Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Abstract BACKGROUND: The rate of reporting medication errors is lower than the actual rate. The role of
education, encouragement, and promotion of reporting culture can contribute to the increase of errors
reporting. This study was to investigate the effect of motivational program on reporting of medication
errors in the pediatric units.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A quasi‑experimental study with pre‑ and post‑test design was done
through 60 nurses working in the pediatric wards of the selected hospital in Isfahan, Iran in 2018–2019.
Nurses participated in the study through the census sampling method. Data were collected using
a questionnaire based on eight medication principles completed by the nurses before and after the
intervention. The intervention was conducted through a motivational program in two parts of training
and positive reinforcement. Data were analyzed through the descriptive statistics (frequency, mean,
and standard deviation [SD]) as well as inferential statistics (Wilcoxon test and paired t‑test).
RESULTS: After the intervention, the most medication error reports (60%) were in the principle
of right medication (similar name). Furthermore, the total score (SD) of medication error reporting
was significantly increased from 7.35 (2.43) before the intervention to 17.04 (5.59) after the
intervention (t = 8.03, P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Motivational program increased medication error reports. Therefore, the
managers can improve medication care and the safety of children through continuous education
and encouragement in the hospitals.

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 BACKGROUND: Newspapers play an important role in improving public health literacy. This study
analysis the content of pediatric information in widely circulated Iranian newspapers in 2014.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is an applied survey performed using content analysis
method. The data gathering tool was a checklist designed by the researcher. The sample size was
determined using nonprobability sampling to be 426 articles with pediatric‑related topics of five
Iranian newspapers.
RESULTS: The results showed that the most popular topics included “psychological disorders” (19.6%)
and “nutrition” (19.27%). The null areas include “physiopathology of body fluids and fluid therapy”
and “gynecological problems in childhood” (0%).
CONCLUSION: The messages identified were more in line with needs of Iranian society which
shows a need to pay more attention to international standards by both journalists and pediatricians.

Abstract Context: General practitioners should be competent to be accountable for patients’ needs,
but they do not acquire core competencies during education in medical schools. Aims: This
study was aimed at determine the most usual obstetric and gynecological as well as pediatric
diseases in rural and urban care centers in Isfahan province. Settings and Design: This is a
cross‑sectional descriptive study which was done in Isfahan province in 2011. Sixty‑four physicians
(general practitioners) in rural and urban health care centers in Isfahan province participated in
this study. Subjects and Methods: Participants completed valid and reliable questionnaires for
gynecological/obstetric and pediatric diseases. These questionnaires included some demographic
data and diseases of each category (according to general medicine curriculum). Scales 1‑5 for
each disease referral times was determined respectively as: Rare, sometimes, weekly to monthly,
daily to weekly and daily. Statistical Analysis Used: The data were descriptively analyzed by
SPSS 11.5(SPSS Inc. in Chicago). Results: Nearly 43.7% of participants were male. The mean
age of participants was 39.0 ± 7.0 and their mean working experience was 11.3 ± 5.9 years. The
highest referral times’ score in rural and urban care centers in gynecological and obstetric group
was vaginal discharge; in pediatrics, it was the common cold. Conclusions: In this study, the
extent to which general practitioners encountered different gynecological/obstetric and pediatric
diseases in rural and urban care centers in Isfahan province was determined. Although, these
data are useful for decision makers to establish medical core curriculum, other factors such as
seasonal load of diseases should also be observed to determine the differences between rural
and urban care centers in most usual diseases of women and children.