Health beliefs and adherence of the elderly to fall prevention measures: a quasi-experimental study

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the effect of an educational intervention on health beliefs and adherence of elderly people to fall prevention measures. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study, carried out at the Senior Citizens' Center. Sixty-eight elderly completed the intervention. The intervention consisted of four meetings focused on beliefs about falls and prevention, and the evaluation occurred at baseline and 30 days after completion. Results: The elderly were predominantly women (83.82%), with one to four years of schooling (36.76%), with health problems (95.59%), and 48.53% had fallen. There was a significant increase in perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, and total health belief score post educational intervention. By adding total to partial adherence, there was a significant increase in the adherence of the elderly to fall prevention measures after the educational intervention. Conclusion: Educational intervention was able to improve the beliefs and adherence of the elderly to fall prevention measures.

Gender Differences and the Five Facets of Conspiracy Theory

Although research examining conspiracy theory beliefs has been examined, there is conflicting literature on the relationship between gender and conspiracy thinking. Before this study, little research has been conducted on the differences between males and females in each of the five facets of conspiracy theory. This study was designed to investigate differences in gender as they pertain to government malfeasance (GM), malevolent global conspiracies (MG), extraterrestrial cover-up (ET), personal well-being (PW), and control of information (CI). It was hypothesized that there are statistically significant differences between females and males when it comes to conspiracy theory beliefs for each of the five facets. Archival data from 2016 containing responses to the Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale was analyzed. Results supported the main hypothesis of this investigation that significant differences do, in fact, exist between females and males in all five facets of conspiracy theory: government malfeasance, malevolent global conspiracies, extraterrestrial cover-up, personal well-being, and control of information. In addition, this study revealed that females score higher than males in all facets. In general, a computed total conspiracy belief score demonstrated that females (M = 45.10, SD = 15.07) were significantly higher than males (M = 42.13, SD = 15.90). Nevertheless, some recent research has reported that women were significantly less likely than men to engage in ‘conspiratorial thinking’ and endorse a conspiracy about the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. These findings may be suggesting a change in direction for gender differences and a need for further research.   

Intervention “Premenopause Empowerment Model (PEM)” to Change Health Belief in the Control of Perimenopause Complaints in Pematangsiantar City, Indonesia

Prevention efforts against the effects of decreased estrogen hormones are very noteworthy, these conditions can lead to a variety of health problems and are very much complained of in the perimenopause period. This research is to achive the improvement of premenopausal women’s Health Belief by using PEM for the perimenopause period. The research will involve two Group Design pretest–Posttest with control group that took the location in two sub districts involving women aged 40 yr to 45 yr, as many as 70 people The quasi-experimental designed study employed two groups: the pretest–posttest and control group and was conducted at two sbdistricts: Kahean, for the control group, and Tomuan, for the intervention group. Data processed with univariate and bivariate analysis, sufficient with t test. The results showed that there was an increase in the health belief score before the intervention (59.74 ± 7.01), after the intervention (76.89 ± 9.70) with P = < 0.001. The provision of information based on Health Belief Model in the study able to change the perception of premenopause community in the village Tomuan, shown by increasing the value of the perception of seriousness and vulnerability to the interference that will be experienced and can considering the gains to be gained so decided to behave as expected. It is recommended that women empowerment premenopause with sustainable PEM and the development of health service efforts in the community through Peer Education.

Health beliefs and use of dietary supplements among teachersÖğretmenlerin sağlık inanışları ve diyet suplemanı kullanma durumu

This study was planned to determine the use of nutrition supplements, health beliefs, and knowledge about vitamin-minerals among teachers. The sampling of the study consisted of 282 volunteering teachers working in elementary schools in Ankara province. The questionnaire form consisted of four parts: general information, use of vitamin-minerals, questions about vitamin-minerals and health beliefs. The study findings were analyzed with SPSS software packet using suitable statistical methods. The sampling of the study involved 64 males(22.7%) and 212 females(77.3%). Forty one point five percent of the teachers stated that they used supplemental vitamins and minerals. It was found that the average vitamin-mineral related knowledge score of the participants was 14.3±2.6 and that the mean knowledge score of women was significantly higher than the average knowledge score of men (p<0.05). The mean belief score of the teachers was found to be 29.2±2.8, and it was determined that the mean belief score was statistically significant with respect to gender and age groups (p<0.05). It was found that supplement use of teachers was associated with health beliefs (p<0.01), chronic illness (p<0.01), and following the nutrition related magazine (p<0.05). It would be more appropriate to use dietary supplements if the healthcare staff recommends it when it is needed.Extended English summary is in the end of Full Text PDF (TURKISH) file. ÖzetBu çalışma öğretmenlerin beslenme desteği kullanma durumları, sağlık inanışları ile vitaminler ve mineraller hakkında bilgilerini belirlemek amacıyla planlanmıştır. Çalışma, Ankara'da çalışan 282 öğretmen üzerinde yürütülmüştür. Anket formu yardımıyla genel bilgileri, vitamin-mineral kullanımları, diyet suplemanları ile ilgili bilgi soruları ve sağlık inanışları değerlendirilmiştir. Elde edilen veriler SPSS paket programıyla değerlendirilmiştir. Çalışmaya katılan öğretmenlerin 218'i kadın (%77.3), 64'ü erkek olup (%22.7) ortalama yaş 37.1±7.6 yıldır. Öğretmenlerin %41.5'i (117 kişi) ek vitamin-mineral kullandığını belirtmiştir. Katılımcıların vitamin-minerallerle ilgili ortalama bilgi puanının 14.3±2.6 olduğu, kadınların ortalama bilgi puanlarının erkeklerin ortalama bilgi puanlarına göre anlamlı olarak daha yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir (p<0.05). Öğretmenlerin ortalama sağlık inanış puanı 29.2±2.8 olup, cinsiyete ve yaş gruplarına göre alınan ortalama inanış puanının istatistiksel olarak anlamlı olduğu belirlenmiştir (p<0.05). Öğretmenlerin supleman kullanımının sağlık inanışı (p<0.01), kronik hastalık (p<0.01), beslenme ile ilgili haberleri takip etme (p<0.05) ile ilişkili olduğu belirlenmiştir. Diyet suplemanlarının sağlık personelinin gerekli gördüğü zaman önermesi durumunda kullanılması daha uygun olacaktır.