Journal of School of Public Health and

  Background and Aim: Current traditional research methods for solving social problems were challenged due to limited participation of community . The health companion project was carried out with the aim of determining effective model of community participation for solving health problems in Boyerahmad and Dena township. .

  Materials and Methods : This study is a community based participatory research performed in Kohgiloyeh and Boyerahmad province 2005-2009.The study population was the entire rural and urban households of Boyerahmad and Dena county.The strategic committee of project including academic researchers, managers of health and health related sectors was formed and this committee selected six regions for research activities. In each region local directing group "health companion " was established with participation of stakeholders: academic researchers, local leaders, health providers and public representatives to guide all aspects of project. The members of the group empowered and enabled by attending training workshops for need assessment, priority setting, research methodology that through these activities the health problem priorities of the regions were recognized, the research area determined and intervention programs were designed and implemented according to these research area.

  Results: The most important achievement of this project is the methods of activities to reaching goals. Implementation of six participatory interventional proposal for solving health problems and needs are the other achievement. The frequency and means of health problems and their risk factors significantly reduced after the completion of intervention program in each region.

  Conclusion: Establishing and activities of health companion groups followed model of Planned Approach to Community Health (PATCH) that help community to form health promotion team, collecting and organizing of data, choosing health priorities, developing a comprehensive intervention plan and evaluation .

  Background and Aim: The role of nutritional quality of the diet in the development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) is not yet well understood. The aim of the present study was to determine the association between index of nutritional quality (INQ) and MS.

  Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 70 patients with a definitive diagnosis of MS in the preceding year and 140 frequency-matched hospital controls were selected from among 20-50 year-old patients referred to Sina and Lolagar hospitals in Tehran. The subjects’ dietary intakes were assessed using a valid and reliable semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. INQs for all the nutrients were then calculated for every participant, and logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratios for having MS in relation to every nutrient’s INQ.

  Results: After adjusting for potential confounders, it was seen that subjects who had higher INQs for alpha-linolenic acid, vitamins A, D, K, B₁, B₂, B₅, B₆, folate, B₁₂, and C, and minerals calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and potassium were less likely (p<0.05) to have MS as compared to subjects with lower INQs for these nutrients.

  Conclusion: The findings of the present study show inverse associations between the INQ of many nutrients and risk of having MS. Therefore, it seems that overall improvement of the nutritional quality of the diet might be an appropriate approach for prevention of this disease.

Background and Aim: Self-medication, as a common risky health behavior, has financial and non-financial costs for Iranians.  This study aimed at determining the situation of self-medication and factors influencing it among women in Yasuj, Iran.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 192 women referred to urban health care centers in Yasuj, selected randomly from the existing health files at the centers. Data were collected using a standard questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model and analyzed by SPSS 16 statistical software.

Results: The most widely used medicines for self-medication were those for common cold and antibiotics from among over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and prescription-only-medicines (POM), respectively. Perceived susceptibility (17.63± 3.46) was the main construct associated with self-medication among women.

Conclusion: Once the causes of self-medication and its relationship with the Health Belief Model constructs are known, designing and implementing educational programs aiming at promoting awareness and perception of population groups, especially women, seems necessary.