Journal of Education and Health Promotion

The role of virtual social networks in shaping people’s attitudes toward COVID‑19 in Iran

. Maryam Jahanbakhsh; . Hossein Bagherian; . Nahid Tavakoli; . Asghar Ehteshami; . Mohammad Sattari; . Sakineh Saghaeian Nejad Isfahani; . Majid Jangi

Volume 11, Issue 3 , March 2021, , Pages 1-7

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: The widespread occurrence of COVID‑19 has caused people to seek informationfrom various sources such as virtual social networks, which can positively or negatively affect ...  Read More BACKGROUND: The widespread occurrence of COVID‑19 has caused people to seek informationfrom various sources such as virtual social networks, which can positively or negatively affect one’smental status. In this article, we present the role of virtual social networks in shaping people’s attitudestoward COVID‑19 in Iran.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is an applied descriptive study, in which 1010 users of virtualsocial networks were surveyed through an electronic questionnaire. Data were analyzed with SPSS,Excel, and Rapid Miner software. The FP‑growth technique was used to investigate the concurrenceof choices in multiple‑choice questions, and the Mann–Whitney and the Kruskal–Wallis tests wereused to determine the correlation of the mean of each dimension with demographic data. Moreover,the Wilcoxon signed‑rank, the Shapiro–Wilk, and the Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests were used.RESULTS: Virtual social networks use increased significantly (40%) after the COVID‑19 outbreak.According to users, the greatest psychological impact of virtual social networks was the inductionof anxiety (46.43%) and the most common use was to learn about COVID‑19 prevention andtreatment (69.3%). Based on the findings, there were no significant differences between the“awareness,” “behavior intention,” and “attitude and trust” and the users’ marital status, age group,educational degree, and gender.CONCLUSION: Although social networks have enriched the public knowledge, they increased theindividuals’ anxiety mostly because of controversial news and disperse of misinformation which in turnmisled the users. The social networks play an important role in directing the behavioral inclinations.Accordingly, it is recommended that the authorities in healthcare system establish authentic andformal webpage in these social networks to manage controversial and voluminous information.

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Knowledge and attitude toward COVID‑19 and dental treatment ‑ Its availability and treatment satisfaction during the pandemic among adult population ‑ An online survey

. Admaja K. Nair; . Philips Mathew; . L. S. Sreela; . Twinkle S. Prasad; . Merrin Jose

Volume 11, Issue 2 , February 2021, , Pages 1-7

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) is a highly infectious disease primarilyspreading through droplet infection which require significant restriction and modification ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) is a highly infectious disease primarilyspreading through droplet infection which require significant restriction and modification in dentaltreatment. This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude of adult population toward COVID‑19and dental treatment and to assess the availability of dental treatment and patient satisfaction duringthe time of pandemic.MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online survey was conducted using self‑designed electronicquestionnaire consisting knowledge and attitude about COVID‑19 and dental scenario and questionsregarding availability of dental treatment received during the time of pandemic. Knowledge scoreswere assessed on a maximum total score ranged from 0 to 8, and descriptive statistics were donefor questions related to attitudes and dental treatment availability.RESULTS: A total of 495 participants with mean age of 36.6 years participated in the study. Themean knowledge score was 7.12 ± 0.99 and the participants were found to have good awarenessand positive attitude regarding COVID‑19 were as considerable number of participants were unawareabout the risk associated with dental treatment as well as restrictions imposed on dental procedures.About 18% of participants experienced one or other form of dental complaints during the lockdownperiod. 4% of participants had no accessibility to any form of treatment.CONCLUSIONS: Public awareness is to be improved regarding risk of cross infection that canbe associated with dental treatment and public should be motivated to use virtual facilities liketele‑dentistry so that no dental emergencies is left untreated, at the same time avoiding any sort ofunnecessary hospital visit during the pandemic time.

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Impact of knowledge, attitude, and practices of Type 2 diabetic patients: A study in the locality in Vietnam

. Nghiep Ke Le; . Niruwan Turnbull; . Cuong Van Dam; . Santisith Khiewkhern; . Surasak Thiabrithi

Volume 11, Issue 2 , February 2021, , Pages 1-16

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Disease knowledge, appropriate attitude, and proper practices play an importantrole in disease control and reduction of diabetes‑related complications and deaths. This ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Disease knowledge, appropriate attitude, and proper practices play an importantrole in disease control and reduction of diabetes‑related complications and deaths. This study aimsto investigate the impact of knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) of Type 2 diabetic patients’outcomes.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional research was conducted on a group of 102 Type 2diabetic participants in 17 communities in Tam Binh District, Vinh Long Province, Vietnam. Theresearch tool employed the KAP questionnaire using IBM SPSS 22 to analyze the data.RESULTS: The participants’ average age was 57.02 ± 6.323 years. The proportion of womenwas 76.5% (three times higher than men). The knowledge score of the participants waslow (30.04 ± 12.823), the attitude toward score of diabetics was moderate (61.544 ± 29.99), and thepractice of self‑care score was low (50.59 ± 14.881). There were also some significant relationshipsbetween KAPs with ethnicity, marital status, diabetic duration, location, employment status, andtreatment method. In addition, there were only significant differences between the self‑care practicegroups and patients’ attitude toward Type 2 diabetes.CONCLUSION: There is a significant relationship between KAP with some participants’ characteristics.The KAPs of the diabetic patients in Tam Binh district are still low. This result showed that although thepatient’s attitude towards disease was good, it was not enough for them to practice good self‑controldue to poor knowledge.

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Corona health‑care warriors in India: knowledge, attitude, and practices during COVID‑19 outbreak

. Rajesh Kumar; . Vanya Singh; . Aroop Mohanty; . Yogesh Bahurupi; . Puneet Kumar Gupta

Volume 11, Issue 2 , February 2021, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: COVID‑19 has become a global health emergency after its first case in Wuhan city,China. An increasing number of cases and deaths are challenging the health‑care system ...  Read More BACKGROUND: COVID‑19 has become a global health emergency after its first case in Wuhan city,China. An increasing number of cases and deaths are challenging the health‑care system globally.This study aims to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID‑19 disease among healthpersonnel in rapid outbreak in India.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional survey was conducted using Google Forms throughGoogle platform on-line. A total of 713 health personal allied health‑care staff, working in different publicand private health‑care facilities, was conducted in the mid of April 2020. A structured knowledge, attitude,and practice questionnaire used to assess health personnel’s knowledge, attitude, and practice towardCOVID‑19. All instruments were validated and pretested before use. Chi‑square test, followed by binarylogistic and multivariate regression, was applied to determine factors associated with knowledge scores.RESULTS: Seven hundred and thirteen health personnel participated, and 703 (98.6%) participantsresponded were analyzed for final results. 95.9% of the health personnel were aware about routeof transmission and clinical symptoms (95.3%) of COVID‑19. 63.7% believed that virus outbreakwould be controlled globally and followed standard precautions (81.8%), including wearing the mask.Further, majority (98.3%) of the participants avoided social contact by not going to crowded placesand not calling people to their homes (82.2%) during the advisory of the government. In binarylogistic regression analyses, the adequate knowledge score found significantly associated withMBBS/bachelor’s degree (odds ratio [OR]: 2.309, confidence interval [CI]: 1.232–4.324, P < 0.009)and master’s degree (OR: 2.944, CI: 1.485–5.835, P < 0.002), working with government health‑carefacility (OR: 3.662, CI: 1.624–8.285, P < 0.002), and holding a post of a physician (OR: 7.735, CI:2.210–27.091, P < 0.001) during outbreak.CONCLUSIONS: The level of education is associated with adequate knowledge scores among thehealth personnel. Type of health‑care facility and post held in a health‑care facility are significantpredictors of adequacy of knowledge.

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Oral health practitioners’ knowledge, attitude, and awareness about coronavirus: A systematic review and meta‑analysis

. Abdosaleh Jafari; . Mohammadtaghi Mohammadpour; . Arash Ghanbarzadegan; . Giampiero Rossi‑Fedele; . Peivand Bastani

Volume 11, Issue 1 , January 2021, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Oral health practitioners are at the frontline of infection, particularly with respiratoryviruses such as the novel coronavirus. Knowledge, awareness, and attitude of these ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Oral health practitioners are at the frontline of infection, particularly with respiratoryviruses such as the novel coronavirus. Knowledge, awareness, and attitude of these workers areconsidered important in preventing and controlling the outbreak. This study aims to review theliterature to provide a better understanding of the status of dentists and other oral health practitioners’knowledge, attitude, and awareness about COVID‑19.METHODS: A systematic review was conducted through Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, andProQuest up to May 6, 2020. All the knowledge, attitude, and practice studies on oral health workersabout respiratory contagious outbreak the same as severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle Eastrespiratory syndrome, and COVID‑19 were included in the meta‑analysis.RESULTS: A total of eleven studies were included in the meta‑analysis. 85.5% of the dentists and oralhealth practitioners had a high level of awareness about virus transmission modes (95% confidenceinterval [CI]: 78.6%–92.4%; P < 0.001). 80.7% of the oral health practitioners gave right answers to thequestions related to virus transmission modes (95% CI: 69.9%–91.4%; P < 0.001), and 79.9% of thedentists had a positive attitude about virus transmission modes (95% CI: 66.4%–93.4%; P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: This meta‑analysis shows that the level of dentists and oral health practitioners’knowledge, awareness, and attitude was relatively high about the respiratory contagious diseasesas well as COVID‑19. The present results can shed further light for policymakers to support thebest evidence medical education for all health‑care workers the same as oral health practitioners.Preventing the dissemination of misinformation along with preparing comprehensive guidelines canbe considered by the oral health policymakers, particularly in the more infected regions.

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Role of written examination in the assessment of attitude ethics and communication in medical students: Perceptions of medical faculties

. Arindam Ghosh; . Aritri Bir

Volume 11, Issue 1 , January 2021, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: The study aims to record the perceptions of medical faculties regarding theeffectiveness of theory‑based examination to assess the newly introduced competencies of attitudeethics ...  Read More BACKGROUND: The study aims to record the perceptions of medical faculties regarding theeffectiveness of theory‑based examination to assess the newly introduced competencies of attitudeethics and communication (AETCOM) in the competency‑based medical curriculum for Indianmedical graduates.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is an analytical cross‑sectional study performed on the monthof February 2020 where a prevalidated questionnaire consisting of components of AETCOM wase‑mailed to the teaching faculties of IQ City Medical College via Google Forms. Consenting facultiesresponded. Their results were analyzed by inbuilt Google statistics and were cross‑verified withSPSS 20.0.RESULTS: Sixty percent faculties strongly agree regarding the beneficial role of mandatory inclusion ofAETCOM competencies in competency‑based medical education. About 61.66% of faculties stronglyagree that both formative assessment and summative assessment of AETCOM are essential. Although48.33% of faculties believed that theoretical questions can be used to assess AETCOM, 51.66% offaculties do not agree that theory examination serves as an effective tool to assess AETCOM. Theybelieve that AETCOM cannot be written on paper and attitude can change in reality when facinga real‑world clinical scenario in contrast to what is written in answer script during creative writing.CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of AETCOM is essential and it should be preferably done via a practicalapproach in a real‑world simulated scenario and not by written theoretical examination.

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The effect of educational intervention based on the health belief model on knowledge, attitude, and function of women about Pap smear test at Iranian health centers: A randomized controlled clinical trial

. Elahe Samami; . Seyed Jalil Seyedi‑ Andi; . Beyrambibi Bayat; . Davoud Shojaeizadeh; . Neda Ahmadzadeh Tori

Volume 11, Issue 1 , January 2021, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the effect of educational interventionusing the health belief model on knowledge, attitude, and function of women about Pap test ...  Read More BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the effect of educational interventionusing the health belief model on knowledge, attitude, and function of women about Pap test at healthcenters.METHODOLOGY: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 120 women whowere allocated into two groups (intervention = 60 and control = 60). The sampling method was amultistage cluster. The training was provided in two sessions for 90 min. Data gathering tool wasa 4‑part researcher‑made questionnaire including demographic characteristics, knowledge, healthbelief model structures, and function. Women were evaluated and completed the questionnaire in twostages (before and 2 months after training). Data were analyzed by Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Wilcoxon,linear regression, Mann–Whitney U‑test, Fisher, Chi‑square, and marginal homogeneity tests.RESULTS: At baseline, there was no significant difference between the groups regarding the mean ofknowledge and the structures of health belief model scores. The average scores of participants in termsof health belief model structures were increased significantly after the training sessions. Furthermore,the comparison of the performance of Pap smear before training showed that in the interventiongroup (23.3%) and in the control group (31.7%), there was no significant difference in terms of thehistory of performing the Pap smear test (P = 0.414). However, a significant difference (P = 0.001)was observed after training in the intervention group (31.7%) and in the control group (3.3%).CONCLUSION: Educational intervention using the health belief model is effective in increasingknowledge, attitude, and function of women in terms of providing useful and required education.

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Comparison of the effect of two methods of counseling (face to face and telephone) on awareness and attitude toward adoption in infertile couples

. Fateme Ahmadi Rezamahaleh; . Talat Khadivzadeh; . Seyed Mohsen Asgharinekah; . Habibollah Esmaeili

Volume 10, Issue 12 , December 2020, , Pages 1-7

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: Many infertile people have heard about adoption, but little is known about the truemeaning of adoption and how it is accepted. Giving the right information about adoption ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: Many infertile people have heard about adoption, but little is known about the truemeaning of adoption and how it is accepted. Giving the right information about adoption is effectivein making the right decision for couples. As a result, there is a need to intervene and provide trainingto improve community attitudes and increase adoption among infertile people. Therefore, the presentstudy aimed to determine the effect of two counseling methods (face‑to‑face and telephone) onawareness and attitude toward adoption in infertile couples.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study is a randomized quasi‑experimental study of twogroups in the Milad Infertility Center of Mashhad on 34 (each group of 17 couples) infertile coupleswith the criteria to enter the study. Couples were randomly assigned to two telephone and face‑to‑facecounseling groups, and each individual’s awareness and attitudes toward adoption were completedseparately before and after counseling. The average number of face‑to‑face sessions for face‑to‑facecounseling was three 60‑min sessions and six 30‑min sessions for telephone counseling.RESULTS: Based on the results of t‑test, there was a statistically significant difference betweenthe average score of awareness of adoption before and after the intervention (2 weeks after thelast counseling session), in infertile couples in face‑to‑face training group and in telephone traininggroup (P < 0.0001). The score of the attitude toward adoption before counseling in the face‑to‑facecounseling group was 60.55 ± 5.5, which reached 66.76 ± 4.7 after counseling. Based on the resultsof the T‑pair test, this difference was significant (P < 0.0001). In addition, in the telephone counselinggroup, the score of attitude toward adoption increased from 59.53. 7.4 to 67.73 ± 7.5, which was asignificant difference in terms of t‑pair test. The mean score of attitudes toward adoption was notstatistically significant in the two groups (P = 0.653).CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that both counseling methods (face to face andtelephone) increase the level of awareness and attitude of couples about adoption, but neithermethod was superior to the other.

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Improving the level of awareness and attitude toward fertility and fertility counseling skills of health staff with both face‑to‑face and virtual training methods

. Raziyeh Rahmati; . Talat Khadivzadeh; . Habibollah Esmaily

Volume 10, Issue 12 , December 2020, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: Considering the trend of reducing fertility in recent decades, the level of awarenessand attitude of health workers to fertility has an important role in achieving the ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: Considering the trend of reducing fertility in recent decades, the level of awarenessand attitude of health workers to fertility has an important role in achieving the country’s demographicgoals. Improving attitudes and improving the scientific level and skills of health workers are the basicpillars to improve the quality and quantity of health‑care services. Therefore, this study was conductedwith the aim of improving the level of awareness and attitude toward fertility and fertility counselingskills of health workers with both face‑to‑face and virtual training methods.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a randomized controlled trial of three groups andpre‑test‑posttest experiments performed on 108 midwives and health‑care workers working inMashhad Health Center and Community Health Centers and Health Centers in 2015. The toolsused in this study were four researcher‑made questionnaires that were validated and reliable. Dataanalysis was performed by Chi‑square test, one‑way, and independent t‑analysis of variance usingSPSS software version 16.RESULTS: The results showed a significant increase in awareness level, attitude toward fertility,and counseling skills in the studied groups after the implementation of interventions (P < 0.001).Furthermore, there was a significant inverse relationship between the attitude score of the researchunits at the beginning of the study and the demographic variables with only the average workexperience.CONCLUSION: Training is effective in raising the level of awareness and changing the attitude ofhealth workers. The use of group discussion methods in person as well as through a webinar inwhich learners think, interact, and gain experience in promoting healthy fertility counseling promotesawareness, attitudes toward fertility, and their counseling skills in providing healthy reproductivecounseling.

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Attitude and perception of gender equity among students and teachers of a rural school in West Bengal: A mixed‑method approach

. Sweety Suman Jha; . Aparajita Dasgupta; . Bobby Paul; . Pritam Ghosh; . Aloke Biswas

Volume 10, Issue 12 , December 2020, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: “Gender” denotes the differences in the social roles of different sexes. Thisinteraction results in variable health outcomes and care‑seeking behavior. The ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: “Gender” denotes the differences in the social roles of different sexes. Thisinteraction results in variable health outcomes and care‑seeking behavior. The present study wasconducted to find out the attitude of school‑going adolescents regarding gender equity and also toexplore teachers’ perceptions in this context in a school of tribal belt of West Bengal.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional, mixed‑method study was conducted among thestudents of classes eight to twelve, chosen by complete enumeration technique, with a predesigned,pretested validated questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on Gender Equitable Men scaleand International Men and Gender Equality Survey questionnaire, comprising the followingdomains: ‘Gender restrictions’, ‘Gender attributes’, and ‘Gender domination’. The respondents werecategorized into ‘high’, ‘moderate’, and ‘low’ groups as per their domain‑wise attitude scores. In‑depthinterviews (IDIs) were conducted among seven teachers chosen purposively. Thematic analysis wasdone with the qualitative data.RESULTS: Out of 191 students, 112 were girls (58.6%) and 47 belonged to scheduled tribecategory (24.6%). Overall, 170 (89.0%), 80 (41.9%), and 96 (50.3%) students had a highgender‑equitable attitude regarding the domains of ‘gender restrictions’, ‘gender attributes’, and‘gender domination’ respectively. Girls had higher percentage of high gender‑equitable attitude in allthe three domains (92.0%, 57.1%, and 50.9%, respectively). Regarding ‘gender restrictions’, 91.2%had high gender‑equitable attitude in lower age group, compared to 81.4% in higher age group.Among the lower and higher age groups, 52.7% and 41.9% respectively, had high gender‑equitableattitude on ‘gender domination’. Gender inequality amidst poverty, women deprived of health care,and gender violence were the major themes derived from the IDIs.CONCLUSION: Girls had a better attitude toward gender equity. Laws regarding gender dominanceand violence should be focused. Conducting intensified awareness campaigns on gender equity andaddressing women’s right to health is a much‑needed timely intervention for the health of womenfolk.

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Effect of a mobile application intervention on knowledge, attitude and practice related to healthy marriage among youth in Iran

. Sahebjan Torkian; . iroozeh Mostafavi; . Asiyeh Pirzadeh

Volume 10, Issue 11 , November 2020, , Pages 1-5

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Mobile app education is one of the new educational models. Hence, the purposeof this study was to determine the effectiveness of mobile app intervention on knowledge, attitude,and ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Mobile app education is one of the new educational models. Hence, the purposeof this study was to determine the effectiveness of mobile app intervention on knowledge, attitude,and practice of youth for a healthy marriage.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This quasi‑experimental study was conducted in 2019 on 88 youngpeople who were selected by simple random sampling in premarital counseling center of Falavarjancity (Isfahan). Then, participants were randomly allocated to an intervention and a control group.Mobile application intervention was installed on the intervention group’s mobiles. Data were collectedby questionnaire in two times. Data were analyzed using paired t‑test and independent t‑test.RESULTS: The mean (Standard deviation) of couples’ age was 21.11 (5.06) years. The resultsshowed that after the installation of educational consulting app in the intervention group, the meanscore of knowledge (P = 0.001), attitude (P = 0.001), and practice (P = 0.001) after intervention weresignificantly higher than before the intervention.CONCLUSION: Mobile‑based educational and counseling app increases couples’ knowledge,attitude, and practice in premarital education. Therefore, it is recommended that this type ofeducation (mobile app) be used to promote premarriage education classes.

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Improving service delivery using the self‑reporting of errors by midwives and midwifery student

. Marjan Beigi; . Fahimeh Khorasani; . Shahnaz Kohan

Volume 10, Issue 11 , November 2020, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: Reporting medical errors is one of the common methods for identifying andpreventing mistakes in‑hospital care. This study was conducted to identify the status of reportingand ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: Reporting medical errors is one of the common methods for identifying andpreventing mistakes in‑hospital care. This study was conducted to identify the status of reportingand related factors in two groups of midwives and midwifery students.METHODOLOGY: This research was analytic correlational; it was conducted among all the midwivesworking in the midwifery and labor departments and midwifery students in Isfahan University ofMedical Sciences. The data collection tool included a checklist of errors and the researcher‑construedquestionnaires of awareness and attitude toward reporting errors. The results were examined usingdescriptive and inferential statistics (ANOVA, Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficient, andindependent t‑test) by SPSS software version 20.RESULTS: In this research, the error reporting in midwifery staff was 79.1% and the most frequenterror was related to the patient’s process of testing; the error reporting among the students was90% and the most frequent error occurred in the labor processes. The present study also showedthat there was a direct relationship between awareness and attitude toward reporting medicalerrors (P < 0.001), while there was not a significant relationship between the midwifery students’awareness and attitude toward reporting the medical errors (P = 0.31).CONCLUSION: According to the study, hospital midwives reporting is less than midwifery students.Accordingly, it is recommended to focus on the error and risk management committee to strengthenthe reporting system.

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Perspectives towards child abuse and neglect among dental practitioners in Belagavi city: A cross‑sectional study

. T. V. Soumya Mohanan; . Roopali Manohar Sankeshwari; . Anil V. Ankola

Volume 10, Issue 11 , November 2020, , Pages 1-7

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Child abuse (CA) is prevalent in every segment of society and is witnessed in allsocial, ethnic, religious, and professional strata. In this situation, dentists are in an ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Child abuse (CA) is prevalent in every segment of society and is witnessed in allsocial, ethnic, religious, and professional strata. In this situation, dentists are in an ideal position tohelp detect signs of CA and should be able to recognize those signs.AIM: To assess the perspectives toward CA and neglect among dental practitioners of Belagavi city.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional survey was conducted among 102 dentalpractitioners. The data were collected by self‑administered structured questionnaire. Data wereanalyzed using descriptive analyses for responses to each question, and Chi‑square test was appliedto test the association.RESULTS: 59.8% had learned the topic of CA and neglect as a student. Overall, 16 participantshave recognized suspicious case of CA and neglect in their dental office. Only 34.3% had knowledgeregarding the findings pointing to CA and neglect, and 96% had reported that there are barriersregarding reporting the same. 93% are of opinion that the topic is of utmost importance and moretraining is required in this aspect.CONCLUSION: Training and continuing dental education programs should be tailored to the specificneeds of all professionals to diagnose, report, and prevent CA.

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Comparison of the effect of two training methods (webinar and group discussion) on improving the attitude and performance of health workers in providing counseling with fertility promotion approach

. Raziyeh Rahmati; . Talat Khadivzadeh; . Habibollah Esmaily

Volume 10, Issue 10 , October 2020, , Pages 1-7

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: Due to the significant decrease in fertility in recent decades and the important roleof health workers and health‑care providers in providing healthy reproductive counseling, ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: Due to the significant decrease in fertility in recent decades and the important roleof health workers and health‑care providers in providing healthy reproductive counseling, their trainingis necessary using effective educational methods. Webinar and group discussion (GD) are effectivein this regard. This study was conducted to determine the most effective method and with the aimof comparing the effect of two training methods (webinar and GD) on the attitude and performanceof health workers in providing counseling with fertility promotion approach in comprehensive healthcenters in Mashhad.METHODS: In this randomized trial study with a control group, 108 health workers working in healthcenters no. 2–3 and 5 of Mashhad entered the study and were randomly divided into three groups oftraining by webinar, GD, and control. Intervention groups received healthy fertility counseling skillsin three training sessions. Research tools were demographic information questionnaires, fertilityattitudes, and performance measurement checklists for fertility counseling. The questionnaires werecompleted in three groups at the beginning and after the completion of the interventions. Data analysiswas performed by Chi‑square test and one‑way analysis of variance using SPSS software version 16.RESULTS: The analysis of variance test showed that before the intervention, there was no statisticallysignificant difference between the three groups in terms of average scores of fertility attitude andperformance scores of fertility counseling. After the interventions, the difference between the fertilityattitude scores (P < 0.001) and the performance scores of fertility counseling (P < 0.001) was significantin the three groups. There was no significant relationship between demographic characteristics andattitude and performance.CONCLUSION: Teaching by webinar and GD promotes the attitude and performance of healthworkers in providing counseling with a fertility promotion approach. Therefore, it is recommended touse new educational methods such as webinar and GD to promote childbearing counseling, whichhas been emphasized in the country’s population policies. Since the mean score difference forthe webinar training method was the highest due to the mean scores, this method could be moreeffective than the GD method.

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Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice related to ergonomics among the students of three different dental schools in India: An original research

. Mohan Kumar P; . S. Sahitya; . Gautami S. Penmets; . S. Supraja; . Shivashankar Kengadaran; . A. Chaitanya

Volume 10, Issue 10 , October 2020, , Pages 1-5

Abstract

  BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Dental students and practitioners are frequently prone towork‑related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) due to the unawareness of ergonomic principleswhen ...  Read More BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Dental students and practitioners are frequently prone towork‑related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) due to the unawareness of ergonomic principleswhen practicing dentistry. The aim of this study was to assess the dental student knowledge, attitude,and practice toward ergonomics in three different dental schools.METHODOLOGY: A cross‑sectional study was conducted among 1166 dental students from threedifferent dental schools of Andhra Pradesh, India, to assess knowledge, attitude, and practiceregarding ergonomics. All the participants were provided with prestructured questionnaire formcomprising 13 questions to know their knowledge, attitude, and practice related to ergonomics beforeand after providing guidelines on ergonomic principles.RESULTS: The majority of the dental students appreciate that the most affected regions due towork‑related disorders were back (475 before and 559 after instructions), neck (354 and 420), handand wrist (205 and 117), and shoulder and elbow (132 and 70), respectively. Knowledge and practicescores of dental students (mean and standard deviation) regarding WMSDs before and after applyingergonomic principles were 3.92 ± 2.44, 1.29 ± 1.67 and 5.81 ± 0.87, 3.03 ± 0.60, respectively.CONCLUSION: The present study provides an insight into ergonomics for dental students duringroutine dental procedures. The knowledge, attitude, and practice related to ergonomics weresatisfactorily increased among the participants. Thus, ergonomic education of the dental health‑carepersonnel must be focused in all the educational institutions and at continuing dental health programs bydelivering ergonomic principles both theoretically and practically and should be a part of the curriculum.

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The Iranian female high‑school student’s knowledge and attitude toward breastfeeding

. Sharareh Jannesari; . Mohammad Ali Hosseini; . Nahid Khodakarami

Volume 10, Issue 8 , August 2020, , Pages 1-9

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is not only a perfect food for the infant but also is a living fluid withmany features. It provides the infant’s physical growth and is responsive to ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is not only a perfect food for the infant but also is a living fluid withmany features. It provides the infant’s physical growth and is responsive to its emotional needs.Since determining the knowledge and attitude of girls in this period and promoting, it is consideredas the main principle in motivating them for choosing this method in future.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive‑correlational study was conducted to determinethe knowledge and attitude of 630 high‑school students on breastfeeding at a selected public highschool in Tehran, Iran in 2018. A researcher‑made questionnaire was administered to collect thedata, to determine the validity of the tool; content validity was used and to determine its reliability,a test re‑test method was applied. Data were analyzed by the nonparametric tests of Chi‑square,multiple comparisons, and Spearman correlation coefficient.RESULTS: The results showed that 80.3% had moderate knowledge. The mean score of knowledgein the human sciences group was significantly higher than others. Furthermore, the attitude of22.5% of girls was positive, 77.5% had no idea, none of them had negative attitudes. There was astatistically significant difference between the mean score of attitude of the students in groups ofknowledge (good, moderate, and weak) (P < 0.01), and multiple comparison tests showed that thepositive attitude score in the moderate knowledge group was more than the attitude score in weakand good knowledge.CONCLUSION: The results indicate that there is an unbiased attitude about the moderate knowledgeof different aspects of breastfeeding among pre university students, although they have a moderateknowledge on a complete and successful breast feeding.

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Knowledge, attitude, and behavior of elementary teachers regarding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

. Maede Hosseinnia; . Maryam Amidi Mazaheri; . Zahra Heidari

Volume 10, Issue 5 , May 2020, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder in childpsychiatry, which has a greater impact on the future life of the children affected in case ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder in childpsychiatry, which has a greater impact on the future life of the children affected in case of beinguntreated and undiagnosed. Given the undeniable role of teachers in improving this disorder andpreventing its destructive consequences on children, the present research has examined theknowledge, attitude, and practice of elementary school teachers regarding ADHD.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a descriptive, cross‑sectional study carried out in 2019.One hundred and twenty teachers were randomly selected as samples among public and privateschools in three districts of Isfahan. Data were collected by a self‑administrated questionnaireincluding demographic variables, knowledge, attitude, and practice of teachers regarding ADHDand were analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistics. The Spearman’s and Kendall’ correlationcoefficient, t‑test, and Kolmogorov–Smirnov test were employed, and P < 0.50 was consideredstatistically significant.RESULTS: The findings indicated that 65% of teachers had favorable knowledge toward ADHD, 50%of them had a favorable attitude, and 56% of their practice was desirable. The questionnaire showedthat only their knowledge about ADHD symptoms was desirable, but their knowledge about causeof the disorder and its treatment was not sufficient. There was an inverse relationship between theknowledge, attitude, and practice of teachers with age, and between education and having a child, asignificant direct relationship was discovered. Teachers of public schools compared to private schoolteachers had significantly better knowledge, attitude, and practice.CONCLUSION: Teachers’ knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding ADHD was relatively high.However, it is necessary to educate teachers about etiology and methods of treatment of this disorderand behavior management of these students, especially private school teachers who need moreeducation.

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Awareness and attitude of students and professors of medical sciences universities toward social determinants of health: Design and preliminary psychometrics of a questionnaire

. Farzaneh Mohammadi; . Mahmoud Keyvanara; . Rahele Samouei

Volume 10, Issue 5 , May 2020, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND AND AIM: Considering the important role of universities in advancing educational,social, cultural, economic, and political affairs and given the significant and effective ...  Read More BACKGROUND AND AIM: Considering the important role of universities in advancing educational,social, cultural, economic, and political affairs and given the significant and effective role of socialdeterminants of health (SDH) in personal and social life, this study aimed to design a preliminaryquestionnaire to assess the awareness and attitude of students and professors of relevant medicalsciences departments toward the SDH.METHODS: This is a descriptive survey study of the instrumentation type and is done on thestudents and professors of Isfahan and Kashan medical sciences universities in 2019. Thecontent and face validity of the questionnaire were assessed. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient andthe correlation coefficient for each question as well as the total score of the questionnaire werereported for this attitude measurement questionnaire. The difficulty coefficient, optimum difficultylevel, discrimination coefficient, and the relevant variance were calculated for every question in theawareness measurement questionnaire.RESULTS: The internal consistency of the questionnaire for the awareness toward the SDH for 15questions was 0.742. This consistency was acceptable for 18 questions in the attitude measurementquestionnaire after omitting two questions with not appropriate distinguishing ability. The difficultylevel of the questions was relatively high.CONCLUSION: Given that no tool was observed in the search strategy to measure the SDH,therefore, the design and psychometrics of such a tool can be used to measure the awareness andattitude of the target audiences; since this tool had an acceptable validity and reliability at its initialstages, researchers are suggested to apply it for standardization in different academic societies.

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The effect of motivational interviewing on attitude and practice about type of delivery in primigravid women requesting elective cesarean section referring to comprehensive health services centers

. Mansour Shakiba; . Maryam Navaee; . Yassamin Hassanzei

Volume 10, Issue 2 , February 2020, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Negative attitudes toward vaginal delivery are an important reason for pregnantwomen to undergo a cesarean section. Therefore, this study was performed to evaluate the effectof ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Negative attitudes toward vaginal delivery are an important reason for pregnantwomen to undergo a cesarean section. Therefore, this study was performed to evaluate the effectof motivational interviewing on attitude and choice of primigravida women on type of delivery inrequesting elective cesarean section.MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this single‑blind clinical trial, 120 primigravida women in28–31 weeks of gestation with normal pregnancy determined by a multistage sampling were randomlychosen from ten health centers of Zahedan city in 2019 and were divided into two groups. Motivationalinterviewing was performed in four sessions within 90 min in the experimental group, and thecontrol group received routine care service. Attitude (before and 1 month after the intervention) andperformance (after delivery) were evaluated using a valid and reliable researcher‑made questionnaire.The collected data were analyzed using different proportions, paired t‑test, independent t‑test,covariance analysis, and Shapiro–Wilk and the Chi‑square methods.RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the attitude of participants between the two groupsafter the intervention (P = 0.001). The mean difference of pre‑ and posttest was significant in relationto attitude scores in the two groups (P = 0.001), and the difference between the two groups was alsostatistically significant between the two groups in terms of delivery type (P = 0.03).CONCLUSION: We conclude that motivational interviewing can be a useful tool to change the attitudeand decrease the rate of unnecessary cesarean among pregnant women. It is recommended toexamine the impact of this method on women from different societies who have various educationalbackgrounds and cultures.

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Impact of planned teaching program on the attitude of nurses with regard to patient rights in two multispecialty teaching hospitals in India

. Sonia Edaline D’Souza; . Ghulam Jeelani Qadiri; . K. C. Leena

Volume 10, Issue 2 , February 2020, , Pages 1-5

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: The attitude of nurses with regard to patients’ rights bears greater influence onits practice in the health‑care settings. As health‑care organizations grow toward ...  Read More BACKGROUND: The attitude of nurses with regard to patients’ rights bears greater influence onits practice in the health‑care settings. As health‑care organizations grow toward standardization,positive changes in the attitude of health‑care professionals are demanding.OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to assess the attitude of nurses with regard to patientrights in two teaching hospitals, to devise a training program on patient rights for nurses, and to comparethe impact of training with regard to patient rights on the attitude of nurses in two teaching hospitals.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This quasi–experimental study with one‑group pre‑ and post‑testresearch design for a sample of 200 nurses was carried out during the year 2017 at two multispecialtyhospitals in India. The sample size was selected based on convenience sampling method. For thepretest, attitude was measured on a 5‑point Likert scale through a questionnaire containing 27 items.Small‑group teaching method was used to train nurses in groups of 8–10. Posttest was done throughthe same attitude questionnaire 1 week after the training program.RESULTS: In both the hospitals, the nurses had a favorable attitude toward patient rights beforethe training program; after training, majority of the nurses had the most favorable attitude towardpatient rights. A statistically significant difference was observed in the attitude of nurses with regardto patient rights within the hospitals, before and after training nurses on patient rights (P < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS: Health‑care organizations require developing planned teaching programs for nursingcare professionals in order to influence their knowledge and attitude on patient rights. Their positiveattitude toward patient rights leads to improved outcomes and effective nursing care practices.

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The effect of individual counseling on attitudes and decisional conflict in the choice of delivery among nulliparous women

. Nafise Andaroon; . Masoume Kordi; . Sayed Ali Kimiaee; . Habibollah Esmaeili

Volume 10, Issue 2 , February 2020, , Pages 1-9

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: The most important reasons for choosing cesarean include negative attitude ofpregnant women toward natural childbirth, and it is not easy for many women to make a decisionabout ...  Read More BACKGROUND: The most important reasons for choosing cesarean include negative attitude ofpregnant women toward natural childbirth, and it is not easy for many women to make a decisionabout the choice of delivery, Midwives as responsible individuals, play an important role in providingmaternal counseling and care during pregnancy and childbirth and the postpartum period. This studywas carried out to determine the effect of individual counseling on attitudes and decisional conflictin the choice of delivery among nulliparous women.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This clinical trial was performed on 90 nulliparous women with28–30 weeks of gestational age, who were referred to health‑care centers in Mashhad. They weredivided randomly into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received the counselingprogram individually during three sessions, while the control group received routine care, childbirthattitudes, and decisional conflict on choice of delivery were compared on women of 34–36 weeksof pregnancy. Data collection tools included demographic details form, Childbirth Attitudes Scaleand Decisional Conflict Scale; data were analyzed using Chi‑square tests, Fisher’s exact test,Mann–Whitney test, t‑test, parried t‑test, and ANCOVA in SPSS v. 16, and P < 0.05 was consideredstatistically significant.RESULTS: After consultation, there was a significant difference in attitude score between theintervention group (86.577 ± 13.531) and the control group (69.955 ± 19.858) (P < 0.001), And therewas a significant difference in decisional conflict score between the intervention group (0.614 ± 0.626)and the control group (1.216 ± 0.949) (P < 0.001), and there were significant differences betweenthe two groups in terms of preferred delivery (P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: According to the results of this randomized control trial, individual counseling innulliparous women during pregnancy leads to a positive attitude toward natural childbirth, informeddecision‑making, and increase in the selection of natural childbirth.

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The effect of self‑care education regarding high‑risk behaviors of acquired immune deficiency syndrome and smoking on knowledge and attitude of adolescent girls: An experimental study to health promotion

. Forogh Borandegi; . Fatemeh Rahmanian; . Zahra Yazdanpanahi; . Azar Nematollahi

Volume 10, Issue 1 , January 2020, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: The vulnerability of the youth to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) andsmoking is one of the most important public health issues around the world. Adequate knowledgeabout ...  Read More BACKGROUND: The vulnerability of the youth to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) andsmoking is one of the most important public health issues around the world. Adequate knowledgeabout AIDS and smoking is a powerful tool for promoting positive attitudes and safe behaviors.OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the effect of self‑care education on AIDS and smokingon the level of adolescents’ knowledge and health attitude.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This experimental study was conducted in the academic year of2017–2018, and the participants were selected using randomized cluster sampling. These participantsincluded 220 female students of the third grade of middle school in Isfahan (105 in the interventiongroup and 115 in the control group). Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire; aresearcher‑made questionnaire on knowledge about AIDS, knowledge about smoking, and attitudestoward smoking; and a standard questionnaire on students’ attitude toward AIDS. After completing thepretest, the intervention group performed two training sessions and completed the posttest 1 monthlater. One month after completing the pretest, the control group completed the posttest and did notreceive an intervention. Finally, the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, statistical tests,and statistical software SPSS version 22.RESULTS: The results showed that despite the similarity between the two groups at the beginningof the study, after self‑care education, the knowledge level of AIDS (P < 0.001) and attitudetoward AIDS (P < 0.001) and the knowledge level of smoking (P < 0.001) and attitude towardsmoking (P < 0.001) in the intervention group were significantly higher than the control group. Inintragroup analysis, it was also observed that the difference between the scores before and afterwas only significant in the intervention group.CONCLUSION: It seems that education can promote the level of knowledge and attitude ofadolescents toward AIDS.

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The effectiveness of existential psychotherapy on attitude to life and self‑flourishing of educated women homemakers

. Marzieh Feizi; . Zahra Kamali; . Mahboobe Gholami; . Bahram Ali Ghanbari Hashem Abadi; . Soheila Moeini

Volume 9, Issue 11 , November 2019, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: Women make up half of the world’s population and play a critical role in the healthand well‑being of the family and society. The purpose of this study is to determine ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: Women make up half of the world’s population and play a critical role in the healthand well‑being of the family and society. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectivenessof existential psychotherapy on attitude to life and self‑flourishing of educated women homemakers.METHODS: A quasiexperimental study with the pretest–posttest design is used in this work. Theresearch population included 68 homemakers with university education who live in Neyshabur, Iran.Sampling method was available. The women were randomly assigned into two groups: interventionand control groups. The women in the intervention group participated in 10 sessions of existentialtherapy group. The data collection tool was a questionnaire of Life Regard Index (LRI) and HumanFlourishing Questionnaire (HFQ). The data were analyzed by the SPSS software version 21 usingChi‑square, independent t‑test, and paired t‑test while P < 0.05 considered as a significant level.RESULTS: Scores of attitude to life and self‑flourishing in educated homemakers before interventionwere not significantly different in the two groups. Independent t‑test showed that self‑flourishingwas significantly increased in the intervention group (90.88 ± 15.27) compared to the controlgroup (79.64 ± 15.87) (P = 0.004). The attitude to life was significantly increased in the interventiongroup (35.79 ± 14.21) compared to the control group (27.50 ± 8.77) (P = 0.005).CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study emphasize that existential group therapy is effectivein attitude to life, and self‑flourishing of educated homemakers. This therapy can also be used toenhance individual and social abilities the importance and impact of existential psychotherapy onenhancing capabilities such as a positive attitude to life and self‑flourishing.

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Exploring the knowledge and attitude of public about mental health problems: A pilot intervention for effective mental health promotion

. Meena Kolar Sridara Murthy; . Aruna Rose Mary Kapanee; . Geetha Desai; . Santosh Kumar Chaturvedi

Volume 9, Issue 9 , September 2019, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  CONTEXT: The knowledge about mental health problems among the general public is comparativelyquite low. The pilot study was conducted with an aim to increase the knowledge of the day‑to‑daymental ...  Read More CONTEXT: The knowledge about mental health problems among the general public is comparativelyquite low. The pilot study was conducted with an aim to increase the knowledge of the day‑to‑daymental health problems which people can have among the mass.AIMS: The aims of this study are (1) to assess the knowledge and attitude about mental healthproblems of the selected sample and (2) to build the capacity in providing first aid for mental healthto the selected sample through training.SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross‑sectional study was used in assessing the knowledge and skillsof the participants of the first aid for mental health problems. It was conducted in the institute itself.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 89 participants were taken to participate in the cross‑sectionalstudy. Using a semi‑structured self‑administered questionnaire, a brief training, and a feedback form,capacity building for first aid for mental health problems was provided.STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics.RESULTS: The capacity building program for first aid for mental health problems appears to beeffective in improving the knowledge and attitude with regard to the mental health problems. Thefindings from the program indicated lack of knowledge in understanding of mental health, knowledge ofcausation, and treatment of mental health problems. Feedback of the training program indicated that itimproved the ability of the participants in recognizing persons undergoing mental health problems andbrought about a change in their beliefs about mental health, attitudes, and need for prompt referral.CONCLUSIONS: The program was successful in increasing the confidence of the participants inproviding help to someone with a mental health problem and referring to appropriate mental healthprofessional. This shows that there is an immediate need for empowering general public withknowledge and skills to provide support to people with mental health problems.

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Knowledge, attitudes, and coping strategies regarding pubertal changes among adolescent girls: Risks and compliances for health promotion in puberty

. Malihe Farid; . Zahra Amirkhanzadeh Barandouzi; . Nasimeh Setayesh Valipour

Volume 9, Issue 9 , September 2019, , Pages 1-7

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Adolescent girls experience physical, psychological, and social changes duringpuberty. Lack of sufficient information, skills, and readiness to overcome this stressful situation ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Adolescent girls experience physical, psychological, and social changes duringpuberty. Lack of sufficient information, skills, and readiness to overcome this stressful situation makethem vulnerable. The present study aims to assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and strategyused for coping with puberty crises of female secondary school students in Karaj, Iran.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five‑hundred and seventy female secondary school students fromKaraj, Iran participated in this cross‑sectional study. Knowledge, attitudes, and coping strategies ofadolescents about puberty were evaluated using various questionnaires. The obtained data wereanalyzed using Chi‑square, Fisher’s exact, Kruskal–Wallis, Mann–Whitney, and Spearman tests.RESULTS: The average age of participants was 15.28 ± 1.58 years old. About 85.1% of theparticipants had high knowledge about puberty and 66.7% had a good attitude toward it. Nearly, 54.2%of the girls used the avoidance‑oriented coping strategy. There was no significant relationship betweenknowledge and attitude regarding selective strategies to cope with stressful situations in puberty.CONCLUSION: According to the results, continuous training in secondary schools is necessary toimprove adolescents’ knowledge and attitudes toward puberty. Moreover, more training is requiredto change the dominant avoidance‑oriented coping strategy to a task‑oriented approach, especiallyat the first‑grade level in secondary school.

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