Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Abstract BACKGROUND: One way to reduce the burden of early detection of COVID‑19 disease is in
vulnerable and high‑risk groups. The aim of this study was to diagnose and evaluate the disease in
the homeless in Southern Iran Bandar Abbas.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The target group of this study was 234 homeless people. Census
sampling included all homeless residents of Isin camp Bandar Abbas. People were individually
examined, and their information was recorded. COVID‑19 sampling was done for all as outpatients
this year.
RESULTS: Eight percent of people were able to answer the questions of awareness about symptoms,
ways of transmission, and ways of prevention of COVID‑19 disease. Nine percent of the homeless
people in the target group stated that they used to wash their hands before settling in the camp. Six
percent of homeless people stated that they used face masks before settling in the camp. Fifteen
participants showed similar symptoms to COVID‑19, yet their test result was negative. However, six
people who were asymptomatic ended up afflicted. The mean duration of time (since the emergence
of symptoms to the sampling date) was 3 days. The minimum duration of time from the emergence
of symptoms to the sampling date was 3 h, and the maximum time was 7 days.
CONCLUSION: Considering the spread of the disease, certain social measures need to be taken in
society to help take care of these people and transfer them from streets to safe places and provide for
their essentials. Diagnostic tests should be done periodically among these people at regular intervals.

Abstract BACKGROUND: In several countries such as Iran, the use of complementary and alternative medical
products like herbal medicine is growing. There is, however, a lack of research on the prospects
of herbal medicine patrons regarding facilitators and herbal medicine use barriers. The aim of this
study was to explain the facilitators and the barriers of herbal medicine use in type 2 diabetes
mellitus (T2DM) patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Qualitative one‑to‑one in‑depth interviews were conducted with
patients with T2DM from the Yazd Diabetes Research Center, using a semi‑structured guide. For
the recruitment of T2DM participants who used herbal medicine beside conventional medicine,
purposeful sampling was used. Analysis of the data was carried out using the steps proposed by
Graneheim and Landman strategies.
RESULTS: Sixteen patients were interviewed. There were 2 subjects (facilitators and barriers herbal
medicine use), 8 categories, and 89 initial codes. The facilitators included individual preferences,
preparation skills, and family support and the factors obstructing the use of herbal medicine included
insufficient skills about preparing, lack of easy access to consumption, insufficient of efficacy of herbal
medicine, and negative properties of herbal medicine and taking time in preparing herbal medicine.
CONCLUSION: Although some people use herbal medicine, the interest in use of herbal medicine
is limited because of inadequate awareness of the impact and usage them. Therefore, the use of
effective strategy in the integration of herbal remedies with conventional medicine can promote
well‑being of patients.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Sailors are exposed to sunlight as their job requires and are, in the long run, more
prone to different types of skin cancer. This study aimed to explore sailors’ experience of perceived
threat and to show protective behaviors against sunlight in the south of Iran.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present follows a qualitative approach and directed content
analysis in 2018–2019 among sailors who were selected purposively through an interview procedure.
Finally, 22 sailors and 3 patients with skin cancer with an experience of sailing were interviewed
until data satiation occurred. The data were collected through a semi‑structured interview based on
two constructs, perceived susceptibility and perceived severity of protection motivation theory, and
were instantly transcribed and read more than once by the present researcher. Simultaneously, the
data were entered into MAXQDA 10 for the primary categorization.
RESULTS: Data analysis results were classified into 5 categories and 12 subcategories: protective
attempts (change of work time and use of protectives), passivity in self‑protection (not showing
protective behaviors and not examining skin), inadequate perception of affliction risk (beliefs hindering
preventive behaviors and low sensitivity), perceived threat to personal and familial conditions (loss
of peace and loss of occupational‑familial positions), and threat to health (incurable disease and
perceived skin disease).
CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of these factors helps planners to choose the best preventive strategies
with a focus on correcting beliefs and promoting protective behaviors as well as examining and
screening sailors regularly to diagnose skin cancer. Moreover, to develop practical measures of
protective strategies against sunlight among sailors, the required steps should be taken. This can
help to reduce the rate of work‑related risks while exposed to sunlight in this population.