Using social prescribing by Iranian medical students: a step towards community-orientation and social determinants of health by revising the health internship curriculum

BACKGROUND

In order to meet patients' social needs, including social prescribing in the curriculum of medical students is a necessity.

AIM

Becoming familiarized with the SDH perspective and referral method to link workers (LWs) and the principles of social prescribing (SP).

METHODS

Using Levin's model, the intervention was performed in the field of health of medical students in 2018-2020 for 38 interns in Dezful University of Medical Sciences. Following holding meetings (Plan), a social case was selected and the social version (Act) was developed. Then the other students observed the prescription and identified the strengths and weaknesses (Reflect). Finally, the results were evaluated by Kirk Patrick model.

RESULTS

At the reaction level, 63.14% agreed with the applicability of SP and 68.42% with its usefulness for prospective work; 97.36% believed that familiarity with the community context was essential and 78.93% considered SDH study and SP's necessary. At the learning level, over 90% of the total score was obtained. The results of behavior level included interest, compassion and following up people's problems, the level of results, empowerment and improving unhealthy living conditions of individuals.

CONCLUSION

Promising positive results indicate that SP can be one of the ways of supporting primary health care.

Strategies to reduce road traffic injuries among motorcyclists in Dezful, Iran: stressing on legal and environmental factors

BACKGROUND

Road traffic injuries (RTIs) have been eighth leading cause of death in the world and second leading one Iran in 2018. Every year, a large number of motorcycle RTIs lead to deaths and disabilities due to non-compliance with traffic rules and the traditional design of the streets and routes in Dezful, Iran. This study aims to pursue two goals: identifying the legal and environmental factors affecting motorcycle RTIs, and prioritizing effective strategies in reducing number of motorcycle RTIs in Dezful, Iran.

METHODS

A mixed method approach was used in this study. In the qualitative phase, focus group meetings using key informants were used to identify the effective factors and in the quantitative one a matrix was used for prioritizing effective strategies in preventing motorcycle RTIs.

RESULTS

45 basic codes related to legal factors and 8 basic codes of environmental factors were derived from the focus group meetings. Six main legal factors and 3 main environmental factors were prioritized as the most effective strategies to reduce motorcycle RTIs. The legal factors with the highest score were: making visible: obstacles, motorcycles and pedestrians and motorcyclists using colors and stickers or glossy stickers, further monitoring and training of riders' license issuance schools, seriousness in enforcing the laws and dealing legally and seriously with violators, continuous marking of roads and streets, random check of motorcycle riders' license, and construction of public parking lots in crowded zones. The environmental ones were: identifying places where traffic signs are covered with trees, and reporting through the 137 call center, identifying and reporting shoulderless and hazardous roads by municipality, and Identifying and reporting accident-causing potholes through the 137 call center.

CONCLUSIONS

All organizations and stakeholders involved in reducing motorcycle RTIs, should take benefit from different recommendation - i.e. education & awareness, law enforcement and legal actions, environmental actions, collaborations, partnerships, and lobbying, and research.

Digital Media-based Health Intervention on the promotion of Women's physical activity: a quasi-experimental study

Background

Technological advances have caused poor mobility and lower physical activity among humankind. This study was conducted to assess the impact of a digital media-based (multi-media, internet, and mobile phone) health intervention on promotion of women’s physical activity.

Methods

In this quasi-experimental study, 360 women were divided into case and control groups. The digital media-based educational intervention was conducted in two months in the case group electronically, using mail and Internet and telephone platforms. Physical activity was measured using International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) that estimated women’s physical activity rate in the previous week. Data was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics (ANOVA, chi-square, paired and independent t-tests) using SPSS 20.

Results

The mean score of knowledge, attitude and level of physical activity in the control group were not significantly different before and after the intervention. While in the case group, this difference before and after the intervention was significant (p < 0.001), and mean scores of the above-mentioned factors increased after the intervention.

Conclusions

Using innovative and digital media-based health education can be effective in improving health-based behavior such as physical activity. Therefore, it seems necessary to develop user-based strategies and strengthen the behavioral change theories and hypotheses based on digital media for effective influence on behavior.

Trial registration

Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT), IRCT20160619028529N5. Registered December 24, 2017 [retrospectively registered].

E-health readiness assessment framework in iran

BACKGROUND

Concept of e-readiness is used in many areas such as e-business, e-commerce, e-government, and e-banking. In terms of healthcare, e-readiness is a rather new concept, and is propounded under the title of E-healthcare. E-health readiness refers to the readiness of communities and healthcare institutions for the expected changes brought by programs related to Information and Communications Technology (lCT). The present research is conducted aiming at designing E-health Readiness Assessment Framework (EHRAF) in Iran.

METHODS

The e-health readiness assessment framework was designed based on reviewing literature on e-readiness assessment models and opinions of ICT and health experts. In the next step, Delphi method was used to develop and test the designed framework. Three questionnaires developed to test and modify the model while determining weights of the indices; afterward they were either sent to experts through email or delivered to them in face.

RESULTS

The designed framework approved with 4 dimensions, 11 constituents and 58 indices. Technical readiness had the highest importance coefficient (0.256099), and the other dimensions were of the next levels of coefficient importance: core readiness (0.25520), social communication readiness (0.244658), and engagement readiness (0.244039).

CONCLUSION

The framework presents the movement route and investment priorities in e-health in Iran. The proposed framework is a good instrument for measuring the e-readiness in health centers in Iran, and for identifying strengths and weaknesses of these centers to access ICT and its implementation for more effectiveness and for analyzing digital divide between them, as well.