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INTRODUCTION:Nowadays with respect to the automation of the lifestyle, immobility statistics in middle-aged women has increased and they are at risk for complications of immobility. One of the models used to identify factors associated with physical activity is Health Belief Model utilized in different age and different cultural backgrounds and different results have been obtained from those studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting on physical activity in middle-aged women using Health Belief Model.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This descriptive-correlation study was conducted on 224 middle-aged women referring to health centers in Isfahan. Health Belief Model structures including perceived susceptibility and severity, perceived barriers and benefits, and self-efficacy were measured by questionnaire and physical activity was assessed using the international physical activity questionnaire. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficient test and regression analysis.RESULTS:There wasn’t significant correlation between perceived susceptibility (P = 0.263, r = 0.075) and perceived severity with physical activity duration (P = 0.127, r = 0.058) but there was positive and weak correlation between physical activity duration with perceived benefits (P = 0.001 and r = 0.26) and perceived self-efficacy (P = 0.001, r = 0.54) and had weak and inverse correlation with perceived barriers (P = 0.001, r = -0.25). Regression analysis also showed that from among all the Health Belief Model structures just self-efficacy structure has influenced on behavior independently and other structures are affected by it.CONCLUSION:The obtained results implied on a correlation between benefits, barriers and perceived self-efficacy with and moderate physical activity. Therefore it is necessary to develop appropriate educational programs with emphasis on structures of Health Belief Model that has the maximum impact on physical activity in middle-aged women.

BackgroundPrevalence of breast cancer in Asian developing countries is much lower than western developed countries. The main aim of this study was to measure breast cancer prevalence in a defined population of Iran.MethodsA total of 25201 women who were under coverage of “Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation (IKRF)”, which is an organization for delivering supportive social and cultural services to the deprived and poor subgroups of the society, were involved in the study. The study was conducted during years 2007 and 2008. All subjects were interviewed for their socio-demographic features and underwent precise clinical and para-clinical breast examination.ResultsMean age was 47 years with standard deviation 10 ranging from 11 to 88 years. Subjects were from deprived subgroups of the community; were mainly illiterate or had primary school education (86%) and majority of them (93%) had their first full-term pregnancy at age less than 26 years and also were multiparous. With confirmed diagnosis by breast biopsy, breast cancer prevalence was 0.15% (95%CI; 0.10-0.20).ConclusionCompared with developed countries, Asian developing countries have been at a lower risk of breast cancer development. It is seen that more deprived subgroups are at much lower risk. The more industrialized life is accompanied with more hazards.

Introduction: The restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder in patients undergoing hemodialysis. This syndrome causes individual’s disturbed rest, discomfort, and stress, and secondarily to weakened functioning and disturbance in occupational activities and familial life. Objectives: The present study aimed at investigate the effect of vibration on the severity of the manifestation of symptoms of RLS in hemodialysis patients. Patients and Methods: This is an interventional before-after study conducted on 80 patients with RLS in hemodialysis wards of Yazd hospitals. The samples were selected randomly and intervention was performed on the patients as vibration for 10 minutes three times per week during 4 succeeding weeks. The questionnaire of severity of RLS was completed before the study and at the last day of intervention before and after vibration. The data were analyzed with SPSS 23 using descriptive statistics and paired t test (P<0.05). Results: Our findings showed that most patients were at the moderate level of severity of symptoms before (68.8%) and after (78.8%) intervention and there was a significant difference in the mean score of RLS between before (18.99) and after (12.82) intervention (P=0.001). Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that vibration decreases the severity of symptoms of RLS in hemodialysis patients. Hence, it is recommended that vibration be used as a cost-effective and safe procedure to improve the symptoms of RLS in this group of patients.

Background:Irregular growth of population is considered as a serious threat to the international community. It is a major obstacle for socioeconomic development. One of the methods to control the population is by providing effective methods of contraception. Vasectomy, as a simple and effective contraceptive method, has been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is very important to involve men in the control of population and the promotion of reproductive health.Aims:This study was conducted with the aim of describing the experiences of the men who underwent vasectomy.Materials and Methods:This qualitative study was performed by using a phenomenological research design. The sample consisted of 14 vasectomized men selected through purposive sampling method. In-depth and open interviews with participants were conducted to collect the data.Results:The results were transcribed and recorded in comprehensive field notes. Colaizzi's method was used to analyze the data. Four themes emerged from the obtained results of the present study, which described the structure of the experiences of men as follows: Opinions about vasectomy, own perceptions about vasectomy, experiences with the procedure, and recommendation of vasectomy to others.Conclusion:Vasectomy can influence achievement of family planning goals and participation of men in this regard. The results of this study can help the planners and health-care providers for appropriate interventions, and training and counseling programmers to increase the acceptability and uptake of vasectomy in the society.

Background:Considering the important role of education and the benefits of peer education in increasing patients' independence in self-care, as well as the socio-economic benefit of using peer education, the present study was conducted to assess the effect of peer education on the quality of life (QOL) of elderly people with diabetes.Materials and Methods:This clinical trial was conducted with 44 diabetic people aged over 65 years in selected health centers of Isfahan, Iran, in 2014. After preparing the peer group, 8 educational sessions were held for the participants of the groups by their peers (intervention group) and by the researcher (control group). The Diabetes Quality-of-Life (DQOL) measure was used to assess their QOL before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention.Results:The difference between the groups in terms of the total quality of life score immediately after the intervention was significant (t = 8.63; p = 0.001). The results showed that the QOL score in the dimensions of worries about diabetes effects (t = 12.13, p = 0.042), impact of diabetes treatment, (t = 8.63, p = 0.001), and satisfaction with diabetes treatment (t = 11.33, p = 0.001) was significantly different in the groups immediately after the intervention.Conclusions:Peer education increased the QOL of patients with diabetes, with significantly better results than the researcher training group immediately after the training. Thus, this method can be used to improve the QOL of the aged population.

Introduction: Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a common sensory disturbance in hemodialysis patients causing mental disorders, sleep disturbances, and other problems. Objectives: This study compared the effects of massage and vibration on sleep quality and severity of symptoms of RLS in hemodialysis patients. Patients and Methods: This cross-over clinical trial was conducted on 80 hemodialysis patients with RLS who were assigned into two groups randomly. The first group received massage and the second group received vibration. Each group received the related intervention for one month three times per week each session lasting 10 minutes. One month after the first intervention, the interventions were changed in a cross-over design between the two groups. The severity of symptoms of RLS and sleep quality were assessed before and after interventions using the related questionnaire. Results: The means of severity of symptoms of RLS and sleep quality showed a significant improvement after both interventions of vibration and massage (P<0.001). Additionally, a significant difference was observed in the means of severity of RLS and sleep quality after interventions between two groups hence vibration exerted a greater effect on improving the symptoms of RLS and sleep quality in patients compared to massage (P=0.001). Conclusion: Our findings suggested that both vibration and massage reduce the mean of severity of RLS and improve sleep quality in hemodialysis patients, with vibration exerting a greater effect compared to massage.

Ethanol that affects hydration of skin and used in wound treatment formulations was studied here for its effect on permeation of drugs through burn eschar and to investigate the presence of a porous pathway in this barrier. In this study, permeations of clindamycin phosphate (CP, hydrophilic) and diazepam (lipophilic) through human burn eschar were investigated in the presence and absence of ethanol. Permeability coefficients (K(p) ) of CP and diazepam through hydrated eschar were calculated to be 13·1 × 10(-3) and 17·4 × 10(-3) cm/h respectively. These K(p) values were decreased by about 1·5-5·3 and 2-10·7 times respectively upon the addition of 20-70% ethanol. Increased amount of ethanol decreased permeation flux of CP (2-20 times) and increased that of diazepam (3-80 times) from saturated solutions. Thermal analysis showed that ethanol dehydrates eschar and also changes its internal proteineous structure. Such changes were concluded to be the main reasons behind decreased K(p) of both drugs. Comparison of K(p) data suggests the possibility and importance of a pore pathway in permeation of both drugs through the hydrated burn eschar. Present results show that ethanol, and possibly other dehydrating agents, can decrease the permeability of eschar and that this effect should be considered in formulation developments.