Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Organization survival is dependent on communications and managers spend a main
portion of their time to establish communications. The identification, improvement, and development
of communication skills serve as the essential components of successful organizations. The present
study aimed to investigate the role of communication skills in human resource (HR) productivity in
North Iran and aimed to investigate the role of communication skills in health HR (HHR) productivity
in North Iran.
METHODS: The study employed a cross‑sectional design and was conducted in six deputies
supervised by the Alborz University of Medical Sciences, in 2019. The statistical population included
all 302 employees were selected as the sample population according to the Cochran’s formula. Using
two researcher‑made questionnaires of communication skills and HHR productivity, we assessed
the role of communication skills in HHR productivity.
RESULTS: According to the research findings, there were significant relationships between
communication skills including verbal skills, listening skills, and effectiveness skills with HHR
productivity (P ≤ 0.05). There was a significant relationship between age group, gender, level of
education, and travel home‑university distance with communication skills and resource productivity
of employees (P ≤ 0.05).
CONCLUSION: This study examines the role of communication skills in the promotion of HHR
productivity who work in the administrative section of the University of Medical Sciences in Iran.
Findings suggest that health planners and authorities may need to examine factors that contribute to
the promotion of the communication skills for increase HHR productivity of employees and improved
performance of health organizations.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Communication skills are one of the most important competencies required for
community health workers (CHWs); however, there is no systematic evidence‑based communication
training course for them. In this study, we aim to develop a comprehensive communication skills
curriculum for CHWs based on the intervention mapping (IM) approach.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the IM approach to develop a systematic evidence‑based
communication skills curriculum for CHWs. First, we will determine the required competencies (by a
literature search, a qualitative study, and a Delphi study), and then, we will develop a questionnaire
for need assessment, and finally, we will implement the course and evaluate its efficacy by conducting
a randomized controlled trial. This study was designed according to the steps of IM.
CONCLUSION: This protocol reports an example of developing a training course using IM. This
course could be applied for similar health workers across the world, as well as the CHWs.

Abstract PURPOSE: Communication skills are essential for medical practice throughout the life of a doctor.
Traditional undergraduate medical teaching in pediatrics focuses on teaching students with theoretical
and practical knowledge of diseases, their diagnosis, and treatment modalities. This study was
done to use role play as a tool to teach basic communication skills to the final‑year undergraduate
students in pediatrics and to assess perceptions of students and faculty for using role play to teach
counseling and communication skills in pediatrics.
METHODS: It was an observational, questionnaire‑based study conducted in the Department of
Pediatrics on the final‑year medical undergraduates. Two modules for role play on common pediatric
topics were designed and role play was conducted. At the end of the session, student and faculty
feedback were taken by a prevalidated questionnaire with both close (using the 5‑point Likert scale)
and open‑ended questions. In pre‑ and post‑role play sessions, communication skills assessment
scoring was done. Statistical evaluation of the collected data was then carried out using SPSS 22.
RESULTS: A total of 98 final‑year students participated in this study. Role play was found to be
the most preferred tool (33%) for teaching communication skills to the students. Majority of the
students (88.78%) and faculty (91.67%) felt that role play helped in teaching communicating skills.
Comparison of pre‑ and post‑role play scores on communication skills showed statistically significant
improvement (P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: Role play can be used as an effective tool to teach communication skills to
undergraduate medical students in pediatrics.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Life satisfaction and its determinants in married women are essential for the
development of proper preventive programs. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship
between the communication skills, self‑efficacy, and self‑esteem with life satisfaction in married women.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This cross‑sectional, descriptive study was conducted on married
women who were selected by multistage random sampling, in Naien city health centers. Data
were collected using the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), General Self‑Efficacy Scale (GSE),
Rosenberg Self‑esteem Scale (RSE), and revised version of communication skills test. The data
were analyzed using the SPSS version 20 by descriptive statistics. Pearson correlations and multiple
regression analyses were used.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses and
ANOVA were used.
RESULTS: According to the regression analysis test, 35.8% of the total variance in life satisfaction
was accounted for by self‑efficacy, communication skills, and self‑esteem. Pearson correlations
demonstrated that all correlations between the variables were statistically significant. In
particular, self‑efficacy, communication skills, and self‑esteem had positively correlated with life
satisfaction (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: General self‑efficacy highly correlated with life satisfaction in married women.
Therefore, in order to increase life satisfaction in married women, it is necessary to focus more on
self‑efficacy promotion strategies.

Abstract Background: To have high‑quality primary health care services, an adequate doctor–patient
communication is necessary. Because of time restrictions and limited budget in health system,
an effective, feasible, and continuous training approach is important. The aim of this study is
to assess the appropriateness of a communication skills training program simultaneously with
routine programs of health care system. Materials and Methods: It was a randomized field
trial in two health network settings during 2013. Twenty‑eight family physicians through simple
random sampling and 140 patients through convenience sampling participated as intervention
and control group. The physicians in the intervention group (n = 14) attended six educational
sessions, simultaneous organization meeting, with case discussion and peer education method.
In both the groups, physicians completed communication skills knowledge and attitude
questionnaires, and patients completed patient satisfaction of medical interview questionnaire
at baseline, immediately after intervention, and four months postintervention. Physicians and
health network administrators (stakeholders), completed a set of program evaluation forms.
Descriptive statistics and Chi‑square test, t‑test, and repeated measure analysis of variance
were used to analyze the data. Results: Use of routine program as a strategy of training was
rated by stakeholders highly on “feasibility” (80.5%), “acceptability” (93.5%), “educational
content and method appropriateness” (80.75%), and “ability to integrating in the health
system programs” (approximate 60%). Significant improvements were found in physicians’
knowledge (P < 0.001), attitude (P < 0.001), and patients› satisfaction (P = 0.002) in intervention
group. Conclusions: Communication skills training program, simultaneous organization meeting
was successfully implemented and well received by stakeholders, without considering extra time
and manpower. Therefore it can be a valuable opportunity toward communication skills training.

Abstract Introduction: The quality of communication skills of health care providers has a significant
impact on patient treatment consequences. Aims: The present research has been conducted to
check the relationship of communication skills on the rate of patients’ satisfaction in the clinics
of one of the hospitals in Isfahan. Settings and Design: The checking list was completed by
the researcher in the clinics by using the comments of patients or their relatives. Sampling was
performed by using the regular random sampling method. Materials and Methods: This research
was a descriptive‑analytical study. The used tool was a standard checking list for evaluating
the patients’ satisfaction and also the researcher‑made checking list for the measurement of
effective communication skills. Statistical Analysis: The researcher‑made checking list for the
measurement of effective communication skills was confirmed by the experts with the face
validity, structure, content, and reliability (α =87%). After visiting the patient by the physician, the
mentioned list was filled by using the patients’ comments, and the collected data was analyzed
by SPSS software version 16 with calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient and α2.
Results: The study showed that there was a significant relationship between the application
of communication skills in the five areas of verbal, body language, effective communicating,
establishment, patient privacy and patient participation, except for eye communication of the
physician with patients’ satisfaction (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Using the communication skills
by physicians is associated with patients’ satisfaction, and it is the cause of increasing the
acceptance of the physician by the patient. Therefore, it is suggested that the opportunity to
improve the communication skills should be provided in addition to clinical skills in continuing
education programs for the medical community.

Abstract In recent years, medical guidelines for communicating bad news to patients have been
published. Training for this task was included in the curricula of undergraduate medical
courses, specialization, and continuing medical education. The objective of this review is
to evaluate the existing evidence in the literature on the effectiveness of such training. Only
seven controlled trials were found, four of which were randomized, and these four indicate
an improvement in the trainees. These findings suggest that training undergraduate and
postgraduate doctors in skills for communicating bad news may be beneficial but there are
important limitations to reach a definitive conclusion. These limitations are discussed in this
article.

Abstract Background: Tobacco addiction is an important public health issue. It is important
for health professional to counsel the tobacco users for cessation. Aim: To enhance
communication skills of MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) students
in counseling of tobacco users by using interactive teaching methods and examine it
by using OSCE. Materials and Methods: It was a before and after comparison study.
Communication skills of students were examined by standardized patients (investigators)
by objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) method before and after intervention.
All the students were trained to enhance the communication skills by role play, interactive
session, anecdotes. Statistical analysis was done by using Paired t‑test. Results: The
difference in scores at all the 3 stations before and after the intervention and also global
scores before and after the intervention was statistically highly significant (P = 0.0001).
Conclusion and Recommendation: Communication skills of students in counseling
tobacco users improved after they were given role play, interactive session, anecdotes.
Similar model can be used to improve the communication/counseling skills in other
important health hazards.

Abstract Background: Communication is the most important part of any educational process, the aim
of which is to transfer or exchange ideas and thoughts. It would be provided appropriately if
academic members had the communication skills. Considering the important role of academic
members in the educational process, in this study, the knowledge, attitude and performance
of academic members of School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, were
investigated with regard to effective communication skills. Materials and Methods: In this
descriptive–analytic study, all academic members of the School of Public Health, Isfahan
University of Medical Sciences, were studied during the second academic semester of 2006-
2007. The data were collected by a valid and reliable three-part questionnaire including
knowledge (8 questions and maximum score of 8), attitude (31 questions and maximum score
of 155) and observational communication skills checklist (20 questions and maximum score
of 20). The obtained data were analyzed by calculating central indices using SPSS software.
Findings: The mean knowledge score of studied people in terms of communicational skills,
attitude and performance were 4.1 out of 8, 114.4 out of 155 and 16.3 out of 20, respectively.
Conclusion: Although the information of the participants of this study in terms of communication
skills was not sufficient, they seemed to have a positive attitude and relatively acceptable
performance in communication skills.