Peer-led theoretically Desinged HIV/AIDS prevention intervention among students: a case of health belief model

Background & aim

HIV/AIDS is one of the most dangerous viruses known in the world. In addition, considering its fatality rate and high cost of care, it is a serious threat to the health and economy of social communities. Adolescents are one of the high-risk groups. One of the most effective ways to prevent this disease is to promote healthcare, raise awareness, and change health-related beliefs and attitudes. This study aims at determining the effect of peer education, based on the health belief model, on the preventative measures against AIDS adopted by girls.

Methods & materials

In this empirical-interventionist study two schools were randomly selected, one of which was considered as the intervention group and the other as the control group. The classes were also randomly selected and 80 students from each school took part in the project following the entry criterion. A questionnaire with acceptable validity and reliability was used to collect data. In this study a few bright students were chosen as peer educators after being trained. The intervention group (N = 80) received 4 sessions of 60-min education through training, lectures, question and answer, and group discussion, But the control group received no instruction. The posttest was administered two months after the treatment. The data was fed into the SPSS 16. Finally, T-test, Chi-Square, and ANCOVA were employed to analyze the data.

Results

The average scores obtained from the intervention group and the control group were not significantly different in terms of awareness level, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, perceived self-efficacy, behavioral intention, and behavior in baseline (P>0.05). Two months after the intervention there was a significant increase in the average scores of all the variables in the experimental group (P > 0.05). However, there was no significant change in the scores of the control group (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Following a health belief model focusing on peer eduaction among high school girls, the intervention eduaction can affect awareness level, susceptibility, severity, benefits, perceived barriers, perceived self-efficacy, behavioral intention, and finally avoidance of high-risk behavior.

Tendency to Breast Cancer Screening Among Rural Women in Southern Iran: A Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Analysis of Theory of Planned Behavior

Background:

Early detection of breast cancer is a crucial factor in surviving the disease. This study aimed to investigate the mammography screening based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) among rural women in Fasa and Shiraz cities, Iran.

Methods:

This study is a cross-sectional study performed on 800 female clients referring to rural health centers in Fasa and Shiraz cities in southern Iran in early 2021. The authors decided to send and distribute the electronic questionnaire form through the WhatsApp application in collaboration with the health staff of rural health centers for the people covered by these centers. Data gathering tools were a questionnaire on demographic characteristics, a questionnaire based on constructs of TPB, and behavior of mammography screening. Using the structural equation model (SEM), the TPB constructs and demographic variables were entered into the model. Data analysis was executed employing SPSS software version 26 and Amos version 24 (IBM Co., Ann Arbor, MI, USA). Analyzing the data was carried out using the 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), logistic regression, and structural equation analysis. During data analysis, various model indicators such as the goodness of fit, including comparative fit index (CFI), goodness-of-fit index (GFI), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), and chi-square index/df were evaluated. The significance level in all tests was considered 0.05.

Results:

The knowledge, attitude, and perceived behavioral control were the predictors of intention and behavior of mammography screening among the women. Among demographic variables, age, literacy, being menopausal, cancer in family, city, and ethnicity contribute more to the variance variation in TPB constructs. In this study, 7.2% of Persians, 8% of Qashqai Turks, and 4.5% of Arabs are contemplating going to mammography screening. In total, 6.8% (54 people) of all individuals intended to go mammography screening, and 5.4% (43 people) had a history of mammography screening. Goodness-of-fit indices (χ² = 18.45, df = 10, n = 800, χ²/df = 1.845, RMSEA = 0.032, GFI = 0.90, non-normed fit index (NNFI) = 0.91) of conceptual model of this study indicate the suitability of the model.

Conclusions:

The results of the study indicated that the constructs of the TPB can predict mammography screening behaviors in rural women. It has also demonstrated that mammographic behavior can be improved in rural women using education based on the TPB model, emphasizing critical psychological factors of creating or changing behavior.

Effect of peer education model on nursing students' knowledge and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS

OBJECTIVES

This research is an intervention study designed as a single group pre-test post-test model without control group in order to examine the effect of education provided to nursing students based on peer education model on HIV/AIDS knowledge level and attitude.

DESIGN, METHODS, SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS

The research was carried out at Nursing Department of Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University. Sample of the study consisted of second year nursing students who agreed to participate in the study and enrolled Internal Medicine Nursing course for the first time (n = 88). In the first stage of the study, nine peer mentors were selected and a total of 12 h of training were given to them by the researchers. In the second stage, peer mentors provided a total of 12 h of training to nine peer students groups. All groups were created by simple randomization on the "research randomizer" website. Demographics questionnaire, AIDS knowledge scale and AIDS attitude scale were used to collect the data. Data was analyzed by using descriptive statistics, Pearson Chi-square test, paired sample t-Test, Wilcoxon test and Spearman correlation test.

RESULTS

It was determined that peer education provided a statistically significant increase in AIDS knowledge scale score in peer students (pretest x¯=10.32 ± 3.59, posttest x¯=19.69 ± 1.51) (p < 0.001). In addition, peer education was found to provide a statistically significant increase in AIDS attitude scale score in peer students (pretest x¯=56.64 ± 8.36, posttest x¯=72.95 ± 7.02) (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

It has been determined that peer education method is an effective method in increasing HIV/AIDS knowledge and attitude towards people living with HIV/AIDS in nursing students. Therefore, it is recommended to include peer education model in nursing educations regarding HIV/AIDS.

Factors Affecting Breast Self-examination Behavior Among Female Healthcare Workers in Iran: The Role of Social Support Theory

OBJECTIVES

In women, breast cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death. Screening tests are the basis for early diagnosis. In Iranian women, the mortality rate of breast cancer is high due to insufficient screening examinations and delayed visits for care. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the factors affecting breast self-examinations among Iranian women employed in medical careers.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 501 women working in the medical professions at Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in western Iran in 2018. The subjects were selected by stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-developed, self-report questionnaire that contained demographic information and questions based on protection motivation theory and social support theory. Descriptive data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23 and model fitting with PLS version 2.

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants was 37.1±8.3 years, and most of the women (80.4%) were married. Most women had a bachelor's degree (67.5%). The findings of this study showed that the coping appraisal construct was a predictor of protection motivation (β=0.380, p<0.05), and protection motivation (β=0.604, p<0.05) was a predictor of breast self-examination behavior. Additionally, social support theory (β=0.202, p<0.05) had a significant positive effect on breast self-examination behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

The frequency of practicing self-examinations among women employees in the medical sector was low; considering the influence of social support as a factor promoting screening, it is necessary to pay attention to influential people in women's lives when designing educational interventions.