Search

Abstract Introduction Pedestrians are considered the most vulnerable and complex road users as human behavior constitutes one of the fundamental reasons for traffic-related incidents involving pedestrians. However, the role of health literacy as a predictor of Pedestrian safety behavior remains underexplored. Therefore, the current study was designed to examine the level of health literacy and its association with the safety behavior of adult pedestrians in the city of Tabriz. Methods This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among individuals aged 18 to 65 years in the metropolitan area of Tabriz from January to April 2023. Data were collected using the HELIA standard questionnaire (Health Literacy Instrument for adults), comprising 33 items across 5 domains (access, reading, understanding, appraisal, decision-making and behavior), as well as the Pedestrian Behavior Questionnaire (PBQ) consisting of 29 items. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics (independent t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient) via SPSS-22 software. Results Based on the results, 94% (376 individuals) had excellent health literacy levels, and their safety behavior scores were at a good level. Health literacy and safety behavior were higher among the age group of 31 to 45 years, women, married individuals, those who read books, and individuals with higher education. However, safety behavior showed no significant association with education level (P > 0.05). There was a significant and positive relationship between health literacy and all its domains and pedestrian safety behavior (r = 0.369, P

Abstract Background Breast cancer and genital cancer are known as cancers that affect people’s relationships with their partners. Women with such cancers are emotionally vulnerable and need more support from their partners. The present systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of couple-based interventions on the marital outcomes of patients with these cancers and their intimate partners. Methods To perform this systematic review, Google Scholar and databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scopus, SID (Scientific Information Database), and Magiran were searched systematically. The reviewed studies included randomized controlled trials and quasiexperimental studies in which the intervention group, couple-based interventions, and the control group received routine care, general education or no intervention for cancer treatment. In this study, the included participants were patients with breast cancer or genital cancer and their intimate partners. The primary outcomes considered in this study included patients’ marital adjustment, patients’ marital satisfaction, patients’ marital intimacy, and patients’ marital relationships. The secondary outcomes were partners’ marital adjustment, partners’ marital satisfaction, partners’ marital intimacy, and partners’ marital relationships. A meta-analysis was performed with Review Manager v. 5.3 software (The Nordic Cochrane Centre, Cochrane Collaboration, 2014; Copenhagen, Denmark). The intervention impacts on continuous outcomes were measured using standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence interval because of the use of various scales to evaluate the outcomes. The quality of evidence presented in the included studies was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. In the subgroup analysis, the studied outcomes were divided into two parts (theory-based and non-theory-based) in terms of the theoretical context of couple-based interventions. Results From a total of 138 retrieved studies, 14 trials were eligible for inclusion in the study. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the patient’s marital satisfaction increased significantly with couple-based interventions (SMD 0.46, 95% confidence interval 0.07 to 0.85; 7 trials, 341 patients, very low certainty) compared to the control group, but the evidence was uncertain. However, there were no significant differences between the groups in the partner’s marital satisfaction, the patient’s and partner’s marital adjustment, and the patient’s and partner’s marital intimacy. Additionally, the results of the subgroup analysis showed that the couple-based interventions significantly increased the patient’s marital adjustment (SMD 1.96, 95% CI 0.87 to 3.06; 4 trials, 355 patients, very low certainty), the partner’s marital adjustment (SMD 0.53, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.86; 4 trials, 347 partners, very low certainty), the patient’s marital satisfaction (SMD 0.89, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.43; 2 trials, 123 patients, very low certainty), and the partner’s marital satisfaction (SMD 0.57, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.94; 2 trials, 123 partners, very low certainty) compared to the control group in theory-based studies. In. However, in non-theory-based studies, the results of the meta-analysis revealed no significant differences between the intervention and control groups. Conclusions The results of this study demonstrated the impact of couple-based interventions on the marital outcomes of patients with breast and genital cancers. Because of the very low confidence in the evidence, high-quality randomized trials with a sufficient sample size should be conducted considering the proper theoretical context.

Objectives During the last two decades, cigarette smoking witnessed a global increase in use, especially among youth. Loneliness is one of the possible psychosocial determinants of smoking. This study examined the association between loneliness and attitudes towards cigarette smoking among university students of Iran.Design Cross-sectional study.Setting and participants This study was conducted among 538 university students, who were recruited using the cluster random sampling method. Loneliness and smoking attitudes of the samples were assessed using the revised version of the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale and the Scale of Cigarette Smoking Attitude (CSA). Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multivariable regression analysis were used to analyse the data.Results From a total of 538 participants, 301 (59.9%) students were young women. The mean age of the students was 22.2±2.9 years. Only 56 (10.4%) of the students were married and 370 (87.9%) of them were lived with their families. 131 (24.3%) students experienced cigarette smoking. In terms of university-related characteristics, 205 (38.1%) of the students studied in the faculty of medicine. Also, 30% of the students had a positive or indifferent attitude towards smoking, while 26.4% of the students reported feeling lonely. The mean scores for loneliness and CSA were 41.42±11.29 and 48.64±11.2, respectively. Statistically, a significant positive correlation was found between loneliness and CSA (r=0.289; p

Objective: Development of a healthy identity can significantly affect the formation of other traits, including self-esteem and body image, in individuals. The aim of the study was to develop a sexual education program and evaluate its impact on the self-esteem of elementary school children. Methods: It was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design, which included a control group. The statistical population consisted of all elementary school girls in Shiraz (Iran) in 2021, and the sampling method was random from the girls' elementary schools in Shiraz. The participants were 30 female students who were randomly assigned to two groups, experimental and control, each with 15 individuals. The Cooper Smith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) was used to measure self-esteem. Results: The multivariate covariance analysis indicated that the F-statistic for personal and social self-esteem variables was significant (p < 0.001), but not for the family self-esteem variable. Conclusions: Therefore, implementing the sexual education program for elementary school children has a positive and significant effect on personal and social self-esteem.

Objective: The primary objective of this research endeavor was to examine the efficacy of a sex education program in enhancing the body-esteem of young students in elementary school. Methods: This study adopted an experimental approach, employing a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population encompassed all girls attending primary schools in Shiraz during the academic year of 2021. Through random sampling, a total of 30 female students were selected, divided equally into an experimental group and a control group, comprising 15 students each. To assess body-esteem, the Body-Esteem Scale (Franzoi & Shields, 1984) was utilized. Results: The results of the covariance analysis revealed that the F statistic for the body-esteem variable attained a significant level of 0.001. This finding indicates that the implementation of the sex education package for elementary school children has exerted a positive and significant impact on their body-esteem. Conclusions: In summary, the outcomes of this study underscore the efficacy of sex education in terms of its influence on the emotional and affective outputs in primary school students.

Objective: Nowadays, loneliness is one of the foremost common issues among university students that may negatively affect their physical and mental states and academic performance. Accordingly, this research project intended to investigate the incidence of loneliness and its related risk factors among students studying at universities of medical sciences. Method: The participants in this cross-sectional study were 538 Tabriz University of Medical Sciences students, selected using a simple random sampling method. Loneliness was measured using the UCLA Loneliness questionnaire with 20 questions. Descriptive statistics, multiple logistic regression, and Chi-square were used to identify factors affecting loneliness. Results: The results showed that the mean loneliness score and the magnitude of the students' loneliness were 41.42 and 26.4%, respectively. The magnitude of loneliness was higher among female respondents (OR = 1.86, P = 0.005), cigarette smokers (OR = 0.39, P < 0.001), freshman students (OR = 2.76, P = 0.021), sophomore students (OR = 2.36, P = 0.040), those with low financial status (OR = 1.80, P = 0.037), and those residing in dormitories (OR = 1.73, P = 0.013). Conclusion: In general, loneliness was widespread among the students. Based on the findings, the magnitude of loneliness was higher among the first-year student group, female students, students with poor economic status, and those who smoked and lived in dormitories. Therefore, this study's findings underline the significance of making students aware of loneliness, investigating the circumstances and factors that exacerbate this sensation among first-year students (mainly between 18-21 years old), and devising intervention to alleviate it.

Abstract Background Smoking remains a leading public health challenge globally. As a psychosocial determinant of health, social capital can influence health attitudes and behaviors, and thus it may have the capacity to reduce smoking rates. The aim of this research was to examine the association between social capital and attitudes towards smoking among university students. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 538 health and medical students, recruited using the proportionate sampling method. Participants’ social capital and attitudes toward smoking were assessed using the social capital questionnaire (SCQ) and the scale of cigarette smoking attitude (CSA). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, and the multiple regression analysis. Results About one in four health and medical students reported smoking, either currently or in the past, and 30% had either positive or indifferent attitudes towards smoking. The mean scores of the SCQ and the CSA were 105.1 ± 19.7 and 48.6 ± 11.2, respectively. There was a statistically significant negative association between the SCQ and the CSA scores (r = − 0.24; p