Search

As a social-interactional positive behavior, the flow of compassion (i.e., selfcompassion, compassion for others, and compassion from others), which refers to sensitivity to suffering in self and others with a commitment to try to alleviate and prevent it, has yet to be investigated in a highly social-interactional context such as foreign language learning classrooms. Thus, the present study adopted an ecological perspective within Bronfenbrenner's (1979, 1993) analytic nested ecosystems model to explore how the flow of compassion is rooted in such a context. Sixteen Iranian English as a foreign language learners took part in the current study, and data were collected through semistructured interviews. Employing the framework of the nested ecosystems model, we identified both influential individual and environmental factors underlying the flow of compassion among the participants. The flow of compassion proved to be influenced differently at different ecosystemic levels by individual and environmental factors. At the individual level, negative and positive emotions, fears, non-judgmental attitudes, intimacy, well-being, improvement, motivation, and action were found as influential factors in emerging the flow of compassion. At the contextual level, the identified influential factors included past experiences outside of the classroom, extracurricular activities, institution policy and criteria, cultural and social values, as well as the use of technology and the internet. Limitations and implications of the present study are also discussed.

Students' mental health quality in schools significantly influences the development and increase of students' research and questioning abilities. Few studies have sought to investigate the role of images and attitudes towards curiosity (CIAC) on elementary student depression and anxiety, and fear of consequences of academic success (FCAS). This study examined the effects of images and attitudes towards curiosity on depression and anxiety, and fear of consequences of academic success in elementary students by mediating the roles of critical thinking (CT). Results from a sample of 450 elementary students in Iran showed that the direct path coefficients of images of and attitudes towards curiosity to fear of consequences of academic success and depression and anxiety were not significant. However, with the inclusion of critical thinking as a mediating variable, the indirect effect coefficient was significant. Additionally, there were positive relationships between images and attitudes towards curiosity and critical thinking.

Academic procrastination is a problem behavior with negative consequences for students. The extent of this phenomenon among students and the negative impact on their academic achievement requires more attention and research on this issue. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating on the role of fear of failure and subscale of self-regulation (memory strategy goal-setting, self-evaluation, helping assistance, responsibility, organization) in relation with academic procrastination. Therefore, 198 students from different schools of University of Isfahan in Iran were selected by random cluster multistage sampling. "Student's Procrastination Assessment Scale," "Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory," and "Sevari's Self-regulation Questionnaire" were used. Data were analyzed by "t"-test, Pearson correlations and linear regression in SPSS-22. Results of "t"-test showed significant differences between male and female students in terms of academic procrastination, organizing, and fear of failure. Male students compared to females scored higher in academic procrastination. Females students compared to males scored higher in fear of failure and organizing. Findings of Pearson correlations showed a positive association between fear of failure and academic procrastination, and a negative association between subscales of self-regulation and academic procrastination. Also, linear regression analyses showed that fear of failure and responsibility predict academic procrastination. As a conclusion, in order to reduce procrastination, some interventions can be delivered by handling in students' fear of failure and self-regulation.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between ADHD with internet addiction, depression, anxiety, stress and social phobia. The study was a descriptive-correlation study. Statistical Population of the study was females' students from Kosar university of Bojnord and, among which 327 students were selected by random sampling method. Participants completed ADHD Self-report Questionnaire (ASRS), Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (Das-21), and Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN). Data were analyzed by applying Pearson correlation coefficient and canonical correlation analysis statistical tests and SPSS version 23. Pearson correlation's results showed that ADHD components (attention deficit and hyperactivity/impulsivity) had positive significant relationships with internet addiction, depression, anxiety, stress and social phobia (p<0.01). In addition, canonical correlation results indicated there were significant relationships between attention deficit and internet addiction, depression, stress and social phobia and also hyperactivity/impulsivity and internet addiction, depression, anxiety and stress. However, there was no significant relationship between attention deficit and anxiety, and hyperactivity/impulsivity and social phobia (p>0.05). ADHD related to many psychological disorders. So it seems to screen students with the disorder and designing some treatment interventions for these students to decrease negative consequences are required.

This study examines the relation between fear of victimization, types of victimization, and advocacy, adjusted for grade and gender on 834 students from 16 Iranian public middle schools. Multilevel linear modeling was used to explore relations between types of victimization and fear of victimization. The results showed that higher fear of victimization was associated with higher verbal, social, and cyber victimization, and higher peer advocacy. The cyber victimization experience had the most impact on fear of bullying victimization ([beta] = 0.15, P < 0.001). Also, higher teacher and peer advocacy were related to higher fear of bullying victimization ([beta] = 0.11, P < 0.001 for teacher advocacy and [beta] = 0.06, P < 0.05 for peer advocacy). Implications of these findings for school anti-bullying programs as well as directions for future research are discussed.

Using flashbacks, Bizhan Najdi's "A Plant in Quarantine" tells the story of the central character called Taher, an Iranian boy, who has been quarantined in a hospital due to abnormal spread of skin rashes after a military service physician took off a lock from the back of his right shoulder. Immediately, Taher came down with a contagious skin disease called hereditary fear by the rural doctor. This short story brings the past and present together in a peculiar manner, providing an overview of present condition actuated by past events revolving around the Tudeh Party, an Iranian Marxist political party, and the Iran-Iraq War. The analysis of this relationship and the possibility of Taher's hereditary fear is the main focus of the paper, which can account for the role of history in this short story. For such an end, the analysis is carried out at the two levels of writer and story. The writer's disturbed memories, which are related to fear and violence in Iran's contemporary history, and the conditions of their emergence are explored so that the roots of the protagonist's inherent fear might be discernible. The findings of the paper show that the unpleasant presence of the main character's ancestral past is the cause of his predicament, introducing past as an active agent of the present.

Research publication has increasingly turned into academics' top priority around the world. Since researchers' professional survival/growth in the current competitive academic atmosphere hinges upon their research profile, there is a need for investigating how researchers' possible selves may guide their research productivity. Therefore, in this study, we explored, through interviews and narratives, how ideal, ought-to, and feared selves of Applied Linguistics researchers at various academic career stages -- doctoral students, assistant professors and associate professors -- interact with their research productivity. The findings demonstrated that the ideal selves motivating the researchers to publish are oriented towards images of problem-solving or insight-providing, highly-focused, world-recognised, and influential life-long learner-researchers. Additionally, fears of ending up as publishing-or-perishing, unknowledgeable non-publishing, academically marginalised, and unfocused researchers are among the dimensions of researchers' feared selves which guide their research productivity. Furthermore, researchers' desires to gain visibility in the research community, fulfill the university requirements, preserve their international researcher positions, and turn into prolific publishing-practicing researchers trigger them to publish in top-tier publication outlets. The study provides practical implications for researchers, professors, and researcher educators.

Foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) and self-regulated learning strategies (SRLSs) are important factors that influence language learning process in negative and positive ways respectively. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between FLCA and SRLSs. To this end, 100 university students majoring in TEFL were selected. For collecting data, Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986) and Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Pintrich & De Groot, 1990) were used. To analyze the data, Kendall correlation was run. The results revealed that there is a negative relationship between FLCA (communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation) and SRLSs (cognitive strategy use and self-regulation).

The present study is an attempt to investigate the extent to which Iranian EFL learners are willing to speak English in language classrooms. Moreover, the relationship between willingness to speak (WTS) and language learning anxiety, language learning motivation, and self-perceived speaking ability is sought. Furthermore, the study seeks the extent to which WTS contributes to an improvement in the learners' speaking ability. One hundred and fifty-six EFL learners selected based on purposive sampling took part in the study. A packet of questionnaires were employed to measure WTS, language learning anxiety and language learning motivation. Further, all participants took part in an IELTS speaking test in order to find out if their WTS is related to their speaking performance. Results showed that learners were fairly willing (but not highly willing) to speak English in class. Moreover, it was found that WTS is negatively correlated with language learning anxiety, while positively correlated with language learning motivation and self-perceived speaking ability. Several factors were identified as having an influence on learners' WTS, including topic of discussion, effect of interlocutor, shyness, self-confidence, teacher, and classroom atmosphere. Finally, learners took part in a speaking test, through which, it was found that those who were more willing to speak got a higher speaking score. Based on the findings, a foreign language classroom WTS model of factors underlying willingness to speak English is proposed. Results can have pedagogical implications for language learners and teachers.

The cause of most adult psychopathologies or behavioural disorders can be traced back to childhood. In this study, we examine the attention-deficit, fear and aggression in Iran's preschool students in Oshnaviye city. In this analytical-descriptive study, 50 students were selected through stratified sampling method from 249 students. Data were collected using a questionnaire about behavioural disorders and social threats. The validity of the research was 70.5%. The results showed that the average of attention-deficit in girls and boys was not very different. There was no significant difference in individual behaviour of girls and boys in the society. Problems such as poor concentration or indecisiveness and being afraid to try new things had the least prevalence. Finally, there was no meaningful difference in the level of attention-deficit, fear and aggression in Iran's male and female preschool students.

Objective: This study examines the levels of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) related stigma among the Iranian population and the factors that contribute to the formation of stigma within the study population. Design: A quantitative research design was used in this research whereby participants completed a self-administrated questionnaire. A sample of 236 adults aged 20-65 were collected using non-probability sampling techniques. Setting: The study was carried out in the Sydney (Australia) metropolitan area and data were collected in 2007. Method: To obtain a desirable sample size, multivariate techniques including snowball were used. Herek's (1986) functional approach to attitudes was used to analyze HIV/AIDS stigma in the study population. Results: The findings illustrate that HIV/AIDS-related stigma was dominant among the study population. Overall, participants had negative feelings toward people with HIV/AIDS (PWHA); they were in favour of punitive policies against them and were more likely to avoid having contact with people who had contracted HIV/AIDS. Multiple regression analysis revealed that both instrumental (fear of contamination) and symbolic factors (attitudes towards homosexuals and injecting drug user) independently contributed to HIV/AIDS stigma. Conclusion: The findings suggest that HIV/AIDS stigma has instrumental and symbolic function, and concentrating solely on instrumental (HIV/AIDS transmission routes) factors is less likely to address it properly. Therefore, educational campaigns to reduce HIV/AIDS stigma should also focus on symbolic factors. The findings contribute to the knowledge area of better understanding of HIV/AIDS stigma among ethnic minorities of similar characteristics. The results are valuable for the Iranian community, health service providers, health educators and policy makers. (Contains 4 tables.)

Functional theory proposes that attitudes may serve a variety of purposes for individuals. This study aimed to determine whether stigmatized attitudes toward HIV/AIDS serve the same function for all (consensus function) or serve different functions for different individuals (divergence function) by assessing various aspects of HIV/AIDS stigma using a sample of 236 adults aged 20 to 65 years from the Iranian community living in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Respondents were classified as evaluatives or expressives based on their responses to attitude function inventory scale. HIV/AIDS-related attitudes in the study group were found to have more of an expressive (58.5%) than an evaluative function (32.2%). Multiple regression analyses revealed that various aspects of HIV/AIDS stigma were functionally divergent within the study group and could serve evaluative and expressive function. The study's findings suggest that different messages should be presented to different audiences depending on whether the stigma performs an expressive or evaluative function. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)

Background: Understanding the motivations driving family members to continue caring for individuals with Alzheimer's disease is crucial for enhancing social support programs within community health systems. This study specifically explores the factors influencing Iranian family caregivers' ability to persist in their caregiving roles. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis with 22 participants in 2022 in Babol (a city in northern Iran). The inclusion criteria for the study included caregivers of Alzheimer's patients who had been the primary caregivers for at least one year for patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The sampling method was purposive, ensuring maximum variation in social position, demographic status, and stages of Alzheimer's disease after the onset of symptoms. In this research, data were collected from caregivers of Alzheimer's patients through semi-structured interviews and in-depth individual interviews. The data were analyzed using MAXQDA software. Results: One category and four subcategories were identified to explain the continuity of the caring role in family caregivers of Alzheimer's patients. The category was "on the Fence of the Caring Role." The subcategories included Commitment to Care (Being Determined, Being Indebted, Feeling Dutiful), Coercion to Care (Giving in to the Caring Role Due to Family Requirements, Patient Care Due to Financial Problems), Socio-Cultural Beliefs and Concerns (Spiritual and Religious Tendencies, Social Stigma and Social Fears), and Attachment and Love for the Patient (Feeling Pity, Feeling Nostalgia for Kinship). Conclusion: Family caregivers are deeply engaged in their roles, often feeling trapped by various pressures. Recognizing these dimensions can inform policymakers and health practitioners in developing targeted interventions, such as respite care programs, financial support, and community resources, aimed at alleviating caregiver burden and enhancing the quality of care for patients. By addressing the complexities of the caregiver experience, effective strategies can be implemented to support both patients and their caregivers, ultimately improving health outcomes within the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Designing appropriate diagnostic and treatment methods to reduce fall risk and improve quality of life, as well as reduce the cost of care in elderlies. Our findings have potential for early diagnosis of those with a high probability of falling based on fairly simple clinical measures of hyperkyphosis, forward head, and lordosis. Introduction: Poor balance is an underlying cause of falling in the elderly, for which a change in the natural curvature of the spine plays a major role. Little is known about the relationship between spinal curvatures and fall incidence in this population. We primarily aimed to investigate the relationship between sagittal plane spinal curvatures and fall incidence over 1 year among nursing facility residents. Secondarily, we aim to determine associations of sagittal plane spinal curvatures with participants' perception of fall risk and balance capability. Methods: Participants (100 residents mean age 70.17 ± 6.01 years) underwent standing measures of sagittal plane spinal curvatures (flexible ruler technique) and forward displacement of the head relative to the cervical spine. The Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA) and Fall Efficacy Scale assessed participants' perception of balance and fear of falling. Incident falls were self-reported monthly and tracked across 1 year. Spearman's correlations and logistic regression evaluated associations between fall incidence and spinal curvature. Predictive performance of spinal curvature and fall risk was determined by the corresponding ROC for defining a cut-off for variables of spinal curvature and fall risk indicators. Results: Predictive performance of spinal curvature and fall risk factors indicated 84% and 77% of participants were correctly classified using models of kyphosis and head angle, respectively. Conclusions: Our study adds new data on spinal curvatures and incident falls among nursing facility residents. Efforts are needed to intervene to counter progression of spinal curvatures and improve fall prevention practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The feared possible self refers to an imagined version of self that one is afraid of being or becoming. Previous evidence has shown that dysfunctional reasoning (i.e., inferential confusion) is associated with obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms, which is partially mediated by a feared self. However, the evidence is reliant on non‐clinical samples and a general measure of the feared self. Methods: Using a cross‐sectional design, the current study attempted to replicate and extend this literature in a sample clinically diagnosed with OCD (n = 350) to assess the pathway from inferential confusion to OCD symptoms when feared self is accounted for as a mediator, particularly the individual dimensions of feared self (i.e., corrupted, culpable, and malformed feared selves). Participants completed a structured clinical interview for DSM‐5, as well as measures of inferential confusion (Dysfunctional Reasoning Processes Task), obsessive beliefs, feared self, OCD symptoms, and psychological distress. Results: Inferential confusion directly, and indirectly through the feared corrupted self, affected OCD symptoms, even after adjusting for obsessive beliefs, psychological distress, and comorbidity. However, the feared culpable and malformed selves did not play a role in this pathway. Conclusions: The study underscores that the feared corrupted self links inferential confusion to OCD symptoms, translating to the need to consider both dysfunctional reasoning processes and this specific feared self in clinical settings when treating OCD. Furthermore, the study provides more support for the inference‐based approach (IBA) to OCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facing crises, life problems, and illnesses, many people turn to religion, spirituality, and faith as a psychosocial adjustment approach. This qualitative study assessed the spiritual needs of fourteen Iranian patients who recovered from COVID-19. Qualitative content analysis resulted in three themes, including "composure" with three categories of "prayer", "hope", and "connection"; "meaning in the life" comprising two categories of "a new prospect of life" and "the power of nature"; and "global responsibility" involving one category of "the relationships between individuals, communities, and the world". This study highlighted that patients relied on spirituality to cope with COVID-19 disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the accuracy of facial emotion recognition in the Iranian community, a face database validated in this community is required. To do this, we conducted a validation study on the Radboud face database. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of recognizing emotions through faces in an Iranian sample and then to choose the pictures with high agreement in terms of detecting emotions. Method: This is a cross sectional study recruiting a total number of 142 males and females aged between 20 and 50 years old (Mean ± SD of age 31.7 ± 7.07). The participants were instructed to detect the type of emotion of each face as well as its valence and arousal. The percentage of participants' agreement on evaluating each picture was assessed. To evaluate the effect of different variables on participants' accuracy, one way and repeated measure ANOVA analyses were also used. Results: Emotional faces were recognized by around 84% of the participants. The highest accuracy belongs to happy (Mean ± SD of 98 ± 6.1%) and the lowest one to neutral (75 ± 18.06%) faces. The accuracy for detecting other emotions were as follows: sad (91 ± 8.7%), surprised (87 ± 10.64%), angry (77 ± 15.6%), and fearful (76 ± 15.26%). Additionally, we found no differences between male and female participants in terms of recognizing emotions. Then we selected the pictures with high agreement (above 85 percent) in labeling emotions among the participants. Conclusion: The current study provided a valid emotional face database based on Iranian participants' responses in terms of recognizing basic emotions. The selected pictures can be used in designing tasks to evaluate emotion recognition ability in clinical and nonclinical populations. It can also be used in designing applications to improve detecting emotion in clinical samples such as individuals with autism spectrum disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an 8-week yoga intervention on muscle strength, proprioception, pain, concerns about falling, and quality of life in individuals diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy. Methods: A quasi-experimental design incorporating a pretest-posttest methodology and a control group was implemented in the present study. A total of 30 patients who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and neuropathy were recruited and randomly assigned to intervention (n = 15) or non-exercise control (n = 15). Yoga sessions were conducted for a duration of 60 min on three occasions per week, with participants requested to practice at home on other days. Results: The results showed significant main effects of time on the muscle strength (both flexor and extensor muscles, p <.001, ηp2 = 0.652 and p <.001, ηp2 = 0.539, respectively), proprioception error (p <.001, ηp2 = 0.807), pain intensity (p <.001, ηp2 = 0.538), concerns about falling (p <.001, ηp2 = 0.700), and overall score of quality of life (p <.001, ηp2 = 0.475). Moreover, there were significant group-by-time interactions for all variables (p <.001 for all). Conclusion: The study reveals that yoga intervention can be an effective alternative therapeutic approach to medication for individuals with diabetic neuropathy. Yet, future studies are needed on a larger sample size to strengthen the present understanding of the advantageous impact of yoga intervention in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a list of references from various research articles related to pain management in different contexts and populations. The articles cover topics such as cancer pain management in Mexico, nurses' perceptions of pain assessment in Estonia, barriers to pain management in Saudi Arabia and Kenya, and cultural factors affecting Chinese migrants' responses to cancer pain. The document also includes references on non-pharmacological pain management methods, attitudes and knowledge of healthcare professionals towards pain management, and barriers to pain relief at the end of life. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Nurses, as the main healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, were at high risk of contracting the disease. Family caregivers played a vital role in the support and recovery of patients with COVID-19. The experiences of family caregivers of nurses are very important due to the nature of their job. However, little information is available in this field. To this end, the present study aimed to explore the experiences of family caregivers of nurses who recovered from COVID-19. Methods: This descriptive qualitative study was conducted in one of the hospitals in southeastern Iran in 2022. The participants were 12 family caregivers of nurses who recovered from COVID-19 and were selected through purposive sampling. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using conventional content analysis. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative research checklist was used to report the findings. Results: The analysis of the data revealed psychosocial consequences as main theme, three categories and nine subcategories including negative emotions and attitudes (fear of deterioration/death, fear of frequent infection, fear of transmitting infection to others, despair of recovery, Changing attitudes toward the nursing profession), caregiver burden (role conflict, economic pressure) and lack of support, ineffective interactions and isolation (Lack of support from nursing managers and colleagues, ineffective interactions and isolation). Conclusion: Like other caregivers, family caregivers of nurses recovered from COVID-19 experienced psychosocial consequences and a heavy burden of responsibility. However, what differentiates our findings from the results reported in previous studies is the change in caregivers' attitudes toward nursing and regret for their family members being nurses. The lack of support from medical staff and managers for nurses, the condition of nurses frequently contracting COVID-19 due to the nature of their profession, and the fear of transmitting the infection to others due to contact with COVID-19 patients in the workplace expose these caregivers to additional stress and many risks. Thus, these caregivers need more attention and support in similar situations; an issue that seems to have been neglected during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Providing services for patients with noncommunicable diseases is one of the main responsibilities of health systems. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the care of these patients faced problems. This study investigates the ways of providing optimal care to patients during pandemics like COVID-19. Subject and methods: This study was conducted in 2021 in Tehran province using an analytical cross-sectional method. Six hundred participants were selected for the study. In order to examine the challenges and solutions for receiving services, a questionnaire was completed and its reliability and validity were checked; finally, a telephone interview was completed over a period of 3 months. Results: Among study participants, 68.2% were female, and the highest percentage was in the age group of 50–60 years. Fifty-four percent were illiterate or had primary education, 48.8% had diabetes, 42.8% had high blood pressure, and 8.3% had both diseases. Forty-three percent of the interviewees had not used health care services during the COVID-19 pandemic, the main reason for which was the fear of contracting COVID-19. The outbreak of coronavirus disease had affected the care of noncommunicable diseases for 63% of the interviewees. Conclusion: The fundamental need for changes in the health system was revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The need for flexibility in the health system will inevitably arise when similar cases occur, and policymakers and managers should consider necessary measures in this regard. The use of new technologies is one of the ways to replace traditional models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate predictors of low birth satisfaction in a sample of Iranian postpartum women during the COVID‐19 epidemics' fifth wave. Design: A cross‐sectional study. Methods: This study was conducted on 676 postpartum women admitted to postpartum wards of Mobini maternity hospital using a convenience sampling method between 2 Aug and 18 September 2021 in Iran. We used the general linear model and multiple linear regression analyses to determine predictors of birth satisfaction. Results: The mean and standard deviation values of age and education were 28.7 ± 6.6 and 11.1 ± 4.1 (years), respectively. The mean scores of the three scales were as follows: FVC‐19S (14.7 ± 7.5), WHO‐5 (67.5 ± 13.0) and BSS‐R (28.6 ± 7.3). Sixty‐five point nine percent (65.9%) of the participants were multiparous. Overall predictors of low birth satisfaction were emergency caesarean, instrumental birth, episiotomy, Entonox analgesia, low level of well‐being score < 50, fear of COVID‐19, low satisfaction with pregnancy and low satisfaction with spouse's support. The overall proportion of the variance in birth satisfaction explained by all variables is 17.4%. Labor and birth variables explained 12.2% of the variance in birth satisfaction. Patient or Public Contribution: None. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The health of retirees, as an expanding and vulnerable group, is of particular importance in society, and it is necessary to prioritize their problems in critical situations such as the spread of the coronavirus. The current study aimed to investigate the impact of social and cultural capital on the level of fear of COVID-19 among retired employees of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (TUOMS). Methods. This survey-based research employed a descriptive-explanatory design and was practical in terms of purpose. This study selected 410 retirees from TUOMS in Iran using a simple random sampling method. The data collection tools in this study included three questionnaires: cultural capital, social capital, and fear of COVID-19. We tested the research hypotheses using SPSS software (version 22). Results. The bivariate results of the study indicated that social capital and its dimensions (social networks, social trust, and social participation) and cultural capital and its dimensions (embodied, objective, and institutional) had a significant and inversed effect on the level of fear of COVID-19 among the retirees. The regression model of fear of COVID-19 also found that both independent variables (social capital and cultural capital) were statistically significant and could explain about 36% and 31% of the changes in the dependent variable (fear of COVID-19 among retirees), respectively. Conclusion. This study indicated a significant and inverse relationship between social and cultural capital and the level of fear of COVID-19 among the retirees of TUOMS. The findings of the present study can be generalized to all retired TUOMS employees. Therefore, healthcare policymakers should take effective measures to increase the funds allocated to diseases such as COVID-19 and reduce the fear of the disease, which is a risk factor for physical and mental diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Isfahan, the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) has been used since January 2016 as part of the Iran's Package of Essential Non-communicable Diseases (IraPEN) program for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The test is recommended for people who are 50-70 years old. Then, those with positive results would be referred for colonoscopy. This study aims to describe the uptake of the program and its outcome. Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed by collecting data from Isfahan Vice-Chancellor for Health database for this study purpose. The number of participators, the number of positive FIT, and the number of detected polyps or cancers were determined. Results: Between 2016 and 2019, the number of participants in the program reached 345 207 individuals (nearly 40% of the eligible population of 874 674). Totally, 21 264 participants (6.1%) had positive tests, of whom about 20% underwent the recommended colonoscopy with available reports, and 971 (24%) and 110 (3%) patients were diagnosed with polyps and CRC, respectively. Conclusion: Over four years of screening with FIT in Isfahan, 40% of the eligible population participated. Among those with positive FIT results, 20% underwent colonoscopy, and approximately 26% of these individuals were identified as having polyps or cancer. This study provides valuable insights into the uptake and outcomes of a population-based CRC screening program in Isfahan, Iran. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to increase participation rates and improve the detection of polyps and CRC cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organization recognizes childbirth preparation as an essential component of antenatal care, as it plays a crucial role in reducing maternal mortality and improving women's childbirth experience. Countries worldwide have implemented various interventions to assist women in preparing for childbirth, based on their own resources. This study was conducted with the aim of exploring the perspectives of pregnant and postpartum women on childbirth preparation and the facilitating and inhibiting factors, in Tabriz, Iran. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted with 25 participants, selected purposively among pregnant women in weeks 37 to 40 of gestation and postpartum women within 10 days to 6 weeks after childbirth. Data collection was done through semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews using an interview guide. The data was analyzed using content analysis method with conventional approach. Results: The perspectives of pregnant and postpartum women regarding childbirth preparation revealed that factors such as maternal health during pregnancy, having an antenatal care plan, improving health literacy, and developing a birth plan were identified as crucial elements for effective childbirth preparation. Additionally, mental and emotional preparation, support, financial planning, participation in preparation classes, and awareness of childbirth methods were recognized as facilitators. On the other hand, insufficient mental and emotional preparedness, inadequate support, weak antenatal care, information deficiencies, insufficient physical activity, and a lack of a birth plan were identified as barriers. Conclusion: The findings highlight the multifaceted nature of childbirth preparedness, necessitating the involvement of families, the healthcare system, and the entire community. Utilizing the study results in strategic planning for pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy, and inter-pregnancy care can enhance childbirth preparedness and contribute to achieving Iran's population rejuvenation policy goals. Plain English summary: The World Health Organization recognizes that preparing for childbirth is an important part of prenatal care. It can help reduce maternal deaths and improve women's experiences during childbirth. Countries around the world have implemented different programs to help women prepare for childbirth, based on their own resources. This study was conducted in Tabriz, Iran to understand how pregnant and recently pregnant women view childbirth preparation and what factors help or hinder it. The study involved 25 participants who were intentionally chosen from pregnant women in their last month of pregnancy and women who had given birth within the past 6 weeks by researchers. The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with each participant, using a set of questions, to gather information. From these interviews, the researchers identified several themes related to childbirth preparation. These themes included considering the mother's health during pregnancy, planning for antenatal care, promoting health literacy, creating a childbirth plan, identifying factors that help with preparation, and understanding barriers to preparation. The findings of this study highlight the complexity of preparing for childbirth and emphasize the need for involvement from families, the healthcare system, and the entire community. By utilizing these findings to develop plans prior to pregnancy, during pregnancy, and between pregnancies, we can enhance childbirth preparedness and contribute to Iran's objectives for population growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rabies is an acute and fatal zoonotic viral disease that affects warm-blooded mammals. This disease is usually transmitted between humans and other animals through bites, scratches, or saliva from infected animals. Depending on the mortality rate of rabies, people sometimes experience mental stress after biting or contact. This condition is called mental stress toward rabies (Rabies Hysteria). Cases Report: In this study, we referred to seven cases of rabies hysteria, which were referred to the WHO Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Rabies of Pasteur Institute of Iran. Conclusion: Studies have shown that the level of low awareness and the wrong attitude toward the disease aggravates medical hysteria. The health system should evaluate social knowledge and attitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hookah smoking does not only transmit COVID-19 but also intensifies the symptoms of the disease. Thus, the present research aimed to explore the association between COVID-19 and hookah cessation among female smokers. The institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted nine months after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Face-to-face interviews were held between November 2020 and January 2021 to explore the pattern of hookah smoking among 561 female hookah smokers in Bandar Abbas in the south of Iran. The daily, weekly and monthly rates of hookah smoking showed a statistically significant decrease in the during COVID-19 era (p <.001). Thirteen percent of women managed to cease hookah smoking successfully during the pandemic. The odds ratio of hookah cessation was higher in single women (95% CI 1.09-5.23) as well as women with a high socioeconomic status (SES) (95% CI 4.28-24.01). It was also higher among women who initiated hookah smoking at an older age (95% CI 29-68) and among those with no hookah smoking family member (95% CI 301- 943). Fear of COVID-19 infection was the leading factor involved in hookah cessation or reduction. Entertainment was the leading barrier to successful hookah cessation behavior. It is believed that COVID-19 has directly and indirectly contributed to the reduced or ceased hookah smoking behavior. One of the reasons for the reduction of hookah smoking was the fear of aggravated symptoms and reasons for cessation included closure of coffee shops and removal of all hookahs from the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the main causes of mortality in patients with heart disease is arrhythmia. A temporary pacemaker is inserted to control arrhythmias, particularly when an intervention is urgently needed. Since this procedure is not benign, patients might experience many challenges. As the first step in the development of nursing interventions, identifying these experiences can help reinforce evidence in this field and enhance the quality of nursing care. Objectives: The present study aimed to explore the challenges experienced by patients with temporary transvenous cardiac pacemakers (TTCPs). Methods: This qualitative, interpretive phenomenological study was conducted on 18 patients with pacemakers who were selected by purposive sampling. The data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. All the interviews were recorded and simultaneously analyzed via van Manen’s analytical method. Results: The results of data analysis resulted in threemajor themes: ”Disregard for patient’s dignity”, “dependent life”, and ”physical and psychological problems”. Conclusions: This study showed the challenges of patients with TTCPs. This group of patients is facing challenges related to the care and hospitalization matter and facing an uncertain future. Therefore, there is a need to pay more attention to patients’ needs during hospitalization, such as informing patients about the procedure, respecting patients’ dignity and rights, and controlling physical and psychological problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Women with breast cancer often face deep spiritual challenges that affect their performance and spiritual health. This qualitative study was conducted to investigate the spiritual experiences of women with breast cancer and the role of spirituality in the cancer experience. Methods & Materials: This study was conducted with a qualitative research method and a contractual content analysis approach in 2024 at the Chemotherapy Center of Peymaniyeh Hospital in Jahrom City under the supervision of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences. To collect information, 13 patients with breast cancer were selected by targeted sampling and a semi-structured interview was conducted with them. Interviews were recorded, handwritten, and analyzed by Granheim and Lundman method. Lincoln and Cuban criteria were used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data. Data were analyzed using MAXQDA 2020 software (VERBI). Results: Information in 3 levels of spiritual needs, including 4 sub-levels of communication with God, in search of awareness, hope in overcoming suffering, finding meaning in suffering, and spiritual and spiritual synergy; The category of factors of fear and suffering of the patient includes 3 sub-categories in the clutches of poverty and time, double suffering and silent battle, and the category of spirituality results in patients includes 2 sub-categories in the arms of God in overcoming cancer and recovery and healing pains. The average age of the patients was 44.30 years. Finally, 10 subcategories and 3 main categories (spiritual needs, factors of fear and suffering, and results of spirituality in patients) were extracted. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that living with breast cancer can change the path of life, beliefs and spiritual attitudes of patients. In addition, it will cause their spiritual growth and excellence. Also, the findings of this study showed the importance of addressing the spiritual needs of breast cancer patients as part of comprehensive and patient-centered care. It is recommended to conduct more studies on meeting the spiritual needs of cancer patients as a part of spiritual care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to develop and test the psychometric properties of the Perceived Barriers of Mammography Scale (PBMS-23). Based on a mixed method design researchers generated item pool through qualitative data and literature review and next, 500 women ages 40 to 69 years completed the questionnaire. Based on exploratory and confirmatory Factor Analysis, 23 items, researchers revealed eight domains of fate and destiny, breast conflict, defense avoidance, inconveniences/difficulties of mammography screening, contrasting/competing priorities, fear, distrust of mammography, and lack of knowledge with appropriate fitness for the data. PBMS-23 is valid and reliable instrument for assessing perceived barriers of mammography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This quasi-experimental study aimed to assess the impact of a midwife-led psycho-education intervention on reducing fear of childbirth (FOC) and perceived stress (PS) in pregnant women. The present study involved 96 pregnant women. The intervention group received three 30–45 min telephone sessions using 'BELIEF' (Birth Emotion-Looking to Improve Expectant Fear) psycho-education approach. The outcomes were assessed using questionnaires on childbirth attitudes and PS. Data analysis was performed using Stata version 17. In the intervention group, the mean score for FOC decreased from 39.41 ± 7.02 to 29.91 ± 5.60 (9.5; 24.1%). The mean difference (MD) of 28.22% was statistically significant (adjusted MD: −10.51, 95% CI: −11.60, −9.41, P  < 0.001). In the intervention group, mean scores for PS decreased from 22.77 ± 6.94 to 18.23 ± 5.69 (4.54; 19.93%). In the control group, scores increased from 22.68 ± 6.76 to 24.82 ± 6.58 (2.14; 9.43%). The 29.36% MD was statistically significant (aMD: −6.95, 95% CI: −8.73, −5.18, P  < 0.001). The findings of this study indicate that the midwife-led psycho-education intervention, utilizing the 'BELIEF' protocol over the telephone, has a significant effect on reducing FOC and PS, as well as increasing the preference for vaginal birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To overcome of patients with COVID-19 over the capacity of hospitals and mild to moderate severity of the disease in most cases, the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, recommend home care for these patients. Receiving care at home will face challenges that can be context-based, especially in crises like the Coronavirus pandemic. The present study aimed to describe the experiences of patients with COVID-19 and their relatives from receiving professional home care nursing. Methods: This study was conducted using a qualitative content analysis method. Nine participants with COVID-19 who were receiving home care nursing in Semnan participated in this study. The purposive sampling method was used. Sampling continued until no new categories appeared, meaning the category's theoretical saturation. Deep and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data based on the research question. Data was analyzed using the conventional content analysis method using Graneheim and Lundman's approach. Results: After analyzing the interviews and comparing codes based on similarities and differences, three main themes, 11 categories, and 30 subcategories were identified. The main themes included "The value of home care" (personalization of care, being economical, providing intellectual security, and reducing the concern of family), "Comprehensive care" (professional commitment, empathy, mastery in care, and patronage), and "Care challenges" (cultural barriers, inadequate services, and lack of information about costs and conditions). Conclusion: The patients with COVID-19 who received professional nursing care at home mentioned some challenges, such as the caregiver not being of the same sex as the patient, delay in receiving the service, the inadequacy of the centers, the limitation of the right to choose the care provider, and insufficient information about the cost of services received before receiving each care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess COVID-19-related anxiety, and fear burden in diabetic patients, as a risk group for severe COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey conducted on 111 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients referred to a Diabetes clinics of Royan institute, and 155 healthy controls recruited from normal population using a snowball sampling technique. Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19 S) and Coronavirus anxiety scale (CAS) were used. Results: The total score of coronavirus fear in T2DM patients was 15.79 (6.39) and in healthy controls 15.48 (5.97) (p = 0.696). The total score of coronavirus fear in T2DM patients was 15.79 (6.39) and in healthy controls 15.48 (5.97) (p = 0.696). Correlation matrix between coronavirus anxiety and fear scores in these samples confirmed that in T2DM participants CAS was significantly positively associated with FCV-19 (r = 0.407, p = 0.000). There was also statistically and positively significant correlation between CAS and FCV-19 in healthy subjects (r = 0.495, p = 0.000). Conclusion: The present study revealed that the level of fear and anxiety from COVID-19 was almost the same in a sample of Iranian T2DM patients and healthy controls. The pandemic with several peaks in the country cannot cause an increased anxiety and fear from COVID-19, especially in patients with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 had a destructive effect on human's life. People with COVID-19 experienced high levels of depression, anxiety, and low Quality of Life (QOL). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the cognitive-behavioral intervention package on reducing stress, depression, and anxiety, as well as improving the QOL of patients with COVID-19. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 60 patients with COVID-19 who entered the isolation ward were included and randomly divided into control and experimental groups. The experimental group entered the intervention sessions once a week for 45 minutes for eight consecutive weeks. The intervention consisted of 8 sessions of CBT which was implemented for the experimental group. Patients in the control group received routine care during this period. DASS21, the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), and WHO-QOL were used to measure patients' mental health and QOL. Data analysis was performed with ANCOVA using SPSS24 software. Results: There was no significant difference between groups in terms of DASS21, SCL-90 and QOL before intervention (p<0.05). After intervention, depression symptom and QOL were significantly improved in the experimental group compared to control group (p< 0.05). Accordingly, the findings stated the session of intervention was effective in improving the QOL (p<0.05) and mental illnesses (p<0.05) in patients with COVID-19. Conclusion: Our designed cognitive-behavioral intervention package can enhance the awareness and mental health of patients with COVID-19. This package as an auxiliary treatment can reduce anxiety/depression and improve QOL in patients with COVID-19. Therefore, our intervention package can serve as a useful solution for clinical settings to reduce mental health problems during crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients in the post-resuscitation period experience critical conditions and require high-quality care. Identifying the challenges that critical care nurses encounter when caring for resuscitated patients is essential for improving the quality of their care. Aim: This study aimed to identify the challenges encountered by critical care nurses in providing care during the post-resuscitation period. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews. Sixteen nurses working in the intensive care units of three teaching hospitals were selected through purposive sampling. The Data collected were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Participants experienced individual, interpersonal, and organizational challenges when providing post-resuscitation care. The most significant challenges include inadequate clinical knowledge and experience, poor management and communication skills, lack of support from nurse managers, role ambiguity, risk of violence, and inappropriate attitudes of physicians towards nurses' roles. Additionally, nurses expressed a negative attitude towards resuscitated patients. Conclusion: Critical care nurses face several challenges in providing care for resuscitated patients. To enhance the quality of post-resuscitation care, address the challenges effectively and improve long-time survival it is crucial to implement interventions such as In-service education, post-resuscitation briefing, promotion of interprofessional collaboration among healthcare teams, providing sufficient human resources, clarifying nurses' roles in the post-resuscitation period and increasing support from nursing managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To develop the general population knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) questionnaire towards the COVID‐19 outbreak. Design: A methodological study. Methods: The general population KAP questionnaire items were designed using a literature review. A panel of experts was used to calculate content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI). Construct validity was examined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and hypothesis testing. Internal consistency of the questionnaire was measured using Cronbach's α coefficient. Eight hundred forty‐seven patients referred to health centres in Tabriz, Iran completed the questionnaire in 2021. Results: The developed questionnaire consisted of three parts, including knowledge, attitudes and practices. EFA identified three dimensions for the knowledge (ways of transmission and prevention, high‐risk groups, and symptoms and treatment), three dimensions for the attitudes (hope, fear and view of the vaccine) and three for the practices (adherence to personal and public hygiene, limiting their presence in society and protecting yourself in the community). The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin index for knowledge, attitudes and practices was 0.733, 0.725 and 0.886, respectively, with a significant Bartlett's test of sphericity (p < 0.01). The hypotheses of knowledge and attitudes that are the related factors of practices were confirmed. Cronbach's α was 0.63, 0.74, 0.77, 0.1 and 0.85 for knowledge; fear, hope and view of the vaccine subscales of attitudes; and practices, respectively. Patient or Public Contribution: The developed 47‐item questionnaire had acceptable validity and reliability. Thus, nurses can use it to assess the clients' KAP during the COVID‐19 outbreak. Also, nursing researchers can use this questionnaire in their descriptive and interventional studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypoglycemia, a prevalent acute complication among individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D), manifests with varied symptoms. Those with diabetes who have previously encountered hypoglycemic episodes commonly develop a Fear of Hyperglycemia (FOH). Illness perception (IP) significantly affects self-care behaviors and health outcomes in individuals diagnosed with T2D. Objective: This study examined the correlation between IP and FOH among T2D patients and predictors of FOH. Methods: The present study employed a descriptive-analytical design. The target population for this investigation comprised patients diagnosed T2D who sought medical care at the clinic and endocrinology departments of a hospital affiliated with Alborz University of Medical Sciences. The data collection period spanned from August 2019 to March 2021. A total of 300 individuals were included in the sample. Questionnaires were administered to measure both IP and FOH. Statistical analysis was conducted to examine the association between IP and FOH, as well as to identify the predictors of FOH. Results: The results of the study indicated a statistically significant relationship between FOH and the mean score of IP among patients with diabetes (p = 0.001, r = 0.393), suggesting a moderate positive correlation between these variables. Additionally, the duration of illness, IP, and level of education were identified as variables that predicted FOH (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The numerous factors that influence FOH in individuals diagnosed with T2D highlight the necessity for strategic planning and training initiatives aimed at enhancing IP and reducing FOH within this specific population. Healthcare providers should prioritize interventions that not only address patients' concerns but also contribute to the improvement of their overall well-being. By implementing such interventions, healthcare providers can optimize diabetes management strategies and ultimately enhance patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 patients have been reported to more than likely experience a variety of difficult physical and psychological problems. This qualitative study aims to perceive psychological experiences in COVID-19 patients in Iran. The study method is qualitative, with a conventional content analysis approach adopted. Purposive sampling was applied to 20 COVID-19 patients admitted to medical wards at hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Additionally, data were collected using semi-structured interviews. All data were analyzed based on the method proposed by Lindgren et al. (Int J Nurs Stud 108:103632, 2020). Data analysis identified the main theme to be "death fear and anxiety" with five main categories. These categories included the feelings of death panic and apprehension, uncertainty and ambiguity, fear of abandonment, fear of an unknown future for the family, and fear of unmet spiritual–cultural needs. Accordingly, the patients' experiences of COVID-19 contraction were unique. Against this backdrop, understanding COVID-19 patients' complexities, experiences, beliefs, and attitudes about anxiety and death, can lead to an improved awareness and understanding of the psychological consequences of COVID-19 by executive decision-makers, healthcare personnel and mental health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Needle stick injuries (NSI) can lead to dangerous infectious diseases for health care workers. This study aimed to determine the predictors of observance of safe injection guidelines in hospital nursing staff, based on protection motivation theory. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on the nursing staff of five randomly selected teaching and general hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Fars province, Iran, in 2021. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire which was developed based on protection motivation theory. Data were processed and analyzed using SPSS 22 and Amos 24 at a significance level of < 0.05. Pearson's correlation coefficient, Multiple linear regression, and Structural Equation Modeling were used. Results: The mean age of the participants (No = 280) was 32.5 ± 8.09 years. Most of the participants [80%] had encountered NSI, patients' blood, or body fluids at least once. Protection motivation was the only predictor of protective behaviors (β = 0.573), while perceived efficacy (β = 0.142) and perceived rewards (β = -0.229) were the strongest predictors of motivation. The structural equation modeling analysis showed that standardized total effects of protection motivation, perceived response costs, rewards, and efficacy on the protective behaviors were 0.573, -0.159, -.104, and 0.81, respectively. While standardized total effects of perceived rewards, efficacy, and response cost on protection motivation were -0.229, 0.142, and -0.033, respectively. The model fit indices indicated the acceptable final model fit. Conclusion: The results suggest that perceived efficacy, perceived effectiveness, and perceived rewards were the most important predictors of adherence to Safe Injection Guidelines in nursing staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims One of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic was its impact on marital relations. In health workers, including midwives, who have longer and more contact with mothers who may be infected with COVID-19, the fear of transmitting the virus to their partners is more. This fear can affect their personal lives, including sexual relationships and sexual health. This study aims to determine the relationship of the fear of COVID-19 with sexual function and sexual satisfaction in midwives working in teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Materials & Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 122 midwives working in teaching affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences. They were selected using a census method from May 13 to August 6, 2022. Data collection tools included a demographic/ COVID-19-related form, Ahurso’s fear of COVID-19 scale, female sexual function index (FSFI) and sexual satisfaction index. Data were analyzed in SPSS software, version 24. Results The mean age of participants was 32.21±6.27 years. Most of them had a bachelor’s degree. Sexual satisfaction had no significant relationship with any demographic factors (P>0.05). There was a negative and significant correlation (weak) between fear of COVID-19 and sexual satisfaction (r=-0.214, P=0.019). Also, there was a negative and significant correlation (moderate) between the fear of COVID-19 and sexual function (r=-0.450, P<0.001). Conclusion It seems that the fear of COVID-19 is related to sexual function and sexual satisfaction of Iranian married midwives. Therefore, during similar pandemics in the future, midwives need support such as receiving more personal protective equipment and stress management and resilience training workshops . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Tokophobia is a pathological fear of childbirth that may impact the physical and mental well-being of both the mother and the infant (1). This condition can occur in pregnant and non-pregnant women, and even in men, and may be either primary or secondary, resulting from traumatic childbirth experiences or onset during adolescence (2). Women with tokophobia may face psychological issues, postpartum depression, and challenges in accepting specialized care for newborns during pregnancy (3). They may experience feelings of isolation, guilt, and shame, and encounter difficulties in preparing for childbirth (4). Therefore, women with a fear of childbirth have various needs that require serious attention from maternal care services (5). Psychotherapy groups have been recognized as an effective method for treating this fear (6). Interventions such as psychosexual education and cognitive-behavioral therapy can help reduce the number of women requesting cesarean sections due to non-medical fear of childbirth (7). Additionally, receiving individualized care during pregnancy and postpartum is crucial for women with tokophobia (8). Schema therapy is a comprehensive approach that combines cognitive theory and developmental concepts. This approach focuses on early childhood experiences and the cognitive schemas derived from them, examining their impact throughout an individual's life (9). Schema therapy aims to identify and address maladaptive patterns in cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects (10). Further research is needed to more precisely determine the effectiveness of schema therapy in treating tokophobia (1, 11). Therefore, the present study aimed to answer the question of whether the effectiveness of general schema therapy and schema therapy specifically tailored for women with tokophobia is the same in reducing the symptoms of fear of childbirth in primiparous women in Isfahan? Methods: This study was a semi-experimental research with a control group, including pretest, post-test, and follow-up, conducted in the population of primiparous women with tokophobia in Isfahan in the year 2023. Following Kok's recommendation (2002) for sample size determination in experimental research (12), 45 subjects were purposefully selected and, after matching based on the criteria for entering the study, including obtaining a minimum score (30 and above) on the Tokophobia Questionnaire (13), no history of fetal abortion and curettage, and absence of more than three sessions of absence from treatment sessions, were randomly assigned to three 15-person groups: general schema therapy, schema therapy specifically tailored for women with tokophobia, and the control group. In this research, the control group, general schema therapy group, and specifically tailored schema therapy group were replaced by the standard general schema therapy. The general schema therapy group participated in 12 group training sessions, each lasting 60 minutes, according to the protocol developed by Young et al. (2003) (14). The specifically tailored schema therapy group for women with tokophobia also underwent 12 one-hour sessions of schema therapy developed based on the needs of pregnant women with tokophobia. It is worth mentioning that the specifically tailored schema therapy package for women with tokophobia was developed based on the process of development and initial trial reliability and relied on credible sources. The agreement reached by the judges regarding the structure of treatment, duration of treatment, length of each session, content adequacy, and practicality of this treatment was 82.0. Also, in a pilot study on a group of eight, the executive and operational reliability and practicality of the specifically tailored schema therapy package for women with tokophobia were examined and confirmed. To observe ethical principles, the research was approved by the Research Committee of the University with the ethics code IR.IAU.KHUISF.REC.1401.028, and the clinical trial code IRCT20211229053565N1 was obtained. The collected data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and the SPSS-28 statistical software. The Stoll et al. (2016) 10-item questionnaire was used to measure tokophobia (15). Higher scores on this questionnaire indicate higher fear of childbirth, and lower scores indicate lower fear of childbirth. The reliability of this tool was estimated using the Cronbach's alpha method, and it was 79.6 for the entire questionnaire and 86.0 for the fear of pain and complications subscale, and 82.6 for the fear of physical changes subscale (16). Results: Examination of demographic data showed no significant differences in age and duration of marriage in the research groups. The assumption of normality in the ShapiroWilk test for tokophobia scores was not significant (p>0.05), and the distribution of the present variables was normal. The calculated F value in the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages was not significant. The results of the analysis of variance with repeated measures showed that general schema therapy and schema therapy specifically tailored for women with tokophobia had a significant effect on reducing tokophobia severity in primiparous women with tokophobia. Therefore, for the comparison of research groups, the Bonferroni test for pairwise comparison of groups also showed a significant difference between the experimental groups and the control group (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the general schema therapy and specifically tailored schema therapy groups for women with tokophobia (p>0.05). Conclusion: Based on the findings of the research, it can be concluded that both schema therapy and schema therapy specifically tailored for women with tokophobia have a significant impact on reducing the severity of tokophobia symptoms in primiparous women in Isfahan. These results indicate that the use of these two therapeutic approaches can help improve the condition of women with tokophobia and have a positive effect on reducing the fear of childbirth. Additionally, the results show a significant difference between the treatment groups and the control group, suggesting that therapeutic intervention can be more effective in reducing tokophobia severity in primiparous women compared to no intervention. However, no significant difference was observed between the general schema therapy and specifically tailored schema therapy groups. This may indicate that both therapeutic approaches have acted similarly in reducing the severity of tokophobia in women with this disorder, and no significant noticeable difference was observed between these two methods. Overall, the results indicate that both general schema therapy and specifically tailored schema therapy can be effective in reducing the severity of tokophobia in primiparous women. In this regard, it can be stated that schema therapy, by reducing ineffective coping mechanisms, allows patients to effectively manage their phobias related to childbirth and pregnancy. These results can serve as a guide for designing and implementing therapeutic programs to improve the condition of individuals with tokophobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Proper physical activities play an important role in reducing disease and mortality in old age, and is one of the main causes of active aging; however, the fear of falling is a barrier to having proper physical activity. Due to the difference between the elderly living in urban and rural areas regarding the risk factors of fear of falling and the amount and type of physical activity, this study aims to investigate and compare the fear of falling, physical activity, and activities of daily living (ADL) in the elderly living in urban and rural areas of Konarak County, Iran. Materials & Methods In this analytical cross-sectional study, 350 elderly people aged ≥60 years, who were under the coverage of comprehensive rural and urban health service centers in Konarak, Sistan and Baluchestan province (224 from rural areas and 126 from urban areas) were selected using a random sampling method and based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. In addition to recording their demographic information, their fear of falling, physical activity, and ADL were measured by the Persian version of falls efficacy scale-international (FES-I), Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA), ADL scale, and Instrumental ADL scale (IADL), respectively. Results The mean overall age of the elderly was 68.48±7.84 years (69.53±8.29 years in the rural group and 66.62±6.61 years in the urban group), and there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of age (P<0.001). Pearson correlation test results showed that the FES-I score had a statistically significant negative relationship with the scores of ADL, IADL, and RAPA1 in total and in each group (P<0.001), but there was no statistically significant relationship between the FES-I score and the RAPA2 neither in total (P=0.40) and nor in rural (P=0.38) and urban (P=0.81) groups. Conclusion The fear of falling is significantly higher in the elderly living in rural areas of Konarak county compared to those living in urban areas. The RAPA1 and basic ADL of the elderly living in urban areas are higher compared to those living in rural areas, but there is no significant difference between them in RAPA2 and IADL. In addition, fear of falling has a significant relationship with physical activity of the elderly in overall and in rural and urban groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The syntax of spaces is one of the significant factors affecting visitors' sense of security in urban parks. Due to the vitality and green nature of parks, they are expected to provide more sense of peace and security to visitors than other urban spaces; However, Tappeh-Bashi Park in the city of Naghadeh, located in West Azarbaijan province, Iran, is a counterexample. This park, despite its glory days not so far past, has become a place for addicts and criminals because of a lack of surveillance, ethnic conflicts, and the stoning of two people there. Recently, measures have been taken by the municipality to improve the security of the park, such as taking out criminals, implementing some sports facilities, and planting trees, and flowers. Although this has significantly reduced the rate of crime, citizens still do not desire to visit this park due to their sense of fear of possible crimes. The root of this issue is both subjective and objective and this study's focus is on the objective aspect. The purpose is to find the areas inducing a sense of fear of crime in visitors in the case study by assessing the role of the objective factors related to the spatial syntax of the park in both physical and visual dimensions. To do so, the qualities affecting the sense of fear in visitors of Tappeh-Bashi Park and their extracted indicators were evaluated by space syntax technique and through Depthmap software. In this research, the four qualities of accessibility, choice, controllability, and integration in the physical dimension, and the qualities of lighting, visibility, and attraction in the visual dimension were evaluated. First of all, the base map of the site was updated, and the axial maps of indicators including connectivity, mean depth, metric depth, permeability, and mysteriousness were prepared in DepthMap software and valued in Geographic Information System (GIS). Next, the obtained quality maps were weighed and overlaid to get the final axial map. Then, the visual graph of the clustering coefficient indicator was combined with the final map, which gave us three areas inducing a sense of fear among visitors. Finally, three areas were also examined in terms of visibility indicators such as maximum radial line, compactness, and occlusivity, which gave us a good insight to analyse the potentials of each area for reducing sense of fear. For findings validation, the agent analysis of the site was applied, which proved area two has the potential for designing against the sense of fear of crime with the aim of enhancing social interaction. The site also was assessed according to the intensity of lighting at night showing that area three lacks proper lighting. The results showed that the dead-end and undefined routes in the park have reduced the mobility and integrity of pedestrian paths. Moreover, spaces with low levels of lighting at night, spaces that lack natural surveillance, and mysterious and abandoned spaces in the park have the highest potential to induce feelings of insecurity and a sense of fear of crime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although different tools have been designed to measure mindfulness, none has comprehensively examined academic mindfulness. Therefore, the present study aimed to build a reliable and valid tool for academic mindfulness measurement in students. Method: The research was a descriptive-correlational study and a validation of the test. Participants included 420 students of Bu-Ali Sina University in the academic year of 2022-2023, selected by multistage cluster random sampling method and completed the Academic Mindfulness Questionnaire (AMQ-5), Fear of Self-compassion Scale, and Academic Engagement Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Results: Examination of the data by exploratory factor analysis showed that all 20 items had acceptable factor loads and revealed five factors (self-compassion, accepting without judgment, presence in the moment, performing tasks with awareness, and listening with full attention). Moreover, according to the confirmatory factor analysis, the questionnaire had an acceptable fit (RMSEA=0.047, AGFI=0.91, NFI=0.96, CFI=0.98). The findings showed that academic mindfulness was significantly correlated with fear of self-compassion and academic engagement. Moreover, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.89. Conclusion: According to the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that the academic mindfulness questionnaire has a good validity and reliability and can effectively measure academic mindfulness in the five factors mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer patients may face challenges in their regular treatments and their quality of life (QoL) due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the QoL of cancer patients in Iran during the COVID-19 crisis. Methods: We applied the EORTC (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer) Core Quality of Life (QLQ-C30) questionnaire to measure the QoL of cancer patients in Rasoul Akram Hospital in 2021 in Tehran. Based on the inclusion criteria (a cancer diagnosis, being 18 years of age or older, and the ability to understand (but not necessarily read) the Persian language), 87 cancer patients were found to be eligible. Of these, 85 completed the questionnaire. We used SPSS to analyze the data with an independent t test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: According to the result of the analysis, the global health status (main Qol score) was 55.49 ± 21.27. We found no significant difference in the global health status scores based on any demographic variables. Regarding functional scales, the type of insurance had a significant effect on the average cognitive functioning score (P-value = 0.043), with the highest score (79.37 ± 21.02) for patients with Medical Service Insurance and the lowest score (54.76 ± 29.99) for patients without insurance. We also found that in symptom scales, age (P-value < 0.001) and the type of cancer (P-value < 0.001) had a significant impact on the average appetite loss score. Conclusions: The QoL of cancer patients has deteriorated during the coronavirus outbreak in terms of general health status, functional scales, and symptom scales. Cancer patients need to be supported by decision-makers and hospital managers, especially in epidemics, to cope with psychological issues related to epidemics, such as fear, anxiety, and worry, and to ensure that they receive adequate services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to determine factors associated with coping strategies used by nursing staff during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Iran. Design: Cross‐sectional study. Methods: A convenience sample of 365 nurses were selected from referral hospitals for COVID‐19 patients in Tabriz, Iran between February 2022 and July 2022. An online self‐administered questionnaire was distributed through social media platforms, including WhatsApp and Instagram. The survey package included a modified Brief COPE scale, socio‐demographic and work‐related questions, and a measure of psychological distress. Multiple regression analysis examined associated factors with coping strategies in SPSS. The study adhered to the STROBE guidelines for reporting. Results: The mean age of participants was 31.2 (7.3) years old. Of the 365 participants, 209 (58.9%) used maladaptive coping strategies, and 214 (57.6%) reported experiencing psychological distress. Psychological distress was the strongest predictor of maladaptive coping strategies (β = 4.473, p < 0.001). Female nurses (β = 3.259, p < 0.05), nurses who were under 35 years of age (β = 3.214, p < 0.05), nurses with fewer than ten years of experience (β = 2.416, p < 0.001), those who worked in COVID‐19 ICUs (β = 4.321, p < 0.001), floor nurses (β = 2.344, p < 0.001), and those who worked two or more years in COVID‐19 settings (β = 3.293, p < 0.001) had higher mean scores in maladaptive coping strategies. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Several factors influence the quality of life (QoL) of older adults, particularly those on hemodialysis. Fear of falling and its resulting limitations are significant contributors. This study investigated the association between fear of falling and QoL in older hemodialysis patients in Tehran hospitals. Methods: A descriptive-correlational design was used with 197 older hemodialysis patients in Tehran hospitals (2021) recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Falls Efficacy Scale-International, and the Leiden International Psychogeriatric Assessment of Life Functions scale to assess QoL. Spearman's rank correlation was performed using SPSS-21 software. Results: The mean QoL score (54.68 ± 16.09) indicated a moderate level. The mean fear of falling score (35.29 ± 13.54) reflected a high level. A significant negative correlation (R = -0.63, p = 0.001) was found between fear of falling and QoL. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that increased fear of falling is associated with a decrease in QoL among older hemodialysis patients. Further research is warranted to explore interventions aimed at managing fear of falling, preventing falls, and ultimately improving QoL in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of education based on the protection motivation theory (PMT) on the promotion of protective behaviors in medical laboratories’ staff in Yazd, Iran. Methods: This interventional study utilized a census method to survey 90 stafffrom medical laboratories. Data were collected in two stages, before and after the intervention, using a researcher-made questionnaire with confirmed validity and reliability that administered through self-reporting. The questionnaire consisted of demographic information, as well as the constructs of PMT (91 items) and protective behavior (20 items). Following the pre-test, the intervention consisted of six one-hour sessions. The same questionnaires were completed three months after the education. Results: Following the education, there was a significant increase in the constructs scores of perceived vulnerabilities (approximately 4 units), perceived self-efficacy (approximately 2 units), fear (approximately 3 units), protection motivation (approximately 3 units), and protective behavior (approximately 6 units) among the medical laboratory personnel. However, there were no significant differences observed in the constructs of perceived severity, response efficiency, response cost, and perceived reward before and after the intervention. Conclusion: Intervention interventions aimed at promoting protective behaviors can effectively help reduce laboratory hazards, particularly by focusing on increasing protection motivation. Therefore, the protection motivation theory can serve as a valuable framework for the development of education programs to enhance protective behaviors in medical laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the intricate tapestry of Iran's geopolitical, cultural, and economic landscape, the COVID-19 pandemic catalysed profound changes. This essay delves into the multifaceted impact of the pandemic on Iranians' lives, dissecting the specific nuances shaped by the complex biopolitical environment. We unravel the subtle imprints of COVID-19 on the biopolitical discourse, exploring how it intricately intertwines with daily life, social interactions, and the nation's health system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]