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Background: Due to the increasing Iran's aging population, designing a home care model is necessary. However, the data on designing the home care model for elderly adults among developing countries are limited. This study will be carried out to develop a formal home-based care model for elderly adults in Iran., Methods: This multi-method study will include three phases: First, Mixed-methods sequential explanatory study including two steps: One, survey to determine the prevalence of dependence on formal and informal caregivers among people aged ≥ 60 years living in Tabriz metropolis; and two, content analysis approach includes face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with the older adults receiving formal care at home, their caregivers and relevant key informants on the characteristics of care and caregiver, challenges and expectations of standard care. In phase 2, a scoping review will be used to find out the components of home care in other countries, such as care provider organization, caregivers training, and financing. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, Google scholar databases and grey literature will be run to retrieve relevant evidence using proper MeSH terms. In phase3, the triangulation method (using the results of the previous phases, reviewing national upstream documents and the focus group discussion) will be done to reach consensus and design the initial model for the Iranian context. In the following, a Delphi study will be conducted on the validation and feasibility of the developed model., Discussion: The current health infrastructure in Iran is focused on caring for younger people, despite the near future population aging. Most studies have addressed the challenges of geriatric care, but no study has addressed the various dimensions of home care in Iran and how to provide this service to elderly adults. Providing a comprehensive model of home care for the elderly can improve the quality of life and satisfaction of the elderly and their caregivers., Competing Interests: NO authors have competing interests., (Copyright: © 2023 Mobasseri et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Available evidence indicates insufficient knowledge about the status of andropause and sexual quality of life among Iranian older men. The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of andropause and its relationship with sexual quality among older adults. This descriptive-analytical study was conducted among 576 older people referred to urban health centers in Mashhad, Iran. The eligible samples were selected through the cluster sampling method. To collect data, the male andropause symptoms' self-assessment questionnaire and the sexual quality of life-male were used. Forty-seven of the respondents ( n = 271) were diagnosed with a "moderate" level of andropause. A strong negative correlation was identified between the sexual quality of life and the severity of andropause ( r = -.366, p < .001). Sexual quality of life and andropause was also affected by age, marital status, health status, and exercise. Thirty-six percent of the changes in the quality of sexual life of older men were influenced by the independent variables (adjusted R 2 = .36; R 2 = .40; R = .63). The findings indicated that andropause has highly prevailed among the participants. There was a meaningful association between andropause and sexual quality of life among older men. Further studies are recommended to investigate sexual orientation qualitatively and to discover other factors influencing andropause among adult men.

Background: There is a great need for a valid hearing loss measurement tool in the Persian language to help identify hearing handicaps and potential communicational difficulties among Persian-speaking older adults. The present study aimed to validate and adapt the original English version of the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE) into the Persian language., Methods: A tool development study was designed and data were collected from August to November 2019 in Tabriz, Iran among the older adults aged 60 years and above whose hearing loss had been confirmed by audiometry. The construct validity was assessed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The reliability of the tool was calculated by internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 (SPSS and STATA 14)., Results: The CFA was conducted to examine the construct validity of the HHIE-S. According to the results, the model fit indices were acceptable (TLI = 0.93, CFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.07 (90% CI: 0.04 to 0.10), and SRMR = 0.03). Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.85) and the test-retest reliability score (0.73) indicated good internal consistency., Conclusion: The results showed that HHIE-S is a valid and reliable tool for assessing hearing handicaps among Persian-speaking and Iranian older adults., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Early Marriage (EM) and associated Stressful Life Events (SLEs) and consequences such as psychological and physical well-being issues can lead to suicide and suicide attempts (SA). The study aimed to investigate the risk of suicide and SA among early married people who experienced SLEs., Methods: A case-control study was conducted based on the registry for suicide in Malekan county in Iran during 2016-18. Cases included 154 SAs and 32 suicides. Simultaneously, 201 outpatients from the emergency department were chosen as controls. Holms and Rahe life event questionnaire was used to assess SLEs. Sub-group analysis (Mantel-Haenszel) by sex and age groups and multiple logistic regression were used to calculate adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) for the association between EM and suicide risk after adjusting for the potential confounders., Results: The proportion (female vs male) of EM among suicides, controls, and SAs was 31.25% (18.7 vs 12.5%), 15.92% (11.9 vs 4.0%), and 13.0% (11.7 vs 1.3%), respectively. In subgroup analyses by sex, EM was associated with an increased risk of suicide in both females and males 2.64 and 2.36 times, respectively. Likewise, subgroup analysis by age groups revealed that EM increased suicide risk in subjects aged 10-15 years, while no association was found for age groups of 26-40 and > 40. After adjusting for the potential confounders, EM (OR: 3.01; 95% CI: 1.15 -7.29), financial problems (OR = 4.50; 95% CI: 1.83 -9.07), and family problems (OR = 2.60; 95% CI: 1.19-9.59), were associated with an increased risk of suicide. However, no association was found between EM, various types of SLEs, and the risk of SA., Conclusions: We found EM and SLEs were correlated with suicide risk, while no evidence found that EM increased the risk of SA. Progress in reducing EM and addressing its serious consequences can occur by a stronger political commitment and by sharing the experiences and voices of the early married. Our study provided preliminary findings to guide future studies; however, methodological and longitudinal studies are needed to understand and address the effect of EM on suicidal behaviors., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Introduction: The Internet is an important source for health information and a medium for older adults' empowerment in health decision-making and self-caring. Therefore, we aimed to identify the potential motivators and probable barriers of e-health information-seeking behaviors (e-HISB) among older Iranian adults., Methods: A cross-sectional study assessed the usefulness of self-efficacy, perceived encouragement, positive attitude toward e-HISB, perceived usefulness, challenges of being visited by physicians, and perceived barriers in predicting e-HISB in a sample of 320 older adults in Tabriz, Iran., Results: The self-efficacy for online information seeking, positive attitude toward e-HISB, and perceived usefulness increased the odds of e-HISB by 12.00%, 24.00%, and 15.00%, respectively. In addition, e-health literacy, conflicting information, distrust of online information, and web designs that were not senior-friendly were the major barriers to e-HISB., Discussion/conclusion: The theoretical and practical implications of the motivators and barriers of e-HISB can be instrumental in designing and executing programs aimed at improving e-health literacy among older adults especially during the COVID-19 pandemic., (© 2022 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Older adults may be more prone to death anxiety than their younger counterparts. This study explores factors affecting death anxiety based on gender differences., Methods: In this correlational study, 450 older adults referred to the health centres in the city of Bukan, Iran were recruited by using a randomised sampling method. Next, data were collected about the demographic questionnaire, anxiety about ageing, death anxiety, mental well-being, perceived social support, and quality of life questionnaire. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to determine the correlation between variables, and the predictors of death anxiety were evaluated using quintile regression. Relationship between death anxiety and other variables was evaluated by the Structural Equation Model (SEM). The study was approved by the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Ethics Committee (Ethics Code: IR.TBZMED.REC.1397.304)., Results: The results showed that death anxiety in men had a significant relationship with the level of literacy (P = 0.047), body self-imaging (P = 0.031), and perceived social activity (P = 0.033). Among women, death anxiety had a significant relationship with physical activity (P = 0.007) and perceived social activity (P = 0.002). Additionally, quintile regression analysis was calculated: among men, anxiety about ageing was related to death anxiety (β = 0.182, P = 0.05), while in women, only perceived social support was associated to death anxiety (β = -0.376, P = 0.05). Finally, according to SEM, a significantly different level of predictability of mental well-being was found for death anxiety among older men and women., Conclusion: Understanding the gender differences about death anxiety by the healthcare system might be useful in controlling and reducing a variety of concerns among elders who experience high levels of anxiety of death., (© 2021 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.)

Introduction: Globally, the popularity of hookah smoking, as a social and entertaining behavior, is increasing among adolescents and youths. The present study aimed to explore the perceptions of high school students on Social Unacceptability (Arabic/Persian term = Qabahat) of Hookah Smoking (SUoHS) in an Iranian context., Methods: In this qualitative study, 31 student adolescents in Tabriz, Iran, were invited to participate in semi-structured individual interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). Data were analyzed using interpretative thematic analysis., Results: The unacceptability of hookah smoking was viewed at the "disreputability of hookah smoking and hookah smokers". The students also explained SUoHS in the "incivility of hookah smoking and smokers in the society", "disrespectfulness of hookah smokers and their families", and "the consequences of hookah smoking"., Conclusions: The SUoHS is rooted in the social values and norms within communities. To decrease hookah smoking levels among adolescents, school health nursing interventions should be tailored to bridge the gap between their recognition of SUoHS and subsequent behavior change through creating group dynamics highlighting the domains of social unacceptability of the behavior., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest statement The authors declare no conflict of interest., (©2021 Pacini Editore SRL, Pisa, Italy.)

Preconception care (PCC), as an essential strategy in continuity of the care approach for women, could reduce maternal and child mortality. Women's expectations from healthcare providers regarding PCC are different based on their knowledge, experiences and culture. The purpose of this study was to explore Iranian women's preferences and expectations regarding PCC. In this qualitative content analysis 22 married women with intention to become pregnant were recruited from 22 healthcare centers in Mashhad, Iran, using purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews from March to October 2014. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a conventional content analysis approach. The main expectation of women regarding PCC was "being supported and receiving continuing care". This overarching theme consisted of five categories including continuity of care, couple-centered care, establishing effective communication, accessibility to preconception services and access to competent professionals. Women highlighted their expectations as the need of support and to receive continuing healthcare. They requested PCC for couples and emphasized the importance of the health professional's competency as well as access to information and services of PCC. Women's experiences manifested several areas within which changes could be applied to improve the quality of preconception care.

Objective: The main purpose of this study was the psychometric assessment of Jacelon's Attributed Dignity Scale among Iranian older population., Methods: Using a standard "forward-backward" translation procedure, the original English version of Jacelon's Attributed Dignity Scale was translated into Persian. Internal consistency of the scale was checked by the Cronbach's α coefficient. Convergent validity of the instrument was appraised by the Social Skills Scale and General Health Questionnaire. Factor structure of the Iranian version of Jacelon's Attributed Dignity Scale and possible interplay between its subscales were checked through recruiting a convenient sample of 300 Iranian older people and performing the confirmatory factor analysis., Findings: The estimated Cronbach's α and intraclass correlation coefficients for the Iranian version of Jacelon's Attributed Dignity Scale were in the vicinity of acceptable range, that is, 0.87 and 0.93, respectively. The output of confirmatory factor analysis revealed that a four-factor model best fitted the study data (χ 2 = 323.49; df = 129; p < 0.001; comparative fit index = 0.913; Tucker-Lewis index = 0.901; root mean square error approximation = 0.074; standardized root mean square residual = 0.078). Rasch estimates of item difficulty ranged from -1.28 (less difficult) to 1.33 (more difficult). No significant cross-gender differences were observed regarding the Iranian version of Jacelon's Attributed Dignity Scale's items indicating its invariant psychometric properties for use in the Iranian men and women subgroups., Ethical Considertaion: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee at the Tabriz university of medical science. Informed consent, information confidentiality, and voluntary participation were guaranteed., Conclusion: The study findings were indicative of applicability of the Iranian version of Jacelon's Attributed Dignity Scale as a reliable tool in measurement of the perceived social dignity among Iranian and probably other Persian-speaking older populations.

Despite the multidimensionality of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women, there is a lack of research on the perspectives of men toward the phenomenon. Our aim in this cross-sectional study was to examine the predictability of social cognitive theory in explaining men's violent behaviors against women. We find among a sample of 576 Iranian married men showed a reciprocal determinism between outcome expectancy, attitude toward IPV, and observational learning in formation of men's IPV against women. Therefore, the interactive associations of cognitive and environmental factors, as a comprehensive approach, should be considered while studying the determinants of IPV against women among men.

Background: First year of university is a critical life transition period with an increased probability of taking risky behaviors. We aimed to examine the transitions in risky behaviors in the first year of college in the northwestern Iran using latent transition analysis (LTA)., Study Design: A longitudinal study., Methods: A random sample of 1406 freshmen enrolled in three universities in Tabriz City (the capital city of East Azerbaijan Province, northwestern Iran) were evaluated twice in November 2014 and 2015. A multiple-choice self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on risky behaviors and demographic characteristics of students. LTA was performed to examine the prevalence and changes in risky behaviors (cigarette and hookah smoking, illicit drug use, alcohol consumption and risky sexual behaviors) among the students., Results: The LTA model revealed four interpretable statuses. The prevalence data showed that 77.1%, 12.3%, 8.3% and 2.3% of students were "risk-free", "tobacco user", "sexual risk-taker" and "multiple risk-tacker", respectively in the first assessment. Over the period of one year, 4.2% and 6.1% of risk-free students became tobacco user and sexual risk-takers, respectively, and 22.4% of tobacco user students, transfer to the multiple risk-taker group., Conclusion: The prevalence of risk-taking behaviors increased during the freshman year. Tobacco smoking was  predispose acquiring more risky behaviors. Probability of transition to the multiple risk-taker group was higher among tobacco users.

Although the use of helmets is known to prevent the majority of mortalities by head injuries, it is ignored by a large number of motorcyclists. The present study was conducted to promote helmet use in an attempt to reduce injuries among motorcyclists in a rural area by adopting a community-based participation approach. The one-group pretest-posttest pre-experimental design was conducted in northwest Iran. The study was conducted in three phases: (1) baseline measurement, (2) implementation of the intervention, and (3) assessment of the outcomes. The intervention included the distribution of learning tools, education of various community groups, tightening of driving laws for offending motorcyclists, promotional programs at community level, and utilizing all opportunities to discuss the benefits of helmets. Due to the non-experimental nature of the study, no causal inferences were drawn. After the intervention, the percentage of the awareness of the benefits of helmet use was increased by 28%, positive attitudes towards benefits of helmet use was increased by 32.6%, and supporting helmet use was increased by 58.6%. Moreover, helmet sale and use increased by 147.0% and 32.0%, respectively. Additionally, motorcycle accidents, head injuries, and mortalities were decreased by 71.8, 55.5, and 60.0%, respectively. Community-based participation approach may positively influence health promoting behaviors and motorcyclists' decisions to wear helmet in rural areas.

Breast conflict may represent a woman's unpleasant feelings toward her breasts, which may adversely affect her decision to undertake the procedures for an early detection of breast cancer. The purpose of the present study was to examine the mediating role of breast conflict in cognitive factors, as suggested by the Health Belief Model (HBM), for adopting mammography. In this explanatory cross-sectional study, multistage cluster sampling was employed to recruit 738 women in the age range of 40 to 69 years in Iran. Champion's revised HBM Scale for mammography adoption and the Women's Breast Conflict Scale were used to measure the variables of interest. Generalized structural equation modeling and hierarchical logistic regression were used for data analysis. Breast conflict was negatively associated with perceived barriers of mammography. Perceived barriers were inversely related to self-efficacy, which was positively related to mammography, suggesting the mediating role of perceived barriers and self-efficacy, connecting breast conflict to mammography indirectly. The mediating role of breast conflict in perceived barriers and self-efficacy suggests an indirect link between breast conflict and mammography. Clinicians and public health-care providers must pay attention to women's feelings in formulating and delivering appropriate interventions and consultations.

In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to investigate psychometric properties of the Persian versions of condom use self-efficacy (CUSES), attitude toward condom use (ATCUS), and sexually transmitted infection risk perception (STIsRP) scales among Iranian female sex workers (FSWs). We translated original versions of the scales into Persian, and through census, recruited and interviewed 140 FSWs. Appropriate validity, reliability, functionality and simplicity were demonstrated for the scales. We found the measurement model with a good fit to the data ( χ 2 [104] = 89.537, p  < .01, CFI = 0.978, NFI = 0.931, TLI = 0.981, RMSEA = 0.055 [0.023-0.081]). Our findings supported the applicability of the Persian CUSES, ATCUS, and STIsRP in the Iranian and other Persian-speaking FSW populations.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a relationship enhancement education and counseling (REEC) program on improving middle-aged couples' marital intimacy. The randomized controlled trial study was conducted in Tabriz, Iran, from May to December 2017. Thirty-two married couples, attending a public health center and meeting the inclusion criteria, were randomly assigned to the intervention (receiving REEC) and control (receiving routine care) groups. The outcome measures were marital intimacy, sexual motivation, and sexual function. Data were collected at three points in time. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was used for the purpose of data analysis. In all analyses, the interventional group outperformed the control group on all outcome measures. In the intervention group, results showed statistically significant improvement in all variables of interest after one week and 12 weeks in comparison with preintervention. Upon the completion of the experimentation, it can be concluded that a REEC program positively affects marital intimacy, sexual function, and sexual motivation in middle-aged couples.

Background: Women's sexuality may be adversely affected during the menopausal transition. This exploratory qualitative study was conducted to explore how women assign meaning to and process sexual motivation during the menopausal transition., Methods: We purposefully approached 22 married women ages 44-59 (52.81 ± 3.6 years) in urban health care centers and workplaces in Tabriz city, located in northwest Iran. Individual face-to-face interviews were performed at a place and time convenient to the women. All interviews were audio recorded and then transcribed to create verbatim written accounts. Inspiring Graneheim and Lundman approach, we employed conventional content analysis to derive coding categories directly from our row data., Findings: Four main themes emerged from data analysis: "Diminished sexual capacity" (effect of menopause, Illnesses associated with mid-life, desire discrepancy); "intimate coupling" (lack of physical and/or emotional intimacy, couple communication and romance); "sociocultural scripts" (sexual script, parental responsibilities); and "sense of youthfulness" (having an active and happy life, maintaining physically attractiveness)., Conclusion: The qualitative findings suggest that providing sexual health education and counseling, to encourage critical discussions regarding current sociocultural scripts and to create an environment that would enable men and women alike to adopt a healthy and happy lifestyle for eliminating barriers and preserving and enhancing motivational factors associated with sexuality.

Along with health development in general terms, women's involvement in health programs can be effective in raising their self-confidence and their health promotion. This study was carried out to unveil the barriers to and challenges of the health volunteers and to present the solutions to its promotion using active women participants' experiences and the authorities of the program. The study was carried out using qualitative method along with content analysis in city of Tabriz East-Azerbaijan province, Iran. Data collection was conducted utilizing semistructured individual interviews and focus group discussions with the participation of 29 health volunteers and responsible authorities. The participants were selected using purposive sampling with maximum variation. Data analysis implemented conventional content analysis using MAXODA. Barriers to and challenges of health volunteers were generally categorized into four main themes including volunteers and trainers' inadequate capabilities, inadequate acceptance of the volunteers, restrictive social norms, and organizational problems. It seems that interaction among health system, people, and health volunteers should be improved. Holding training programs about the activities of health volunteers at the society level leads into the better utilization of society sources in health programs.

In the present decade, adolescents' mental problems are known as critical problems which have many destructive consequences. This study aimed to measure students' happiness and psychological well-being status in a sample of high school students. The cross sectional study consisted of 403 randomly selected high school students in Tabriz, Iran. Numerous variables including general health status, happiness, self-efficacy, perceived stress, hopefulness and life satisfaction were measured by using self-reported written questionnaires. Significant relation observed between happiness and psychological well-being (r=0.48). Those students with good relationship and those who had reported to enjoy attending social events indicated better mental health status. No causal inferences were investigated due to the non-experimental nature of the study. The findings also revealed that students with higher happiness score have a better school performance. Integration of happiness promotion initiatives into the comprehensive school health programs is recommended to have pleasant environments for a healthy population of adolescents., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: In spite of developed countries there are progressive trend about HIV/AIDS and its' aspects of transmission in the low socio-economic societies. The aim of this was to explain the youth's behavior in adopting HIV/AIDS related preventive behaviors in a sample of Iranian university students by emphasizing on fear appeals approaches alongside examining the role of self-control trait for explaining adoption on danger or fear control processes based on Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM)., Methods: A sample of 156 randomly selected university students in Jolfa, Iran was recruited in a predictive cross-sectional study by application of a researcher-designed questionnaire through self-report data collection manner. Sexual high risk behaviors, the EPPM variables, self-control trait, and general self-efficacy were measured as theoretical framework., Results: Findings indicated that 31.3% of participants were in the fear control process versus 68.7% in danger control about HIV/AIDS and also the presence of multi-sex partners and amphetamine consumption amongst the participants. Low self-control trait and low perceived susceptibility significantly were related to having a history of multi-sex partners while high level of self-efficacy significantly increased the probability of condom use., Conclusion: Findings of the study were indicative of the protective role of high level of self-control, perceived susceptibility and self-efficacy factors on youth's high-risk behaviors and their preventative skills as well.

Background: As adolescent tobacco smoking has become a widespread problem in developing countries, it is time to understand the cognitive determinants of adolescents' decisions to engage in tobacco smoking. This study aimed to investigate the predicting factors associated with tobacco smoking among male adolescents based on Prototype Willingness Model (PWM) as a theoretical framework., Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was carried out on 810 male adolescents of Hamadan City western Iran, recruited with a multistage sampling method. The data-gathering tool consisted of a questionnaire based on the PWM constructs. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-19 software, by bivariate correlations, liner and logistic regression tests., Results: The prevalence of current tobacco smoking was 17.2%. Behavioral willingness and subjective norms were the most important predictors of behavioral intentions, whereas subjective norms, attitude and prototype were the most important predictors for behavioral willingness. The result obtained from logistic regression analysis revealed that both pathways of PWM constructs [behavioral intention (OR=1.207; 95% CI: 1.13, 1.28) and behavioral willingness (OR=1.334; 95% CI: 1.25, 1.41) were significant predicting factors for tobacco smoking among male adolescents., Conclusions: The framework of the PWM is applicable and useful in understanding tobacco smoking among male adolescents. In addition, the results revealed the importance of social reaction path when examining adolescents' smoking status.

Background: Hookah smoking has increased worldwide especially among youth and young adults and has been identified as an emerging threat to public health. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of hookah use and related factors in a sample of Iranian college students., Methods: This study took place in Tabriz (northwest of Iran) in April and May 2011. The randomly selected sample consisted of 1837 college students. Data was collected in a survey. A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure religious belief, parental support and risk taking behaviors including hookah smoking. Logistic regression model was performed in data analysis., Results: The prevalence of hookah smoking was 8.5% (CI95%: 7.3-9.9). After adjustment, being male (OR= 2.01), living in single house in comparison with living with parents (OR= 2.22), smoking (OR= 5.96) and ever drug abuse (OR= 3.02) were factors associated with students' hookah use., Conclusions: Our results showed a low prevalence of hookah smoking in Iranian college female students and revealed some of its associated factors. We demonstrated the co-occurrence of risky behaviors which emphasizes the importance of interventions aimed at reducing or preventing different high risk behaviors simultaneously.

Background and Objectives: Drug abuse and alcohol use in young adults are a major public health problem. The aims of present study were to determine the prevalence of alcohol use and substance abuse and related factors in a sample of Iranian college students., Methods: The study took place in Tabriz (northwest of Iran) in April and May, 2011. The randomly selected sample consisted of 1837 college students. Data were collected in a survey. A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure smoking, sexual behavior, alcohol and drug use, religious belief, and parental support., Results: The prevalence of alcohol use in the past 30 days and ever drug abuse were 7.7% and 8.0%, respectively. After adjusting for other factors, living in dormitory in comparison to parental home (OR=0.61) and having higher score of religious beliefs (OR=0.98) were protective factors for ever use of illicit drugs. Being male (OR=1.89), living in the single house in comparison to parental home (OR=2.64), smoking (OR=2.0), alcohol use (OR=4.71), hookah smoking (OR=2.89), and having unsafe sex (OR=2.40) were risk factors ever use of illicit drugs., Conclusion: Our results show low prevalence of alcohol use and drug abuse in Iranian college students and determined some of its associated factors. The findings of this research can be used for planning and evaluating interventions by considering risk and protective factors., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Risk-taking behaviors have negative consequences on adolescent and young adult's health. The aim of this study was to identify the subgroups of college students on the basis of risk-taking behaviors and to assess the role of demographic characteristics, religious beliefs, and parental support on membership of specific subgroup. The cross-sectional study took place in Tabriz (northwest of Iran) in April and May of 2011. The randomly selected sample consisted of 1,837 college students. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data. Latent class analysis was performed to achieve the study's objectives. Four latent classes were identified: (a) low risk, (b) cigarette and hookah smoker, (c) sexual and drinking risk-takers (for males)/sexual risk takers (for females), and (d) high risk. Notably, 13.3% of the males and 4.3% of the females were in the high-risk class. The results identified evidence of protective influence of familial support and religiosity on risky behaviors. A fair number of college students, males in particular, were identified as high risk-takers. Design and implementation of preventive interventions for this segment of the population are necessary. Higher level of familial support and religiosity may serve as preventive factors in risk-taking behaviors.

Background: The purpose of the present study was (a) to assess the relationship between physical activity and the intensity and duration of menopausal symptoms, (b) to investigate the relationship between physical activity and the four domains of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and (c) to assess the relationship between physical activity and chronic diseases., Methods: This descriptive-analytical study that was conducted in Tabriz City, Iran. Data were collected in 2012 by personal home-based interviews, using structured questionnaires. All participants (n= 273), who were middle-aged (age range of 40-60 yr) were recruited from two of the 25 urban health service centers' clients, by clustered random sampling allocation., Results: There was a positive significant relationship between Psychological, Social, and Environmental domains of HRQOL with physical activity (P<0.001). In addition, a negative significant relation was found between somatic complaints including sexual problems (P< 0.017) and vaginal dryness (P<0.030) as well as joint-muscular discomfort (P<0.018), and the level of physical activity. Diabetic (P<0.047) and women with history of heart disease (P<0.040) performed 2.670 and 3.548 hours more than who were not., Conclusions: Regular physical activity would be effective in decreasing menopausal symptoms as well as improving healthy aging and also physical activity promotion as a part of healthy life style promotion programs needs to be improved in communities where women are physically inactive. In addition, women need to be informed about importance of physical activity on their life which it leads to feel healthy aging and pre and post- menopausal stages.

This correlational study explored the psychological antecedents of 253 Iranian gym users' intentions to use the anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The three predictor variables of (1) attitude, (2) subjective norms, and (3) perceived behavioral control accounted for 63% of the variation in the outcome measure of the intention to use the AAS. There is some support to use the TPB to design and implement interventions to modify and/or improve individuals' beliefs that athletic goals are achievable without the use of the AAS.

Background: Drug abuse is one of the important challenges in the field of mental health and adolescence health promotion. Because of the social and medical cost of drug abuse and its consequences among youth people, it is necessary to intervene effectively. This theoretical based study explained predictability of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) on drug abuse related behaviors among adolescents., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Hamadan City, western Iran, in 2011 among 650 male high school students, recruited randomly. All data were gathered by using self-report written questionnaires include attitudes, subjective, norms, perceived behavioral control and intention not to use drugs as theoretical constructs of TPB and drug abuse related behaviors., Results: According to the logistic regression analysis, attitude and subjective norms were the most influential predictors of intention to drug abuse. There was a significant relationship between drug abuse smoking experience (OR = 27.24 95% CI: 10.25, 72.40; P = 0.001), having parents of drug users (OR = 8.63 95% CI: 3.42, 21.81; P = 0.001), and having friends who had experienced drug (OR =1 1.06 95% CI: 4.24, 28.85; P = 0.001)., Conclusion: Drug abuse preventative programs need to apply comprehensive theoretical based efforts for drug abuse preventative manipulations in school settings. Theory of planned behavior can be used properly and effectively for planning and implementing drug abuse prevention programs in adolescents.

Background: No study has ever explored the prevalence and correlates of video game playing among children in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This study describes patterns and correlates of excessive video game use in a random sample of middle-school students in Iran. Specifically, we examine the relationship between video game playing and psychological well-being, aggressive behaviors, and adolescents' perceived threat of video-computer game playing., Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed with a random sample of 444 adolescents recruited from eight middle schools. A self-administered, anonymous questionnaire covered socio-demographics, video gaming behaviors, mental health status, self-reported aggressive behaviors, and perceived side effects of video game playing., Results: Overall, participants spent an average of 6.3 hours per week playing video games. Moreover, 47% of participants reported that they had played one or more intensely violent games. Non-gamers reported suffering poorer mental health compared to excessive gamers. Both non-gamers and excessive gamers overall reported suffering poorer mental health compared to low or moderate players. Participants who initiated gaming at younger ages were more likely to score poorer in mental health measures. Participants' self-reported aggressive behaviors were associated with length of gaming. Boys, but not girls, who reported playing video games excessively showed more aggressive behaviors. A multiple binary logistic regression shows that when controlling for other variables, older students, those who perceived less serious side effects of video gaming, and those who have personal computers, were more likely to report that they had played video games excessively., Conclusion: Our data show a curvilinear relationship between video game playing and mental health outcomes, with "moderate" gamers faring best and "excessive" gamers showing mild increases in problematic behaviors. Interestingly, "non-gamers" clearly show the worst outcomes. Therefore, both children and parents of non-game players should be updated about the positive impact of moderate video gaming. Educational interventions should also be designed to educate adolescents and their parents of the possible harmful impact of excessive video game playing on their health and psychosocial functioning.

Objectives: The main purpose was to assess associations between HBM variables and participation in cervical cancer screening programs in a sample of Iranian women., Methods: A total of 333 married women of childbearing age were recruited with cluster sampling. The study was conducted from spring 2002 to spring 2003 and a self-report questionnaire and structured interview were designed to measure the four HBM constructs and Iranian women's knowledge about Pap smear screening., Results: A total of 68.5% reported having undergone at least one Pap test. Women were more likely to participate in Pap smears when they had access to knowledge about cervical cancer and screening programs. Furthermore, the perceived benefit and barrier variables of the Health belief model were two factors related to participation in Pap smear testing., Conclusions: Health care professionals must provide women with more information about cervical cancer and the benefits of participating in cervical cancer screening programs.