Background Explaining the risk and protective factors of substance use (SU) is the most important principle while designing preventive interventions. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence rate and determinants of SU in adolescents based on the social development model (SDM). Method In 2018, applying a cross-sectional design, cluster multistage random sampling was employed to recruit 600 adolescents in Bam County, Iran, to participate in the study. A valid and reliable SDM-based instrument was used to collect data.Results The prevalence rate of using at least one substance was 42% (in girls 33.6% and in boys 50.3%). Having close friends with SU was found as the riskiest factor. A score increase in involvement in prosocial activities and interactions, attachment and commitment to prosocial others (family and school), and skills for interaction/involvement among adolescents reduced the probability of ever use of SU by 53%, 37% and 49%, respectively. Also, one score increase in perceived rewards for antisocial interaction/involvement, belief in antisocial values and situational perception among the participants increased the probability of ever use SU by 2.22, 2.24 and 1.22 times. Conclusion The SDM was helpful in determining the predictors of SU among Iranian adolescents. In community-based interventions to prevent SU among adolescents, a great focus should be firstly on identifying the probability of SU in close friends. Moreover, the involvement of adolescents in prosocial activities and interactions, attachment and commitment to prosocial others (family and school), and skills for interaction/involvement should be core categories while designing community-based interventional studies.

Due to the novelty of COVID-19 disease and the importance of determining the most important factors related to the health behaviors of people, this study was done to determine the structures of Health Belief Model (HBM) following the COVID-19 outbreak. This was an analytical-cross sectional study conducted in 2020. The statistical population included all users of Iranian social networks, of which 385 people participated in this study. Participants were selected using convenience sampling. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. In this study, demographic variables (being a student, age, reporting violations in health protocols (RVHP), marital status, level of education, gender, and the number of children) were independent variables and constructs of the HBM were dependent variables. Data analysis software was SPSS 16. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The mean age of participants was 30.11 years. There was a significant difference between the perceived susceptibility of being a student (p=0.02), age (p=0.01), and RVHP (p=0.005). There was also a significant difference between the perceived severity with marital status, being a student, age (P<0.001), RVHP (p=0.04), and level of education (p=0.01). There was also a significant difference between perceived benefits with marital status (p=0.04), RVHP (p=0.01), and being a student (P<0.001) and perceived barriers with gender and number of children (p=0.03). There was also self-efficacy with RVHP (p=0.005). This study demonstrated the effectiveness of HBM constructs in determining the structures of HBM following the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, the HBM seems helpful as a framework for designing interventional programs for improving health behaviors among people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction Complete cessation of breastfeeding (CCB) at the right time is as important as starting breastfeeding, as well as identifying the factors that affect the duration of breastfeeding, so that breastfeeding promotion programs focus on these causes, to increase mothers’ ability and desire to breastfeed. This study aimed to determine the time of CCB and its related factors. Methods This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020. This study was performed at all health centers and health homes affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences, in Kerman province, Iran. A total of 802 urban and rural mothers with children aged from 30 to 36 months completed the questionnaire. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha of 85%. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16. Results The mean time of breastfeeding was 19.23 ± 7.09 months and the median was 22-month-year. About 41% of children were breastfed until 24-month. There was a significant relationship between the time of CCB with contraception, number of households, place of residence, and weight at 6-month at the level of 0.05. Conclusion Duration of breastfeeding is influenced by some demographic and cultural factors. The timing of the CCB is near to the suggestions of the World Health Organization (WHO) and religious teachings.

Background Recent evidence from Western countries suggests that private school students are more prone to drug use. Such an evidence is lacking in Muslim countries. The aim of this study was to examine whether the risk of drug use is higher in private schools than public schools. Methods This cross sectional study was conducted on 630 randomly selected 10th grade students of Kerman city, the center of largest province of Iran. Well-validated questionnaires regarding current, lifetime substance use, and perceived use by classmates were utilized. Substances included in the questionnaire were waterpipe, cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, opium, methamphetamine, and Naas. Drug Abuse Tendency Scale was used to measure the attitudes of students towards drug use. Results More than 82% of sample were public school students (n = 504). Ever use of cigarette, alcohol and marijuana was higher in private schools (27.6%, 39.0%, and 5.7%, respectively) than public schools (15.3%, 25.8%, 2.2%, respectively) (P < 0.05). The drug abuse tendency score was nearly higher in public school students (10.4 ± 9.4) than private schools (12.1 ± 9.9) (P = 0.090). Perceived prevalence of cigarette and marijuana use by classmates was higher among private school students. Conclusion Despite the popular belief that private schools are better than public schools regarding the risk of substance use, students who attend private schools are at a higher risk of turning to some drugs comparing to public schools in Iran.

Introduction: One of the most important factors affecting the increase of clients' satisfaction is how health care providers (HCP) communicate with clients. On the other hand, different factors can hinder proper communication and thus education, which is one of the main tasks of HCP. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate Communication barriers to education to referrals from the perspective of referrals to health centers (RHC) and HCP attendants in Kerman.Method: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on RHC and HCP in 2021. Using a multi-stage sampling method, 162 HCP and 414 RHC were included in the study. Data collection tool was 2 researcher-made questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16.findings: From the perspective of RHC and HCP, the most communication barriers were related to environmental and then socio-cultural factors. Among the demographic variables of HCP, level of education showed a significant relationship with the physical-psychological, verbal-non-verbal and informational domains. And in relation to RHC, a significant relationship was found between education and job in the socio-cultural field and environmental barriers(p <0.05).Conclusion: HCP faces a variety of barriers in educating people, most of which are related to environmental factors. Given the cost-effectiveness of education to the public, it is essential that planners and policymakers use strategies to eliminate environmental factors as well as the placement of indigenous HCP in health facilities to reduce communication barriers.