Effect of educational intervention on knowledge, perceived benefits, barriers and self-efficacy regarding AIDS preventive behaviors among drug addicts

Meta-analysis of the effectiveness of educational programs about HIV prevention on knowledge, attitude, and behavior among adolescents

The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among adolescents is on the rise due to a lack of comprehensive knowledge, leading to suboptimal attitudes and behaviors, which emphasizes the critical need for targeted interventions. The aim of this review study was to evaluate the effectiveness of educational interventions for HIV prevention among adolescents by assessing their impact on knowledge, attitude, and behavior. A systematic review of seven databases: PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane, JSTOR, Embase, Scopus, and EBSCO were identified, and 14 eligible randomized controlled trials published until June 2023 were included. Two independent authors assessed quality appraisal using the Risk of Bias 2.0. Outcomes were measured using the standard mean difference (SMD) with random effects model and a 95% confidence interval. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were performed to explore heterogeneity. The results showed significant improvements in participants' knowledge (SMD: 1.13, 95%CI: 0.78-1.49), behavior intentions (SMD: 1.22, 95%CI: 0.37-2.07), and attitude (SMD: 0.48, 95%CI: 0.02-0.95) after receiving HIV prevention education programs. Interventions grounded in theoretical principles and incorporating technology, group settings, and audio-visual aids were found to be effective in enhancing knowledge of HIV prevention and promoting behavioral intentions. Peer-led education positively impacted both knowledge and attitude. Moreover, excluding parents from these programs was identified as a crucial factor in improving adolescents' knowledge of HIV prevention. In conclusion, educational programs focused on HIV effectively enhance adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions among adolescents. Professionals planning interventions should consider these impactful components in designing comprehensive strategies.

Setting up and assessing a therapeutic education program for asthmatic patients

BACKGROUND

Asthma is a major public health issue. It remains uncontrolled, despite the availability of effective treatments. Appropriate education programs are required to improve the situation. The study aims to design and assess an educational program based on asthma patients' perceived needs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted in the pulmonology department of the Hassan II University Hospital in Fez. A convenience sample of asthma patients, whether hospitalized or not, was recruited. Two hundred and twenty adult asthma patients completed an educational needs survey (ENS). An asthma knowledge questionnaire for adult patients was used to assess the program on the criterion of improving asthma knowledge. Data collected by ENS was analyzed by standard descriptive statistics. The Student's T test for paired samples was used to compare the means of the Asthma Knowledge Questionnaire scores before and after therapeutic education.

RESULTS

Most patients were married and residing in urban areas. The illiteracy rate was 50%. One patient was a regular smoker. 125 patients (56.82%) reported non-compliance to treatment. The pathophysiology of asthma (chronic airway inflammation, bronchial hyperreactivity, and bronchial obstruction), causes and complications, treatment (inhalation technique), asthma attacks and environmental management, lifestyle, and psychological support were the patients' main perceived educational needs. Based on these findings, an instructional program was created and evaluated with 30 patients. After the program, asthma knowledge increased significantly.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that an educational intervention can improve asthma knowledge.

Developing health promotional skills among medical undergraduates for tuberculosis patients: An innovative way to benefit students as well as patients

BACKGROUND

Involving medical undergraduate students in patients' health education will not only help in improving students' learning as well as professional and communication skills but also plays an important role in achieving better health outcome of patients. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of students led educational intervention regarding tuberculosis (TB) on their learning and on the patients' knowledge and attitude towards the disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred medical undergraduates were included in the study. An integrated lecture on TB was given to all participants followed by preintervention test on TB. One group was then subjected to interactive traditional lecture. Whereas the videos reflecting the experiences of TB patients were shown to the other group and was given an assignment to prepare educational leaflets for TB patients followed by postintervention test for both groups. The patients' satisfaction level with the information given via educational leaflet and the overall perceived benefits of this activity by the students were assessed. Data analysis done using SPSS version 23.0. Independent and paired t-test were used to calculate difference of means for quantitative variables.

RESULTS

Two groups were comparable preintervention however postintervention there was significant improvement in knowledge in the study group (P0.000). Overall 74.2% of the patients were satisfied with the information provided through leaflets. Students' feedback highlighted that majority of the them felt benefitted from this activity.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that such type of educational interventions have dual benefits, i.e., learning for the students as well as providing health education to patients which in turn will improve their clinical outcome.

Application of Freire's adult education model in modifying the psychological constructs of health belief model in self-medication behaviors of older adults: a randomized controlled trial

Background

Self-medication by older adults has been always a public health concern. The present study aimed to modify the psychological constructs of Health Belief Model (HBM) in relation to self-medication behaviors using Freire’s Adult Education Model (FAEM) among older adults in Khorramabad, Iran, from 2017 to 2018.

Methods

The mean age of the older adults was 66.28 ± 7.18 years. This was a randomized controlled trial study conducted on 132 individuals older than 60 who were referred from different health care centers. The participants were selected using multistage sampling method and randomly divided into two groups of intervention and control. The data collection instruments included a questionnaire which was designed based on both HBM and self-medication behaviors questionnaire. The phase of adult education model (AEM) was used to modify the psychological constructs of HBM and self-medication behaviors. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20 with a significant level of 0.05. Descriptive statistical tests, chi-squared test, paired t-test, independent t-test, and univariate modeling were employed for the purpose of analyzing data.

Results

There was no significant difference between groups in terms of self-medication. Unawareness of the effects of medicine were the most important reason for self-medication (p = 0.50). The two groups were not significantly different in terms of knowledge, HBM constructs, and self-medication behaviors (p > 0.05). However, they came up to be considerably different for the above variables after the intervention was implemented (p <  0.05). When the findings were adjusted for the effects of confounding variables, there were significant differences between the two groups in almost all constructs of HBM and their behaviors (p <  0.05). However, the perceived barrier modality of HBM did not reach to a significant level of difference between two groups.

Conclusion

The educational intervention, which was based on Freire’s AEM, had positive effects on the constructs of HBM and consequently on self-medication behaviors. The psychological constructs of HBM were affected at the phases of listening to problems. Self-medication was tempered at the action-reflection phase with shared creation and evaluation of the action plan geared toward the achievement of the behavioral objectives. The results might be of importance to healthcare professionals involved in care of older patients.

Trial registration

Current Controlled Trials IRCT2013091814512N2. Registered on January 2 - prospectively registered, the trial was registered in the Iranian Clinical Trials Registry http://www.irct.ir.

Effect of integrated health promotion intervention and follow up on health issues (clothing way, food habits, urinary habits, sexual behavior habits) related to urinary tract infection among pregnant women. A randomized, clinical trial

Introduction

Urinary tract infection, as an important health element is associated with the risk of many problems in pregnancy and support consulting is effective factor in reducing the problem. Aim of this study is to evaluate the impacts of integrated intervention on life style (clothing way, food habits, urinary habits, sexual behavior habits) Related to Urinary Tract Infection Among Pregnant women.

Method

This interventional used pretest- posttest design with the control group study was performed on 130 healthy pregnant women. The samples were divided randomly into two groups of 65 people. The first group received two sessions of 45 to 60 minutes Psychoeducational counseling, four telephone follow-up support and training pamphlets and the control group received routine education. The relevant questionnaires were completed by both groups before the intervention and a month later. The data were analyzed with Spss V.22 software.

Results

Comparing within the groups it was shown that the variables were increased in the experimental group after consulting compared to the conditions before consulting (P < 0.001), however, no increasing was found in the average variables before consulting and after it. Moreover, comparing the variables in two experimental and control groups significant statistical difference was found in different studied areas after consulting (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Psychological counseling and phone follow-up are effective in improving the knowledge, attitude, and performance of pregnant women in preventing the urinary infection Therefor it is recommended these trends to be considered as training programs in order to increase capacity and primary prevention of pregnant women.

The effects of an educational program based on the health belief model on information-motivation-skill-behavioral skills among women living with human immunodeficiency virus

BACKGROUND

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a kind of behavioral disease in that adopting behavioral changes is the only way to control and stop the epidemic. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of education base on the health belief model (HBM) on health-seeking behavior among HIV-positive women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study is a paralleled, randomized controlled clinical trial done with control group among HIV-positive women who were registered at the voluntary and counseling testing center of Imam Khomeini hospital in Tehran. Data were gathered by using information obtained from the Motivation-Skill-Behavior questionnaire and demographic data. The women were divided by permuted block and were randomized into two groups. Interventional group participated in six HBM educational classes and used routine counseling guidelines, but the control group used only routine counseling protocol. Data were collected before, immediately after, and 3 weeks after interference among all participants. Data were analyzed by using SPSS software version 16.

RESULTS

According to the results and statistical test, before intervention, the mean score of knowledge was not significantly different in the two groups, but after intervention in the interventional group, test result and follow-up increased statistically significantly (P = 0.000). Both groups had increased mean score of knowledge, and there is significant trend in level of knowledge (interventional group 20.79 ± 1.88, control group: 17.36 ±2.44) and there was a significant increase in mean attitude follow-up score (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

According to the result of the present study, counseling base on HBM by trained educator can increase information-motivation-skill-behavior among women living with HIV.

Theory-based interventions in STIs/HIV Prevention: A systematic review of the literature in Iran

Background: Various theory-based interventions (TBIs) have been done to prevent STI/HIV. The current study aimed at reviewing the TBIs for STI/HIV prevention in Iran. Methods: We systematically searched 6 English and Persian electronic databases to identify TBIs conducted for STI/HIV prevention in Iran. General searches were conducted using PubMed MeSH terms. Articles were included if they were interventional and conducted using models and theories, aimed at reducing the risk of STIs, were quasi-experimental or experimental, and if their full text was available. Results: Overall, 1042 studies were found. Finally, 13 original studies met our inclusion criteria. The findings indicated that HBM and TPB were the most frequently used theory/models. High school students and drug abusers were the most common target groups in the included studies. Conclusion: The results revealed that the majority of the conducted TBIs contained a methodological weakness. Conducting randomized controlled trials is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the TBIs.