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Background & Aim: Prostate carcinoma is the most common cancer among men and the second lethal cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the prostate cancer screening behaviors and its related cognitive psychological factors among men over 50 years of age using the health belief model.
Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional study was performed on 300 men over 50 years of age in Hamadan, selected by cluster sampling method. Data collecting tool was a questionnaire consisted of three sections: demographic information, prostate cancer screening behaviors and health belief model constructs. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and logistic regression through the SPSS software version 18.
Results: Findings revealed that 12% and 9% of the participants reported having a digital rectal examination (DRE) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing respectively. Perceived benefits and perceived barriers were the predictors of prostate cancer screening behaviors (P<0.05). Also, there was a significant relationship between prostate cancer screening behaviors and age and a history of prostate problems (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Given that the health belief model is effective in predicting prostate cancer screening behaviors, using these findings in designing educational interventions for people over 50 is recommended.
 

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Background & Aim: Insufficient health literacy is a major barrier to self-care in patients with heart failure. The purpose of this study was to determine relationship between health literacy and self-care behaviors in patients with heart failure.
Methods & Materials: In this correlational study, 100 patients with heart failure who were referred to teaching hospitals in Qom were selected through the convenience sampling method in 2017. The data collection tools were the heart failure-specific health literacy scale, the self-care of heart failure index (SCHFI) and the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple liner regression analysis on the SPSS software version 16.
Results: More than half of the patients had a moderate level of self-care. The highest and lowest health literacy scores were respectively related to critical health literacy (10.47±2.56) and functional health literacy (9.14±3.74). The result of multiple regression analysis showed that only functional health literacy was a better predictor of self-care behaviors in patients with heart failure (β=0.30, P=0.014).
Conclusion: The findings showed that functional health literacy was an important predictor of self-care behaviors among patients with heart failure. It seems necessary to design effective interventions in order to improve patients’ skills for analyzing functional information and decision making in self-care.
 

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Background & Aim: Prostate cancer is one of the most common causes of death from cancers in men. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of an educational intervention based on protection motivation theory (PMT) on prostate cancer prevention behaviors in men 50 to 75 years old.
Methods & Materials: This study is a randomized controlled trial with control group conducted on 100 men referred to the retirement centers in Hamadan in 2017. Participants were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly divided into two experimental (n=50) and control groups (n=50). A self-administered questionnaire including demographic information and PMT constructs was completed by the participants. Educational intervention was administered over four sessions in the experimental group. The questionnaires were completed by the two groups two months after the intervention. Data were analyzed by the SPSS software version 16 using independent t-test, Chi-square and the analysis of covariance.
Results: Before the intervention, the two groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic characteristics and the PMT constructs (perceived rewards, perceived response cost, fear, perceived self-efficacy), and cancer screening behavior. The intervention could improve all the PMT constructs in the experimental group compared to the control group. Also, Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) screening behavior was 38(76) in the experimental group and 16(32) in the control group (P<0.001).
Conclusion: The results of the study showed that protection motivation theory can be used as a framework for designing educational programs to perform prostate cancer screening.
 

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Background & Aim: Operating room personnel are always exposed to blood-borne infections because of Needlestick Injuries (NSIs). Thus, this study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of an educational intervention to promote NSIs preventive behaviors among the operating room personnel based on the health belief model (HBM).
Methods & Materials: This is an interventional study with a pre-test/post-test, control group design, conducted on 90 operating room personnel (45 personnel in each group) from four hospitals in Hamadan City in 2018. The participants completed a self-administered questionnaire including demographic and professional variables and HBM constructs. The intervention included four educational sessions held for the experimental group within one month. Both groups were followed up for three months after the intervention. Data were analyzed by the SPSS software version 18 using independent t-test, chi-square, Fisher exact test, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).
Results: The results showed that before the educational intervention, there was no statistically significant difference in the mean scores of HBM constructs between the experimental and control groups (P>0.05). However, after the educational intervention, both the experimental and control groups had a statistically significant difference between before and after changes in the mean scores of knowledge, perceived vulnerability, perceived benefits, perceived self-efficacy, and NSIs preventive behaviors (P<0.05).
Conclusion: According to the results, applying the educational intervention based on the HBM is an appropriate and effective approach in preventing NSIs among the operating room personnel.
 

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Background & Aim: Following hypoactive sexual desire disorder, orgasmic disorder is the most commonly reported sexual dysfunction in women. Consultation based on an integrated approach is one of the suitable methods for treating this problem. Considering the prevalence, importance and impact of orgasmic disorder on the quality of individual, family and social life in women, the study aimed at investigating the effect of integrated consultation based on the Ex-PLISSIT model on women's orgasmic disorder.
Methods & Materials: This randomized clinical trial was performed on 60 women with orgasmic disorder referred to the women's clinic of Arash Women's Comprehensive Hospital in Tehran in 2019. Samples were randomly assigned either to intervention or control group. The intervention was done in the form of individual counseling sessions using an integrated approach based on the Ex-PLISSIT model. Data collection tool included the Female Orgasm Scale. Orgasm rate, satisfaction with the number of orgasms, and satisfaction with orgasm quality were assessed before the intervention, 4 and 8 weeks after the intervention. Data were analyzed by Chi-square test, Fisher exact test, independent t-test, repeated measures analysis of variance and analysis of covariance using the SPSS software version 21.
Results: The two groups were homogeneous in the demographic variables (P>0.05). The mean scores of the number of orgasms, satisfaction with the number of orgasms and satisfaction with orgasm quality were not significantly different between the two groups before the intervention (P>0.05). However, 4 and 8 weeks after the intervention, mean scores of the number of orgasms, satisfaction with the number of orgasms, and satisfaction with orgasm quality showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05), and in both times the mean scores in the intervention group was significantly higher than those of in the control group.
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed the positive effect of integrated consultation based on Ex-PLISSIT model on orgasm rate, satisfaction with the number of orgasms and satisfaction with orgasm quality in women.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT20160808029255N