is a process beginning with informing, followed by attitude-making and finally leading to appropriate behavior and performance in trainees. Breastfeeding self-efficacy, as a term, is originated from the social cognitive theory structures of Bandura. This theory refers to one’s beliefs and confidence in her/his ability to perform health behaviors like exclusive and successful breastfeeding.
Methods: In this study, 270 pregnant women with gestational age over 30 weeks were selected among those referring to health centers by cluster sampling method. The subjects were randomly divided into 3 groups. One group was considered as the control group and the two other groups were educated through either face to face or small-group methods. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, performance assessment check list, and breastfeeding self-efficacy questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests in SPSS.
Results: Data analysis on breastfeeding self-efficacy showed that there was no significant difference between 3 groups before training. The mean scores of women attending face to face and small-group education were 2.89 and 2.88, which increased to 4.73 and 4.18, respectively. There was a significant difference between the intervention groups after education (P < 0.001). Self-efficacy mean scores after delivery showed that face to face education is more efficient. The results showed that there was a significant association between self-efficacy and performance in mothers (P < 0.001).
Conclusions: Face to face education method has positive effects on infant feeding pattern, mother performance, breastfeeding satisfaction and beliefs as well as self-efficacy.
Research Article
Peter Maina Chege; Elizabeth Nafula Kuria
Abstract
Background: Poor nutrition status has been reported among children from pastoralist communities with dietary practices being a key determinant. One of the major determinants of dietary practices adopted among the children is the nutritional knowledge of the caregivers. There is minimal information on ...
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Background: Poor nutrition status has been reported among children from pastoralist communities with dietary practices being a key determinant. One of the major determinants of dietary practices adopted among the children is the nutritional knowledge of the caregivers. There is minimal information on how nutritional knowledge level among caregivers is associated with dietary practices of children.
Methods: A cross-sectional analytical design was adopted on a randomly selected sample of 138 caregivers from 2 randomly selected sub-locations in Kajiado County, Kenya. An open-ended questionnaire was used to collect information on the caregiver’s nutritional knowledge and the dietary practices of children. The caregivers’ responses on knowledge were scored and analyzed using a likert scale. Data on dietary practices collected using a 24-hour recall was analyzed using the Nutiri-survey computer software.
Results: The nutritional knowledge level for the majority (92.7%) of the caregivers was low (< 40% score). In addition, the dietary practices among the children were poor as depicted by < 3 meals per day taken by 76.1%, low dietary diversity of < 6 food groups per day by 95.7%. This translated to 15.2% not taking adequate energy and over 70% of the children consuming less than the recommended dietary allowances for vitamin A, iron, and zinc. The nutritional knowledge level among caregivers was significantly associated with the dietary practices (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: The dietary practices adopted by the caregivers are poor and are as a result of their low nutritional knowledge on child feeding. This study recommends initiation of programs to educate the caregivers on good nutritional practices.
Research Article
Elham Azmoude; Haniye Behnam; Saeede Barati-Far; Maryam Aradmehr
Abstract
Background: Long-acting and permanent contraceptive methods (LAPMs) are the most effective approaches to reduce fertility. The study of factors associated with the use of LAPMs is one of the key steps in finding the population involved in reduced fertility.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess ...
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Background: Long-acting and permanent contraceptive methods (LAPMs) are the most effective approaches to reduce fertility. The study of factors associated with the use of LAPMs is one of the key steps in finding the population involved in reduced fertility.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess factors affecting the use of LAPMs among married women of reproductive age in Torbat Heydariyeh city, East of Iran.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 304 married women aged 15 - 49 years in Torbat Heydarieh in 2016. Data were collected using demographic and fertility questionnaires. The data were analyzed using SPSS 13 by descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analysis.
Results: The current overall prevalence of using LAPMs was 21.4%. The multivariate analysis showed that utilization of LAMPs was less frequent among the participants with diploma (AOR = 0.357, 95% CI = 0.156 - 0.817) and academic education (AOR = 0.418, 95% CI = 0.174 - 1.003) compared to women who had primary and secondary education. However, the utilization of LAPMs was more frequent in those with high income level (AOR = 8.364, 95% CI = 3.994-17.511) and those with higher number of living children (AOR = 2.247, 95% CI = 1.585-3.187).
Conclusions: The persistent use of LAPMs is largely determined by education and income level and the number of surviving children. Reproductive health programmers can consider this group of women for interventions aiming at improving the fertility rate.
Research Article
Kam Weng Boey; Anna Hoi Nga N G
Abstract
Background: The aging population of Hong Kong is rapidly growing. Although older adults enjoy a relatively long life expectancy, their psychological health is ranked near the bottom in the world.
Objectives: This study assessed the psychological health of older women in Hong Kong and compared it with ...
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Background: The aging population of Hong Kong is rapidly growing. Although older adults enjoy a relatively long life expectancy, their psychological health is ranked near the bottom in the world.
Objectives: This study assessed the psychological health of older women in Hong Kong and compared it with that of older men. It also aimed to examine if demographic characteristics have similar effects on the psychological health of older women and men.
Methods: A standardized questionnaire was administered in face-to-face interviews with 554 participants (288 women and 266 men), aged 70 years or above. Psychological health was measured by the general health questionnaire-30 (GHQ-30), center for epidemiologic studies-depression (CES-D) scale, and life satisfaction index (LSI). Chi square test was performed to examine gender differences in psychological health and determine the relationship between demographic characteristics and psychological health of the elderly.
Results: Compared with older men, a greater proportion of older women were at risk of mild psychiatric problems (22.1% vs. 12.3%, P < 0.001), depression (38.6 vs. 18.8%, P < 0.001), and dissatisfaction with life (38.5% vs. 21.5%, P = 0.002). The correlation of psychological health with age, marital status, and educational attainment was not similar among older women and men.
Conclusions: Health promotion programs should be implemented to reduce health inequalities among men and women. Effectiveness of programs can be enhanced by targeting the elderly whose psychological health is most vulnerable.
Research Article
Maryam Moghani Lankarani; Sureel Shah; Shervin Assari
Abstract
Objectives: This study compared 15 countries for multiplicative effects of gender by education and by income on self-rated health of individuals with chronic medical conditions.
Methods: We analyzed data from the Research on Early Life and Aging Trends and Effects (RELATE) Study. Participants were sampled ...
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Objectives: This study compared 15 countries for multiplicative effects of gender by education and by income on self-rated health of individuals with chronic medical conditions.
Methods: We analyzed data from the Research on Early Life and Aging Trends and Effects (RELATE) Study. Participants were sampled from 15 countries including Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Costa Rica, China, India, Ghana, Russia, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, and the United States. The analytical sample was limited to individuals with at least one chronic medical condition. The main outcome of interest was self-rated health (SRH). Country-specific logistic regressions were used for data analysis. We ran separate models with gender × education and gender × income interactions.
Results: In Ghana, Uruguay, and India, gender moderated the effects of socioeconomic status (SES) on SRH. In Ghana and Uruguay, education and in Mexico and India, income had a stronger effect on SRH for women than men.
Conclusions: Countries vary in gender differences in vulnerability to SES indicators on SRH of patients with chronic medical conditions. Women are more vulnerable than men to the effect of low SES on SRH in Ghana, Uruguay, Mexico, and India.
Brief Report
Sezaneh Haghpanah; Mehran Karimi; Fatemeh Kamali; Hakimeh Tavoosi; Turan Savarnic
Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of nursing educational programs on the awareness of females with β-thalassemia major (β-TM) regarding their disease and reproductive health.
Methods: Thirty-nine consecutive female patients with β-TM (age range between 20 and 32 years) ...
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Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of nursing educational programs on the awareness of females with β-thalassemia major (β-TM) regarding their disease and reproductive health.
Methods: Thirty-nine consecutive female patients with β-TM (age range between 20 and 32 years) participated in this interventional pre-post study. All patients attended the Thalassemia Clinic of Dastgheib hospital, a referral governmental center in Shiraz, Southern Iran. Awareness of patients regarding reproductive health was evaluated by a designed questionnaire. The intervention consisted of nursing educational program regarding important issues related to reproductive health of female patients with beta-TM. Knowledge of patients was revaluated and compared with their knowledge before education. Data were analyzed using SPSS software v.21 using Paired t-test, Pearson correlation test and Mann-Whitney test.
Results: Total awareness score significantly increased after education (mean ± standard deviation (SD): 16.12 ± 1.67 vs. 13.69 ± 2.35, P < 0.001). Increased knowledge of patients after the intervention was not significantly associated with educational level or with age of the patients (P = 0.058 and P = 0.395, respectively).
Conclusions: An educational program can be helpful in increasing awareness of females with β-TM regarding their disease and reproductive health issues resulting in increased life expectancy and quality of life.
