Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 MSc of Midwifery, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran Graduate, Master of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

2 Assistant Professor in Reproductive Health, Manager of Midwifery Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

3 Ph.D in Biostatistics, Professor, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Considering the trend of reducing fertility in recent decades, the level of awareness
and attitude of health workers to fertility has an important role in achieving the country’s demographic
goals. Improving attitudes and improving the scientific level and skills of health workers are the basic
pillars to improve the quality and quantity of health‑care services. Therefore, this study was conducted
with the aim of improving the level of awareness and attitude toward fertility and fertility counseling
skills 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 and
pre‑test‑posttest experiments performed on 108 midwives and health‑care workers working in
Mashhad Health Center and Community Health Centers and Health Centers in 2015. The tools
used in this study were four researcher‑made questionnaires that were validated and reliable. Data
analysis was performed by Chi‑square test, one‑way, and independent t‑analysis of variance using
SPSS 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 research
units at the beginning of the study and the demographic variables with only the average work
experience.
CONCLUSION: Training is effective in raising the level of awareness and changing the attitude of
health workers. The use of group discussion methods in person as well as through a webinar in
which learners think, interact, and gain experience in promoting healthy fertility counseling promotes
awareness, attitudes toward fertility, and their counseling skills in providing healthy reproductive
counseling.

Keywords

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