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Zohreh Keshavarz, Masoumeh Simbar, Ali Ramezankhani, Hamid Alavi Majd,
Volume 9, Issue 3 (6 2012)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Breast and cervical cancer screening is considered a health promotion behavior, influenced by complex factors. The theory of planned behavior provides a useful framework for predicting and understanding the health behavior and designing appropriate educational interventions. Integrating this theory with self-efficacy will increase its predictive value. The objective of this qualitative research project was to understand the factors influencing the behavior of breast and cervical cancer screening of female-workers as a base for future educational planning.
Materials and Methods: This was a qualitative approach research based on the Integrated Model of Planned Behavior and Self-Efficacy. Seventy 20-45 year-old women working in industrial plants in Abbasabad, Pakdasht, selected by purposeful sampling with maximum diversity participated, in 10 groups of 7 each, in focus-group discussions, in which they discussed their experience regarding factors influencing the behavior of breast and cervical cancer screening. Data were collected and their validity, conformability, transferability and dependability confirmed. For data analysis the conventional method of content analysis was used.
Results: The female workers had a low knowledge and attitude concerning the behavior of breast and cervical cancer screening. Attaching importance to comments given by the family members, especially the husband, and preference of treatment to prevention of disease in the society at large were the subjective norms of the female workers. The most important barriers to participating in screening programs were lack of knowledge, depression, fatigue, embarrassment and fear of examinations, fear of being sick, poor quality of services and lack of attention to privacy in health centers, limited access to health centers, and costs of tests. The female workers had a low self-efficacy for planning and overcoming barriers. Most of them had not had screening tests and had no intention of doing their screening tests in the following three month.
Conclusion: The following measures are recommended: designing and implementing specific educational programs in workplaces for female-workers aiming at increasing their awareness and positive attitudes towards breast and cervical cancer screening designing and implementing educational/training programs for families, employers and planners to increase their knowledge and attitude and facilitating women's access to health centers in industrial estates.
Arezou Fallahi, Fazl Allah Ghofranipour, Fazl Allah Ahmadi, Beheshteh Malekafzali, Ebrahim Hajizadeh,
Volume 10, Issue 4 (18 2013)
Abstract
Background and aim: Oral and dental diseases limit an individual&aposs activities at the school, work place and home, leading to a loss of millions of work and school hours all over the world. The period of adolescence is critical as regards shaping of healthy behaviors related to oral and dental diseases. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe school pupils&apos viewpoints on factors influencing development of dental caries.
Materials and Methods: A qualitative study with a content analysis approach was conducted to collect the perspectives of 18 Iranian students in 8 guidance schools selected by purposive sampling. Structured and semi-structured interviews were held to collect data. An informed consent was obtained and the interviews were recorded and transcribed. The data was analyzed through an inductive approach of content analysis. In order to support the validity and rigor of the data, different criteria such as acceptability, confirmability and transferability were utilized.
Results: Data analysis could identify four major factors influencing dental caries development: "family interactions in dental health", "role of school in caring for teeth", "role of dentists in caring for teeth" and "effect of education in caring for teeth". The factors influencing caring for teeth and mouth had a greater significance.
Conclusion: The students&apos experiences, as observed in this study, can help in developing mutual trust between students and dentists, delivering better services in schools by relevant organizations, and designing more effective oral health interventions, with due consideration of vital role of the parents.
Zahra Panjali, Ali Akbar Asgharinezhad, Homeira Ebrahimzadeh, Mehdi Rezvani, Rasoul Yarahmadi, Seyed Jamaleddin Shahtaheri,
Volume 13, Issue 1 (6-2015)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Exposure to heavy metals always causes serious health problems in people working in the industry. Heavy metals may interfere with enzyme functioning or accumulate in specific body organs, leading to various health problems. Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal widely used in various industries and, therefore, workers in metal industries are at risk of exposure to it.
Materials and Methods: A solid-phase sorbent was synthesized and factors influencing its sorption and elution steps were optimized (R>95%). The validated sorbent (chemically, physically and as regards reproducibility) was used to determine the cadmium content of the worker`s urines.
Results: Optimized conditions for sorption and elution step were found to be as follows: pH= 7 sorption and elution time (both)= 5 min elution volume= 6 mL, and elution concentration= 2 mol L-1. The great selectivity and the nano-particle size of the sorbent resulted in its highly precise performance (0.6ppb) and high validity and accuracy (CV<3%).
Conclusion: Using the nano-magnetic sorbent technique and some such laboratory methods as flame atomic absorption spectroscopy, one can easily measure trace amounts of heavy metals in urine. This technique is relatively less expensive and rapid since, when using it, one can omit the filtration and centrifugation steps.
Narges Salehnia, Hamed Mokhtari Torshizi, Hassan Ama Bandeh Gharaei, Seyed Mohammad Seyedi,
Volume 20, Issue 1 (6-2022)
Abstract
Background and Aim: In addition to health costs, institutions are a factor influencing directly and indirectly the promotion of health in a country. Air pollution, the main cause of which is the industry and in the control and reduction of which the governments have an important role, is another important factor affecting the health situation in a country. This paper reports the results of a study on the health impact of institutions, considering health costs and air pollution.
Materials and Methods: The impact of institutions on health in 38 developing countries during the period 2006-2018 was determined using the threshold panel method, health proxy life expectancy index and good governance index as the quality of institutions and explanatory variables of misery, per capita income, health costs and happiness. Based on the CO2 threshold variable, the sample was divided into two homogeneous regimes and the model was obtained with EVIEWS (10) and Stata (15) software packages.
Results: The findings indicate that the governance index and happiness in both regimes are significantly positive. Health costs in the upper group were found not to be significant and in the lower group to have little effect on health. In addition, income was significant in both regimes, though with little effect. Finally, the misery index was also found to be significant, but its coefficient in the lower group was not in line with the relevant theories.
Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, institutions in developing countries play a major role and form a causal chain among other sectors which are very important in promoting health of the populations. Therefore, in order to promote health in these countries policies should be designed and implemented for institutional improvements.
Seyedeh Sahar Ghaemmaghami Hezaveh, Rasul Nasiri, Mohamad Reza Masoudinezhad, Saeed Motassadi Zarandi, Morteza Tahamipour,
Volume 21, Issue 4 (3-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Cement production is the source of 7% of global CO2 emissions. In order to reduce emissions by 0.7% annually until 2030, the cement industries can adopt the circular economy model. The present study aimed to assess the environmental sustainability of the Sufian cement industry based on the circular economy model.
Materials and Methods: Based on the circular economy model of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, this research was conducted in three steps in the Sufian Cement Factory in 2021-22: Step1. Data were collected on fuel consumption, electricity, water, production waste, released gases and costs; Step 2. Based on literature review and experts opinions strategies and solutions to move towards a circular economy were determined; Step 3. The index of linearity and rotation in the current and future state was calculated for the Sufian cement industry.
Results: The data obtained showed that the Sufian cement industry is currently heavily dependent on primary raw materials and operates in a linear economy. Implementing the recommended strategies would be expected to reduce the linearity index to below 1 and increase the rotation index to above 0.1. These findings indicate a positive shift towards a circular economy.
Conclusion: The findings of this study reveal that the Sufian cement industry is currently totally based on linear economy, but it can, through implementing the relevant strategies, potentially transit to a circular economy, which will increase the factory’s net profit, protect resources and reduce CO2 emissions.
Seyedeh Kamelia Davoodzadeh, Seyyed Jafar Moosavi, Farshad Emami, Somaieh Borjalilu,
Volume 22, Issue 4 (3-2025)
Abstract
Background and Aim: This study aimed to design a qualitative model of the role of media in the development of home-based sports during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Materials and Methods: This was an interpretivism research with a qualitative approach (Grounded theory). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 experts in sports sciences and media selected purposefully using the snowball technique. The interviews were analyzed both textually and aurally using the MAXQDA 2024 software. To ensure research validity, expert knowledge of the participants and external review of the coding by two specialists in physical education were used. The inter-coder reliability was assessed using recoding reliability, resulting in a coefficient of 0.82.
Results: Analysis of the interviews yielded 405 meaningful units, ultimately categorized into 32 final codes which were identified into five main dimensions based on the systematic paradigm of Strauss and Corbin and in line with the design of the model, including causal conditions (infrastructural limitations, sociocultural impacts), contextual factors (media coordination with sports institutions), intervening factors (technical challenges in content production), strategies (digital interaction, platform development), and consequences (engagement in online exercise, media economic sustainability). The findings of the qualitative model showed that the expansion of digital media and shifts in the audience behavior played a central role in the development of home-based sports.
Conclusion: Developing home-based sports requires purposeful investments in digital platforms, contents tailored to the audience needs, and leveraging digital data and analytics. In addition, the media must also strengthen their collaborations with sports institutions and revise their strategic approaches, considering the current technical challenges and economic constraints.
