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Investing in the preparation of middle-aged individuals for healthy old age can empower them to surmount the challenges aging. This study was conducted to create and assess the reliability and validity of a scale designed to measure the readiness of middle-aged individuals for healthy aging, referred to as the Middle-Age Preparation Scale for Healthy Aging (MPHA). The research employed a mixed sequential exploratory design. During the qualitative phase, items for the questionnaire were generated by reviewing existing literature and conducting interviews with participants. Subsequently, in the quantitative phase, the psychometric properties of the questionnaire were evaluated by analyzing its face validity, content validity, construct validity, internal consistency, and stability. The reliability and validity of the MPHA were tested with a sample of 440 middle-aged individuals in Tehran, Iran, in 2020. The statistical analyses performed included exploratory factor analysis, measures of internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. Initially, the item pool contained 80 items, which was narrowed down to 44 items during the face and content validation phase. The structural validity assessment resulted in a final 33-item scale, encompassing five factors associated with preparation for healthy aging: financial preparation, maintenance and promotion of physical and mental health, psychological preparation, sustaining communication, and planning productive leisure time. These factors explained 60.37% of the total variance. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the overall MPHA was 0.90, and ranged from 0.79 to 0.91 for the five subscales. The MPHA exhibited satisfactory validity and reliability for assessing preparation for healthy aging in the Iranian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite all the positive effects of cell phones on communication, the improper use of these devices may lead to fatigue and many other problems, including academic, physical, and social problems. Among different age groups, students are the most affected due to the importance of cell phones in their educational and communications needs. In this study, we seek to investigate the relationship between improper use of cell phones and fatigue in Iranian medical students. In the present descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study, 400 students were randomly selected from the Iran University of Medical Sciences by cluster sampling. Data collection tools included demographic information questionnaires, harmful cell phone use (COS), and fatigue (Smets). Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22 based on the frequency tests, mean, standard deviation, and ANOVA with a significance level of 0.05. The mean age of students was 24.1±5.65. The total population of the study was 56% female and 44%, male. The results revealed that the prevalence of fatigue among students was moderate (56.60%). The status of harmful cell phone use was reported to be moderate (90%). There was a significant relationship between mobile phone use and total fatigue (p=0.029), decreased motivation (p=0.025), and mental fatigue (p = 0.001). Results showed that excessive use of cell phones had an adverse impact on total fatigue, mental fatigue, and motivation. Therefore, it is recommended to design effective interventions to prevent harmful use of cell-phone, student fatigue, and other consequences, including academic failure and reduction of mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perception of aging is widely acknowledged as a key determinant of personal satisfaction with the aging process, and it marks an individual's adaptability to life changes. As older adults encounter psychophysical changes and disabilities, thoughts surrounding mortality often become more pronounced, leading to a surge in death anxiety, which is recognized as prevalent psychological distress among this population. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between aging perception and death anxiety among older adults in Eastern Iran during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This descriptive-analytical study included 300 older adults (118 men and 182 women) using a stratified random sampling method. Data were collected using a demographic survey, Barker's Ageing Perceptions Questionnaire (APQ), and Templer's Death Anxiety Scale (DAS). Data were analyzed in SPSS software (V.22) using Pearson's correlation coefficient, independent t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and linear regression. The mean aging perception score was 102.50 ± 15.55. After normalizing the scores, while the highest mean was related to the chronic and acute dimensions (65.32 ± 16.31), the lowest was related to the positive results dimension (65.29 ± 18.71). Also, the death anxiety score was 6.35 ± 1.99. The results from the linear regression analysis indicated an increase in negative emotions, correlating with an uptick in the death anxiety score (P = 0.001). Furthermore, retired individuals had a higher death anxiety score than those still working (P = 0.02). According to the results of this study, older adults with more negative emotions toward aging had higher death anxiety levels. Hence, interventions to foster positive emotions and attitudes towards aging are crucial to healthy aging. Moreover, considering the high level of death anxiety among retired people, further studies are required to investigate the mental health of this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]