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Background & Aim: Obesity is increasing dramatically world-wide not only in adults, but also in children and adolescents. Nutritional and physical activity behaviors are related to the prevalence of obesity. Determining adolescents&apos behavioral patterns is important in preventing and adjusting this healthy problem. This study was carried out to assess lifestyle behaviors among girl adolescents and to determine the association between these behaviors and perceived parental lifestyle behaviors.

Methods & Materials: In this cross-sectional study, 270 students were selected using multistage random sampling from girls&apos schools in the areas covered by Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected using a questionnaire. Descriptive and analytical tests were used to analyze the data.

Results: Results showed that the mean age was 13.3 (10.7-16) years. Most of the adolescents&apos had normal limits of BMI. Only 9.2% of adolescents had optimal dietary behavior and 4.3% were physically active. There was not significant relationship between their nutritional behavior and their perceptions about parents&apos lifestyle. BMI and parents economic status was related to nutritional behaviors significantly. Physical activity was statistically related to BMI and mothers&apos education.

Conclusion: This study showed that the adolescents&apos nutritional and physical activity behaviors were not healthy. Some factors are related to the adolescents&apos healthy behavior. Teaching healthy behaviors and defining healthy behavioral patterns for adolescent are necessary.

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Background & Objective: Appropriate physical activity help to promote women&aposs health during pregnancy. Providing appropriate educational programs for pregnant women seems to be necessary. This study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of a group educational program on pregnant women&aposs physical activity.

Methods & Materials: This clinical trial was conducted among 280 nulliparous women. The participants were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups. Women in the experimental group participated in eight 90-minute group-based educational classes. Those in the control group received routine care. Data were collected at baseline and at the end of the educational program. Data were analyzed using the Chi-squared test and the t-test in the SPSS.

Results: There were no statistical differences on age, body mass index, education level, employment status, and physical activity between the two groups at baseline. The physical activity score was more in the experiment group (37.38±14.89) in compare with the control group (13.7±11.12) after the intervention (P<0.001).

Conclusion: The group-based educational program seems to promote physical activity during pregnancy. These kinds of programs should be implemented in prenatal clinics.

 

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Background & Aim: Job stress can interfere with endocrine function and result in dysfunctional menstrual bleeding patterns. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between job stress with menstrual bleeding pattern among midwives.

Methods & Materials: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 150 midwives working in hospitals and health centers of Mashhad using two-stage sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire including demographic characteristics, Karazek Job Content, a daily diary for menstrual periods to record duration and interval of periods, and the Higham Chart for recording the bleeding amount. The diary was completed for three menstrual periods. Collected data were analyzed using independent t-student, one way ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U, Chi-squared test, correlation test and linear regression in the SPSS-14.

Results: The findings showed that 21.3% of the midwives reported mild job stress, 19.3% had moderate stress and 59.3% reported severe job stress. Mean of the duration of the periods was 7.06 days, the mean interval of the periods was 27.9 days and the mean amount of bleeding was 79.72 cc. There was a significant relationship between job stress and the duration and interval of periods (P<0.001). There was not any significant relationship between job stress with the amount of bleeding.

Conclusion: Our study showed that job stress was related to menstrual bleeding patterns among midwives. It is necessary introduce strategies to decrease job stress and provide professional support for midwives.

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  Background & Aim: Quality of work life seems to have impact on employees' job satisfaction, job involvement, job performance, turnover, and organizational transformation. This study aimed to assess the relationship between job satisfaction with the components of quality of work life among midwives in mashhad .

  Methods & Materials: This was a correlational study conducted among 230 midwives in mashhad in 2014. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, Walton's quality of work life, and the Minnesota job satisfaction questionnaire. Validity of the questionnaires was confirmed by 10 experts. The reliability was confirmed by alpha Cronbach. Data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics, Pearson, Spearman and ANOVA tests in the SPSS-19 . 

  Results: The overall quality of work life and job satisfaction had significant positive correlations (P<0.001 r_p=0.525 ). The job satisfaction had correlation with fair and adequate payment (r_p=0.277 P <0.001), safe working conditions (r_p=0.274 P <0.001), proper opportunity promotion ( r_p=0.306 P <0.001), o verall space of life ( r_p=0.327 P <0.001), job lawfulness ( r_p=0.233 P <0.001), social dependence in the work life ( r_p=0.207 P <0.001), s ocial cohesion in the organization (r_p=0.352 P <0.001), and proper opportunities to develop human capabilities (r_p=0.259 P <0.001) .

  Conclusion: Higher quality of work life is correlated with the higher job satisfaction. Managers can plan and implement appropriate strategies to promote components of quality of work life of midwives to provide efficient health services .

  

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Background & Aim: Mechanical ventilation is one of the most common treatments in neonatal intensive care unit and is however associated with many complications. One of the ways to reduce complications is providing nursing care according to standards. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the conformity of nursing care related to weaning neonates from mechanical ventilation to the standards in neonatal intensive care units.

Methods & Materials: In this descriptive study (the audit), 105 nursing cares related to weaning neonates from mechanical ventilation in neonatal intensive care units at the selected hospitals affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences were selected and observed by the event sampling method in 2015. Data were gathered through a demographic questionnaire for nurses and hospitalized newborns, a checklist of nursing care related to weaning from mechanical ventilation. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test at the significance level less than 0.05.

Results: Conformity rate of nursing care related to weaning neonates from mechanical ventilation to standards, was 68.3 percent, and compliance with the standards of care was 71.4 percent before weaning, 65.7 percent during weaning and 66.4 percent after weaning.

Conclusion: Nursing cares related to weaning neonates from mechanical ventilation are far from standards, and for its improvement, applying clinical guideline for neonatal nursing care and clinical supervision by managers for optimizing its implementation are suggested.

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Background & Aim: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sensorimotor disorder that is frequently observed in patients with multiple sclerosis. This study aimed to determine the effect of stretching exercises on the severity of restless legs syndrome symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Methods & Materials: This quasi-experimental study with control group (IRCT2016041627427N1) was conducted on 60 patients with multiple sclerosis (30 in the intervention group and 30 in the control group) referred to the multiple sclerosis society of Kermanshah in 2015. “The demographic questionnaire”, “the symptoms of restless legs syndrome and their severity”, and “exercise recording form” were used to collect the data. The intervention group was taught the correct way to exercise during four half-hour sessions. The severity of RLS symptoms was measured before the intervention and the end of the fourth and eighth weeks. Data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS software version 20.

Results: Before the intervention, the mean score for the severity of RLS symptoms was respectively 19.08±8.12 and 17.42±5.24 in the intervention and control groups (P=0.569). One month (P=0.002) and two months after the intervention (P<0.001), the score was changed to 9.70±5.24 and 7.08±4.08 in the intervention group and 17.61±5.31 and 17.92±5.52 in the control group.

Conclusion: Stretching exercises can improve the severity of RLS symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis. Therefore, the stretching exercises program is recommended for this group of patients.

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Background & Aim: The delay in childbearing is associated with a reduction in the total fertility rate and increase in the risk of pregnancy at an older age. Social learning theory has mostly been used to clarify the interaction between personal and environmental factors and behavior. In order to understand the factors underlying delayed childbearing, the present study aimed to predict the factors affecting the delay in first childbearing among young married women using the Bandura’s social learning theory.
Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional correlational study was conducted on 284 married women referred to the health centers and OB/GYN clinics of teaching hospitals in Mashhad in 2015-2016. The data collecting tool was comprised of five questionnaires regarding to personal and social factors. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Pearson and Spearman correlation co-efficient, linear regression and multivariate regression using the SPSS software version 16.
Results: The mean age of participants was 27.99±4.2, and the mean interval between marriage and the first child was 3.22±1.96, which was 1.25 years more than that of ideal spacing between marriage and childbirth. Multiple linear regressions showed negative and positive fertility motivations, perceived maternal self-efficacy, martial relationship, the number of sisters and childbearing-related religious beliefs had a significant effect on the interval between marriage and first childbirth (P<0.01).
Conclusion: The individual and environmental factors predicting delay in the first reproductive behavior were identified using the Bandura's social learning theory. The both factors should be considered in designing intervention programs for increasing fertility rate.
 

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Background & Aim: Stoma in children causes physiological and psychological changes and reduces self-esteem and quality of life. The aim of study is to determine the effectiveness of self-care skills training on self-esteem and quality of life in 8-12 year old children with stoma.
Methods & Materials: This study is a non-randomized clinical trial with pretest and posttest design, performed in selected hospitals (Mofid, Hazrat Ali Asghar and Medical Center) in Tehran in 2016-17. A total of 36 children aged 12-8 years with stoma, were selected using the convenience sampling method and divided into two groups of intervention (n=18) and control (n=18). Self-care skills training was performed in six sessions of 45 minutes for the intervention group. The control group received routine care. The Cooper Smith questionnaire and the Kindle quality of life questionnaire were used in this study. Data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics using the SPSS software version 16.
Results: The repeated measures analysis of variance showed a significant difference in the quality of life score means over time (P<0.005) and between the two groups of intervention and control (P<0.015). Also, there was a significant difference in the self-esteem score means over time (P=0.004) and between the intervention and control groups (P=0.004).
Conclusion: Self-care skills training for 8-12 year-old children with stoma, has increased their self-esteem and quality of life. Therefore, nurses can use self-care skills training for similar patients.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT20160802029166N2
 

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Background & Aim: Menopause is a period in women’s lives with complications and consequences that can reduce the quality of life. The most common complications are vasomotor disorders which can affect sleep, life enjoyment, social activities and work. The usual treatment for these effects is hormone therapy but due to its side effects, most people tend to have complication-free treatments. One of these strategies is nutritional measures. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of group counseling about the nutritional measures of Iranian traditional medicine on vasomotor disorders in postmenopausal women.
Methods & Materials: This clinical trial study with multistage sampling was performed in 2018-2019 on 62 postmenopausal women referred to health center number 2 in Mashhad. Two health centers were selected as control or intervention group by Heads or Tails method in order to prevent the dissemination of the material. The intervention group received three sessions of the group counseling about the nutritional measures of Iranian traditional medicine. There was no intervention for the control group. The data collection tool was a questionnaire on the quality of life in menopause that was completed two months before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed on the SPSS software version 24 using independent t-test, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney, and Wilcoxon tests.
Results: There was no significant difference in the mean score of vasomotor between the two groups before the intervention (P>0.05) but after the intervention, the difference between the mean score of vasomotor before and after the intervention was -2.18±4.08 for the intervention group and 0.59±3.30 for the control group. A significant decrease in the vasomotor score was observed in the intervention group compared to the control group (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Group counseling about the nutritional measures of Iranian traditional medicine can help reduce vasomotor disorders.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT20180626040239N1
 

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Background & Aim: 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.
Methods & Materials: 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.
Results: 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).
Conclusion: 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
 

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Background & Aim: Physiological and psychological needs of intensive care unit (ICU) patients are not met due to lack of effective communication. To facilitate communication, nurses can use augmentative and alternative communication strategies (AACs). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of using these strategies on the quality of nurses’ communication with patients with endotracheal intubation in the cardiac surgery intensive care units.
Methods & Materials: In this quasi-experimental intervention study with before-after design, 70 patients (35 at each stage) who were unable to communicate verbally after heart surgery due to intubation were recruited by the convenience sampling method, and also 10 nurses in the cardiac surgery ICU were randomly selected. In the pre-intervention stage, nurses communicated with patients using conventional methods, and after training in the post-intervention stage, using AACs. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics through the SPSS software version 22.
Results: The lowest content of communication in the pre- and post-intervention stages was related to emotions, the frequency of which was higher in the post-intervention stage compared to the pre-intervention stage. The most commonly used methods in the post-intervention phase were the communication board and head gesture. In both stages, communication was mostly initiated by the patient. In the post-intervention stage, the number of times the nurse started the communication increased (P<0.05). In the post-intervention phase, patients’ and nurses’ satisfaction with communication increased (P=0.0001).
Conclusion: Training nurses about AACs and using them for the ICU patients increase the success of communication and patients’ and nurses’ satisfaction with communication. Therefore, the use of these strategies in these wards is recommended to nurses and nursing managers.

 

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Background & Aim: Stroke, as the primary and most critical cerebrovascular condition, is known as a leading cause of disability and mortality. Timely and appropriate care plays an important role in reducing death and associated complications. The purpose of this research is to assess the knowledge and adherence of emergency nurses to tissue plasminogen activator guidelines for patients with stroke.
Methods & Materials: In this descriptive study, a random quota sampling method was employed to select participants. A total of 170 emergency department nurses in Tabriz hospitals in 2023 self-administered knowledge and adherence scales. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, employing t-test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation coefficient.
Results: The mean (SD) age of the nurses was 34.24±6.57 years, with a majority (101 nurses, 59.4%) having completed courses on the process and activation of Code-724. The mean scores for nurses' knowledge and adherence to tissue plasminogen activator guidelines were 52.67±10.37 (range score: 0-100) and 68.14±5.18 (range score: 15-75), respectively. A positive yet weak relationship was observed between nurses' knowledge and adherence to the guidelines (r=0.263, P=0.332). No significant association was found between nurses' socio-demographic characteristics and their knowledge and adherence scores (P>0.05).
Conclusion: The findings revealed suboptimal scores in nurses' knowledge and adherence to tissue plasminogen activator guidelines for stroke patients. Given the importance of adequate knowledge for adherence to guidelines, it is suggested to implement essential training and supervision measures for nurses.