Jundishapur Journal of Chronic Disease Care
Volume:4 Issue: 4, Oct 2015

Improving health quality of life (QOL) for patients with type 2 diabetes are ongoing challenges for health care providers. Education can significantly reduce the chances of developing long-term complications of diabetes. Currently, there is a need to test the effects of a video tape program.. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of video training programs on QOL of patients with type 2 diabetes..Patients and This study with the quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was conducted in the outpatient clinic of Golestan hospital in Ahvaz city, Iran, in 2014. Thirty patients were selected on the basis of a nonrandomized sampling. Each patient was assessed before starting the educational intervention by questionnaires about educational requirements and Iranian version of the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) health survey. After determining educational needs, a video-tape educational program was designed based on the principles of patient education and also through counseling with the experienced endocrinologist and nutritionist. This movie was shown to the patients for five one-hour sessions in two weeks. The questionnaire of QOL was completed one month after implementation of the educational program. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and paired t-test using SPSS software. P values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.. Results showed that there was a significant increase in general health perception (P = 0.033), physical functioning (P = 0.001), role physical (P = 0.000), social functioning (P = 0.001), pain (P = 0.002), and mental health (P = 0.001); however, there was no statistically significant increase in energy and fatigue and role emotional.. Our educational intervention with the video information method can improve the QOL of patients with type 2 diabetes. Additionally, an approach to patient education based on video may serve as a choice for people with diabetes to raise their disease-related knowledge in order to care for themselves and improving the QOL..

Hypertension is one of the primary risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and the tenth leading cause of death in the world.. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of green tea on blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) in postmenopausal women..Patients and This was a double-blind, placebo controlled trial. One hundred postmenopausal women were randomized to receive two capsules of green tea (Camellia sinensis, 400 mg), or placebo, per day for 1 month. Participants were asked maintain their normal diet and physical activity during the study period. Blood pressure was assessed at the beginning of the study, and 2 and 4 weeks after intervention, while weight, height, and BMI were measured at the beginning, and 4 weeks after intervention.. Comparison of blood pressure, weight, and BMI between control and intervention groups showed that there was no statistically significant differences between the two groups at baseline, and 2 and 4 weeks after intervention. In contrast, the control group had a significant increase in the diastolic blood pressure after 4 weeks (P = 0.012). Additionally, BMI and weight were significantly reduced in the intervention group (P = 0.02 and P = 0.04).. The results of this study showed that treatment with green tea over a short duration had some effect on the blood pressure and BMI. Further research using longer durations of treatment are needed to explore the effect of green tea on blood pressure and BMI in postmenopausal women..

Patients with sickle cell disease, who must manage serious and unpredictable complications related to their disease, particularly chronic pain, suffer from numerous psychosocial problems such as depression, anxiety, stress, and disruption of interpersonal relationships; these problems often lead to fatigue and poor quality of life.. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of self-management programs targeting pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and stress in sickle cell patients..Patients and This was a quasi-experimental study; participants were 53 patients with sickle cell disease who were referred to the Thalassemia Clinic of Ahvaz Shafa Hospital. Participants were recruited by census in 2013. Participants received a self-management program that was implemented in five sessions over 12 weeks. Levels of fatigue, depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed before and 24 weeks after the intervention; pain was assessed during the intervention and at a 24 week post-intervention follow-up using the fatigue severity scale (FSS), DASS21, and a pain record. Descriptive statistics, Fisher’s exact test, Chi-square, independent t-tests, paired t-tests, repeated measures tests and correlations were used to analyze the data.. Scores for fatigue, anxiety, depression, and stress after the intervention were significantly decreased compared to before the intervention (P < 0.001). Repeated measures testing showed that mean scores for frequency and duration of pain decreased significantly during the 12 weeks of intervention, as well as during the 24 weeks of follow-up (P < 0.001).. The results suggest the effectiveness of self-management programs on the reduction of pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and stress in sickle cell patients. Therefore, self-management programs are advisable in order to empower patients and assist their management of health-related problems..

Today empowerment of women by health literacy has become a necessity. Researchers have shown that women are active seekers of health information and seeking behaviors are driven by various motivational factors. Paying attention to women’s motivations for seeking health information could facilitate evidence-based policy making in promotion of public health literacy. As health information seeking develops within personal-social interactions and also the health system context, it seems that a qualitative paradigm is appropriate for studies in this field.. The aim of this study was to explore Iranian women’s motivations for seeking heath information..Patients and In this qualitative content analysis study, data collection was conducted considering the inclusion criteria, through purposive sampling and by semi-structured interviews with 17 women, using documentation and field notes, until data saturation. Qualitative data analysis was done constantly and simultaneous with data collection.. Five central themes emerged to explain the women’s motivation for health information seeking including: a) dealing with fear and uncertainly b) understanding the nature of disease and diagnostic/therapeutic procedures c) performing parental duties d) promoting a healthy life style e) receiving safer health care.. It seemed that respecting client’s concerns, providing comprehensive health information, as well as risk management and promoting safer health care is necessary..

The high prevalence of diabetes and its related disabilities caused by poor glycemic control is due to lack of awareness.. This study was aimed at examining the effect of group training on glycemic control in patients with type I diabetes..Patients and This randomized clinical trial of 74 individuals with type I diabetes aged 11 - 21 years was performed in the diabetes clinics for children (Golestan and Abuzar) in Ahvaz in 2014. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: intervention (37) and control (37). The data collection tools included a questionnaire to obtain demographic data and clinical status and laboratory tests to obtain fasting blood sugar and glycosylated hemoglobin levels. Both groups completed the questionnaires and underwent the laboratory tests at baseline. Group training was conducted for eight sessions of 2 hours each for the intervention group, and no training intervention was done for the control group. At 3 months from the beginning of the study, questionnaires were completed again and fasting blood sugar and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) tests were repeated for the two groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 to apply dependent and independent t-tests and χ2 test.. Statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups for average fasting blood sugar and HbA1c after (P < 0.05), but not before (P > 0.05), the intervention.. Group training and empowering individuals with diabetes aged 11 - 21 years to perform blood glucose measurements, observe insulin therapy principles and dietary behaviors, and engage in physical activities reduces blood glucose and HbA1c levels. Therefore, group training and involving diabetic individuals in their care and treatment can improve management of blood glucose..

Multiple Sclerosis, as a progressive disease, influences most of occupational performance areas.. This study was conducted to describe the perspectives and experiences regarding leisure of people with multiple sclerosis in Ahvaz city, Iran..Patients and The study was a descriptive phenomenological study using purposeful sampling. Data saturation was achieved with 11 participants. It involved secondary analysis of in-depth transcribed nonstructural interview data using Colaizzi''s method.. Four themes emerged from the analysis of 9 subthemes under the main domain of the perspectives and experiences of people with MS regarding leisure. Participants noted the importance and aims of leisure, with physical and mental performance subthemes. They mentioned their style of spending leisure time, which was categorized into individual and group style subthemes. They also noted leisure obstacles with individual, social, and environmental barrier subthemes. The participants mentioned leisure suggestions, which were categorized into the subthemes of personal and society roles towards leisure improvement. The findings showed that leisure was affected as a result of limitations in both physical and mental performance in people with MS. Participants in this study expressed the importance of different aspects of leisure. It was shown that these people were spending their leisure time in the form of individual and group activities, but that they are faced with various barriers, including personal, social, and environmental ones. They require more attention to be given to their leisure time, and emphasized the role of both the individual and the community in improving their leisure time.. Clinicians must consider the importance of leisure participation, which has effects on quality of life, and consider leisure in evaluations and interventions for people with MS..

Depression is the commonest psychiatric disorder in women. Menopausal symptoms include hot flashes, sleep disturbance, irritability, and vaginal dryness, which can give rise to depression in postmenopausal women.. This study aimed to determine the factors affecting and associated with depression in postmenopausal women..Patients and In this descriptive analytical research, 250 postmenopausal women who referred to health centers in Ahvaz were selected through an easy sampling method and studied. The beck depression inventory, the menopause rating scale (MRS) Questionnaire, and demographic information sheets were used to collect data. The collected data were analyzed with Pearson correlation coefficients, Spearman, chi-square, and one-way ANOVA.. The mean depression score was 12.17 ± 8. The total MRS mean in this study is 13.04 ± 8.01. The somatic dimension had the highest score, the mean of which was 5.48 ± 3.28. We found a significant relationship between depression score and MRS scores in all three dimensions (P < 0.001). The results did not show any correlation of depression score with mean age, age of menopause, body mass index, waist circumference, or waist-to-hip ratio (P > 0.05). However, the level of education was significantly associated with depression (P < 0.001).. Increase in menopausal symptoms is associated with a higher severity of depression. Diagnosis and treatment of menopausal symptoms is therefore recommended to reduce depression..

The most common symptom in early menopausal women is depression. Depression is a type of chronic disease that impacts on postmenopausal women’s life. Social support plays a protective role for women and enables them to solve their life problems and thus, feel less depressed.. We assessed depression as a chronic disease and evaluated the association between perceived social support and depression in postmenopausal women..Patients and This correlation-analytic study was conducted on 321 postmenopausal women using 2-stage cluster sampling in Ahvaz in 2014. Data collecting instruments were comprised of a demographic questionnaire, a depression scale (Beck Depression Inventory-II), and a social support questionnaire (PRQ 85-Part 2). Data analysis was done using SPSS, version 20. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the relationship between perceived social support and depression, and the χ2 test was employed to assess the relationship between perceived social support and demographic characteristics.. The Spearman correlation test revealed a significant reverse relationship between perceived social support and depression (r = -0.468; P = 0.001). There were significant relationships between perceived social support and some personal variables such as marital status, education level, and job status (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant relationships between perceived social support and some other personal characteristics such as income and ethnicity (P > 0.05).. We found a reverse relationship between perceived social support and depression in postmenopausal women. Raising awareness in society apropos the relationship between social support and depression in postmenopausal women can enhance their quality of life..

Open heart surgery is performed by two methods of off or on cardiopulmonary bypass. Both methods may affect the rate of depression, level of functionality and adaptation of the elderly undergoing the operations.. The current study aimed to assess depression, level of functionality and adaptability in elderly patients undergoing open heart surgery with off or on pump in the in open heart surgery intensive care unit of Imam Khomeini and Shariati Hospitals, Tehran University of Medical Sciences..Patients and This cross-sectional study was conducted from 23 September 2013 to 22 March 2014. The samples were 160 elderly patients who were selected by convenience sampling method and divided into two groups of on-and off-pump coronary artery bypass graft. The rate of depression and level of functionality of the patients were assessed before and six weeks after surgery by Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and Medical Outcome Study SF 12 (MOS SF-12) questionnaires respectively, in a self-reporting approach. The rate of patient''s adaptability was also evaluated six weeks after the surgery by Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WOCQ).. In on-and off-pump groups, there were statistically significant differences in terms of depression rate and level of functionality before and six weeks after the surgery, respectively, as (P = 0.001) and (P = 0.0001). The t-test results also showed that the patients'' adapt ability in the on-pump group with the mean ± SD of 111.1 ± 56.17 was significantly different from that of the off-pump group with the average changes of 70.88 ± 91.15 (P = 0.0001).. It is recommended to further support the patients undergoing on-pump open heart surgery, and some programs will be designed to reduce the level of their depression and increase their adaptability and functionality levels..

Self-management is the cornerstone for controlling multiple sclerosis. As one’s sense of meaning in life and his/her relationship with a higher power, spiritual well-being is an important coping resource in some chronic diseases. However, little is known about the role of spiritual well-being in self-management of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.. This study was aimed to assess the relationship between spiritual well-being and self-management among Iranian people with multiple sclerosis..Patients and Two hundred ninety-one people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis belonging to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Mashhad, Iran, participated in this cross-sectional analytical study conducted in 2014. Demographic information was collected by using a demographic form. The multiple sclerosis self-management scale-revised (2011), developed by Bishop and Frain, was used to evaluate self-management of multiple sclerosis symptoms. Spiritual well-being of participants was assessed by using the spiritual well-being questionnaire developed by Paloutzian and Ellison in 1983. Descriptive statistic and inferential statistical methods including Pearson and Spearman’s coefficient, stepwise multiple regression, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, one-way ANOVA, and Kruskal-Wallis test were employed by using SPSS, version 16.0. The significance level was set at P ≤ 0.05.. Overall, the participants reported moderate levels of self-management and spiritual well-being as recorded on the multiple sclerosis self-management scale-revised and the spiritual well-being questionnaire. There was a significant correlation between the participants’ spiritual well-being and self-management scores (r = 0.59, P < 0.001). Furthermore, participants’ self-management was significantly correlated with existential health (r = 0.52, P < 0.001) and religious health (r = 0.57, P < 0.001). Finally, 40% of the variance of self-management was explained by three factors: spiritual well-being, marital status, and job type (R2 = 0.4, F (3, 286) = 65.82, P < 0.001).. Designing strategies to improve the spiritual well-being of people with multiple sclerosis can result in improved self-management of the disease. In designing such programs, special attention should be paid to the patients’ demographic characteristics such as employment type and marital status..

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Iranian women. However, early detection of this cancer leads to a timely treatment and better prognosis, which significantly improves the survival rate in patients.. The purpose of this study was to predict the breast cancer screening behavior of women who referred to health centers in Dezful, Iran, using the health belief model (HBM)..Patients and This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 226 women who were selected with cluster sampling method from those referred to Dezful health centers. Data collection tool was a researcher made questionnaire based on the constructs of the HBM. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software and through methods of descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression.. According to the findings of the study, the knowledge and performance of women were poor, and there was a significant relationship between women’s performance and variables of knowledge, perceived sensitivity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action. In addition, variables of knowledge (P = 0.001), perceived sensitivity (P = 0.022), and self-efficacy (P = 0.001) were predictors of performance in women participating in this study.. Poor knowledge and performance of women indicates a crucial need for formal educational programs to sensitize women regarding the importance of breast cancer screening. These educational programs should consider factors affecting breast cancer screening behaviors..