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BackgroundUnsafe worker behavior is often identified as a major cause of dangerous incidents in the petrochemical industry. Behavioral safety models provide frameworks that may help to prevent such incidents by identifying factors promoting safe or unsafe behavior. We recently conducted a qualitative study to identify factors affecting workers' unsafe behaviors in an Iranian petrochemical company. ObjectiveThe aims of this study were to (1) conduct a review of the relevant research literature between the years 2000 and 2019 to identify theoretical models proposed to explain and predict safe behavior in the workplace and (2) to select the model that best reflects our qualitative findings and other evidence about the factors influencing safe behaviors among petrochemical workers. MethodsThis research used mixed methods. Initially, we conducted a qualitative study of factors that Iranian petrochemical workers believed affected their safety behavior. Four themes emerged from the semistructured interviews: (1) poor direct safety management and supervision; (2) unsafe workplace conditions; (3) workers’ perceptions, skills, and training; and (4) broader organizational factors. Electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Google Scholar, EBSCOhost, and Science Direct, were then searched for eligible studies on models to explain and predict safe behaviors, which were published between the years 2000 and 2019. Medical subject headings were used as the primary analytical element. Medical subject headings and subheadings were then extracted from the literature. One researcher conducted the search and 3 researchers performed screening and data extraction. Then, constructs described in each study were assessed to determine which were the most consistent with themes derived from our qualitative analysis. ResultsA total of 2032 publications were found using the search strategy. Of these, 142 studies were assessed and 28 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The themes identified in the qualitative study most closely matched 3 scales included in Wu et al's model that measured safety behavior and performance, safety leadership, and safety climate in petrochemical industries. Poor direct safety management and supervision matched with safety leadership and its subscales; unsafe workplace conditions matched with safety climate and its subscales; workers' perceptions, skills, and training matched with safety performance and its subscales; and broader organizational factors matched with some subscales of the model. ConclusionsThis is the first literature review to identify models intended to explain and predict safe behavior and select the model most consistent with themes elicited from a qualitative study. Our results showed that effective safety leadership and management and safety climate and culture systems are the most frequently identified factors affecting safe behaviors in the petrochemical industry. These results can further help safety researchers and professionals design effective behavior-based safety interventions, which can have a more sustainable and persistent impact on workers’ safety behaviors. Trial RegistrationIranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT20170515033981N2; https://www.irct.ir/trial/26107 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.1186/s12889-019-7126-1

We assessed the efficacy of a spiritually-integrated cognitive-behavioral educational group intervention for reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and blood pressure during pregnancy and improving delivery outcomes. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in 84 pregnant women randomly assigned to either the intervention or a control group. Demographic information was collected at baseline, along with measures of religiosity, stress, anxiety, depression, and blood pressure. Our intervention consisted of four 90-minute group sessions over 8 weeks that utilized a spiritually-integrated cognitive-behavioral approach to help participants cope with the stress of pregnancy. Stress, anxiety and depression scores in the intervention group decreased significantly by 41%, 28%, and 41%, respectively, from baseline to 3-month follow-up. There were also significant differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressure between groups at the 3-month follow-up, favoring the intervention group. Between-group differences were also significant for these outcomes. Applying such spiritually-integrated intervention may help to improve the mental and physical health of young, healthy nulliparous pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Trans theoretical model (TTM) is developed as a framework for understanding the process of behavior changes. It is known as the most popular approach for promoting exercise behavior. The main objective of this study is to determine the relationship between regular physical activity and TTM components among members of municipality councils in selected districts of Tehran. Methods: This quasi-experimental research with non-equivalent control groups was conducted as a cross-sectional study with 207 members of municipality councils at districts 17 and 20 of Tehran. Data gathering instruments included: demographic; physical activity stage of change; processes of change (researcher-made); self-efficacy, and decisional balance questionnaires. Reliability, and construct validity were evaluated through appropriate statistical procedures. To analyze the data, applied statistical tests such as: chi-square, regression, Pearson correlation coefficient and ANOVA were performed using SPSS 22 software. Results: The level of physical activity of municipality council's members were: 43.5%, 12.1%, and 44.4% at low, moderate, and appropriate activity levels, respectively. The results showed that 18.9,15.9,10.1, 24.7and 30.4 percent of municipality council's members were in the pre contemplation, contemplation, preparation, operation and maintenance stages consequently. The stages of change could predict physical activity in the municipality councils (P < 0.05). However, all the components of this model were significantly associated with regular physical activity behavior. There was a significant relationship between the structures of the processes of change, benefits and barriers against regular physical activity. Conclusions: Although, 43.5% of municipality council's members did not have any intention of performing physical activities in the next six months, it is important to them to recognize the need for physical activity as the main behavior to increase physical and mental health and to be in the maintenance stage of their physical activity behavior. According to the most important predicting components in this study, educational intervention must be focused on in order to increase the effectiveness of the programs to promote municipality councils' physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The socioeconomic factors have crucial effects on health inequality. The unequal distribution of socioeconomic factors may lead to the health inequality. This study aimed to determine and give priority to the socioeconomic factors affecting health in Iran in the experts' point of view. This study was a sequential mixed methods research conducted in quantitative and qualitative phases. The study population consisted of 16 policymakers and experts in the field of economic and social determinants of health. The purposive stratified non-random sampling method was employed. The qualitative data were collected in a semistructured interview and giving priority to factors was conducted using multiple criteria decision making with the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method. The qualitative phase showed that the main socioeconomic factors determining health were the economic factors, income, education, sex, social class, and employment. The data analysis in TOPSIS technique showed that priority parameters were income, employment, and economic factors with coefficient of 0.66, 0.60, and 0.55, respectively. Paying attention to the socioeconomic factors may result in the increased equity and eventually the promoted public health. It is essential for policy makers to take this approach into account and improve the socioeconomic factors for attaining the promoted health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Good personal hygiene (PH) behavior is recommended to prevent contagious diseases, and members of military forces may be at high risk for contracting contagious diseases. The aim of this study was to develop and test a new questionnaire on PH for soldiers. Methods: Participants were all male and from different military settings throughout Iran. Using a five-stage guideline, a panel of experts in the Persian language (Farsi) developed a 21-item self-administered questionnaire. Face and content validity of the first-draft items were assessed. The questionnaire was then translated and subsequently back-translated into English, and both the Farsi and English versions were tested in pilot studies. The consistency and stability of the questionnaire were tested using Cronbach's alpha and the test-retest strategy. The final scale was administered to a sample of 502 military personnel. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses evaluated the structure of the scale. Both the convergent and discriminative validity of the scale were also determined. Results: Cronbach's alpha coefficients were >0.85. Principal component analysis demonstrated a uni-dimensional structure that explained 59 % of the variance in PH behaviors. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit (goodness-of-fit index = 0.902; comparative fitness index = 0.923; root mean square error of approximation = 0.0085). Conclusions: The results show that this new PH scale has solid psychometric properties for testing PH behaviors among an Iranian sample of military personnel. We conclude that this scale can be a useful tool for assessing PH behaviors in military personnel. Further research is needed to determine the scale's value in other countries and cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Designing a health promotion program to increase physical activity may contribute to weight management. The purpose of this study was to investigate a theory of planned behavior (TPB) program to address this problem in military people., Methods: Eighty-four obese/overweight military personnel were randomised into the intervention or control group. A questionnaire assessed demographics, aspects of the TPB program, and physical activity levels. Also assessed were blood glucose and lipid levels. The intervention consisted of seven educational sessions based on TPB. Data were collected at baseline and 3 months after the intervention., Results: All constructs of the TPB improved between baseline and follow-up in the intervention group (p < .001), while there were no significant changes in the control group (within-group comparisons). Between-group comparisons on TPB measures revealed differences in all domains when results were controlled for baseline covariates. Greater light and moderate physical activity was observed in the intervention group. Body mass index decreased significantly within the intervention group (p < .001). Changes in triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein also favored the intervention over the control group., Conclusion: An intervention based on the TPB may be effective in promoting physical activity and decreasing weight in military personnel who are obese or overweight., (© 2019 The International Association of Applied Psychology.)

Introduction: For many years, numerous researches and risk reduction activists have emphasized the importance of public awareness and education for disaster risk reduction (DRR). These needs, due to human natural manipulation, have increased. The present study was aimed to assess and determine the evidence on the strategies for education of DRR., Materials and Methods: This study was a systematic review of publications and gray literatures regarding to strategies for education of DRR conducted in December 2016. Fifteen articles and dissertations published during January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2016 were extracted through PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Ovid, Google Scholar, Scientific Information Database, Magiran, and Irandoc with the inclusion criteria of English and Persian language. Thematic analysis technique was used to analyze the articles., Results: The thematic analyses revealed eight major categories of DRR educational strategies such as raising knowledge, educational needs assessment, educational planning, educational approaches, educational content, educational tools, involved organizations, and educational learning barriers and challenges., Conclusions: Most countries have launched DRR education activities, but these actions are not enough, and there are some gaps between what is it and what should be. More effective and efficient teaching and learning strategies are needed to increase the effectiveness of preparedness and DRR activities at all levels of community., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.