Journal of North Khorasan

Background:  Menopause is not avoidable and will occur in every woman's  life. Understanding risk factors and their prevention is necessary for every women. This important will be possible ough health care education. The purpose of this research was to find out the effect of education on middle-aged women's practice towards menopause.

Material   & Methods:  In this quasi-experimental study, 90 women aged 40 and 60 years were randomly selected sampling. Then, the effect of education on their practice was evaluated. Before the  implementation  of  education  program,  primary  information  about  woman's  practice  was collected through questionnaire. After study the obtained data and need assessment of the subjects, appropriate education program was planned. Then, in two, one hour session, , Individual face to ace education program was offered to all SUbjects. Three months later, information was collected through original questionnaire again. Mc-Nemar, t-student, one-way ANOYA and paired t-test were ed for data analysis.

Results: The results of this research showed that post- education mean practice was significantly ifferent from that of pre-education (P=O.OOOB).efore education, 77.8% of research units had poor ractice, 21.1% had a moderate and only 1.1% had good practice, after education 5.6% the woman ad poor practice 72.2% had moderate and 22.2% had good practice.

conclusions:  The study showed that the reasonable way to increase people's  health behaviors is based on health education. Through such education, it is possible to equip individuals with enough knowledge to take care of their health. Statistical findings of this study emphasize on education and roviding health care centers for this group.

Abstract Background and Objective: Preeclampcia (PE) is a complex multiorgan disorder with wide spread vasospasm. Endothelial dysfunction is central to the pathogenesis and several studies have demonesttated the association of hyperhemocysteinaemia for the endothelial damage in PE. Folic acid decreases blood hemocystein level by converting it to methionin. Therefore the aim of this research of the assessment of the relation between folic acid consumption and blood hemocystein concentration in women with and without Preeclampsia. Material and Methods: This was a cross sectional case control study conducted among 60 singleton pregnant women in the third trimester admitted in selected hospitals affiliated to Mashad University of Medical Sciences. In the case group there were 30 women with blood Pressure equal to or higher than 140/90 mmHg and Proteinurea of higher than 300 mg in a 24 h urine collection. control group were 30 pregnant women with normal blood Pressure and without Proteinurea in the same trimester of pregnancy. They were matched in their ages, body mass index, socio-economic status, consumption of foods containing folic acid and supplements and other variables affecting Preeclampsia and were more homogeneous. Gestational age of onset, duration and dose of folic acid intake were evaluated by questionnaire and homocysteine levels were measured with a blood test. Data analysis was done using SPSS software, and using T-test, chi-square, two-way analysis of variance and correlation. Results: The two groups showed no significant difference (P = 0.448) in terms of folic acid intake, pregnancy age at the start of folic acid intake and duration of folic acid intake during pregnancy. Blood levels of homocysteine was significantly different between two groups (P = 0.01). There was no significant difference between the duration of folic acid intake and the average blood hemocysteine. Moreover, the two-way ANOVA test showed no difference between two groups in terms of folic acid intake and blood hemocysteine level. Conclusion: Based on the results we conclude that there is no significant relation between the use of folic acid and blood hemocystein level (P=0.346) .

Abstract Background & Objectives: analysis of service quality from the perspective of the customer has generated much attention. This study was performed to determine the quality gap in educational services at North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, based on students’perceptions and expectations. Material & Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study, 175 students were selected by stratified random sampling method, were studied in the year 2011. The data were collected using a valid and reliable questionaire based on the SERVQUAL (science quality) instrument. Data were analyzed by SPSS-16 software.and presented with descriptive and analytic statistic Results: The findings indicated that there was a negative gap in five dimensions of services. The smallest gap with -1/62±1/0 belonged to "reliability” dimension and the largest gap with -2/2±1/3 to “assurance ". Senior students evaluated more all aspects of the service gap than other students (p<0/05). Conclusion: Based on our results, from student’s points of view, the educational services quality is under the acceptable level in the university, thus, in order to improve quality of educational services, considering what stated above especially “assurance” dimension, reconsidering new strategies is demanded .

Background & Objectives: Students are one of the main human capitals of societies. Therefore, paying attention to their health is considered as a new investment in future. One of the effective ways to improve the health of students is training of school health educators in higher education system. The current study aimed to design, develop, and provide curriculum topics in the continuous undergraduate of school health.

Material & Methods: This study was a qualitative applied research. The study population were included all the ideas of professionals in the field of school health and curriculum. These opinions have been shown in the form of documents. Study population also includes all curriculum planners and school health specialists who were working in the ministry of education, in Tehran. The targeted sample was included the curriculum and school health records (both internal and external), as well as a choice of 12 curriculum specialists and school health experts. The research tools were curriculum documents and school health and semi-structured interviews which were performed by the curriculum specialists and school health professionals.

Results: The results showed that the curriculum model of Baccalaureate school health, with key elements including the curriculum (objectives, content, teaching methods and evaluation) is in line with the country's higher education system, and it can prepare the condition to train school health educators.

Conclusion: Commissioning of Baccalaureate school health in higher education system is not only a new way to train the health educator for schools, but also prepares the possible growth of students' personal and social health.

Backgrond and Objectives: Ethnic and culture are different  factors that affect the  pregnancy as a biological phenomenon. Beliefs and traditions related to childbirth are very important, especially in countries and communities with high mortality. Without sufficient knowledge and understanding about women's issues, policies related to improve maternal health will be unattainable. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the customs of various ethnic groups of North Khorasan about the pregnant women.

Material & Methods: This qualitative (ethnographic research) study performed  by individual and group interviews with open-ended questions in relation to the different traditions of the three pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum and newborn care from the three groups of women, (Mothers who admitted to the hospital for delivery, her mothers and her grandmothers). This study was performed in Bentolhoda hospital in North Khorasan. Interviews were continued until saturation results. Data gathering was done by note taking.

Results: The traditions were classified in three groups. Some of them are useful such as aspects of support and emotional assistance and psychological support of mothers and babies in childbirth at home or in the correct position. Negative beliefs can also be seen such as lack of colostrum feeding baby about worry of neonatal jaundice and neutralized beliefs such as (poly-cut) between relatives, especially those living in rural areas.

Conclusion: The situation of mothers and children in many developing countries suggests that there are a long way to change attitudes and behavior. Therefore, it needs to change reproductive behavior, attitudes and beliefs related to the fertility. Otherwise, purely technical measures, will have only a marginal influence on the promotion of reproductive health.