Background:Anxiety is an important mental health problem in patients with cardiac disease. Anxiety reduces patients’ quality of life and increases the risk of different cardiac complications.Objectives:The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inhalation aromatherapy on anxiety in patients with myocardial infarction.Patients and Methods:This was a randomized clinical trial conduced on 68 patients with myocardial infarction hospitalized in coronary care units of a large-scale teaching hospital affiliated to Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran in 2013. By using the block randomization technique, patients were randomly assigned to experimental (33 patients receiving inhalation aromatherapy with lavender aroma twice a day for two subsequent days) and control (35 patients receiving routine care of study setting including no aromatherapy) groups. At the beginning of study and twenty minutes after each aromatherapy session, anxiety state of patients was assessed using the Spielberger’s State Anxiety Inventory. Data was analyzed using SPSS v. 16.0. We used Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, independent-samples T-test and repeated measures analysis of variance to analyze the study data.Results:The study groups did not differ significantly regarding baseline anxiety mean and demographic characteristics. However, after the administration of aromatherapy, anxiety mean in the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group.Conclusions:Inhalation aromatherapy with lavender aroma can reduce anxiety in patients with myocardial infarction. Consequently, healthcare providers, particularly nurses, can use this strategy to improve postmyocardial infarction anxiety management.

Introduction: Elder abuse is among the major social health problems in today`s communities, and has significant effect on decreasing the health and security level in this group. The current study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of abuse among the elderly in Kashan, Iran. Materials and methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on 500 people over 60 years old in Kashan, Iran in 2014. Subjects were randomly selected from 10 healthcare centers of Kashan. Data were collected using elder abuse questionnaire. Cronbach alpha coefficient of the questionnaire was determined as 0.975. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 13. Pearson correlation coefficient and logistic regression analysis were used for data analysis. The statistically significant level was P<0.05. Results: Results of the current study showed that 80% of subjects have experienced at least one type of abuse during the last year. The highest rate of abuse was in the form of financial abuse (45.6%), and the lowest was in ostracizing (16.6%). There was a statistical significant relationship between the elder abuse and variables such as sex, age, number of children, marital status, living arrangement, residential situation, home properties, monthly income, insurance situation, illness history, walking ability and using mobility aids. Logistic regression analysis also showed significant relationship between the elder abuse and unemployment, living in an apartment, and the age range 71-80 years. Conclusion: Considering the high prevalence of abuse among the elderly, clarification of this phenomenon is considered as one of the main priorities, which can be achieved only through multidisciplinary approach in the community, and needs cooperation and collaboration of all community members.

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Background: Hypertension is a major health problem in all communities that is closely associated with lifestyle. Different educational models have been used to improve the lifestyle in these patients. However, inconsistent results have been reported. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of education based on the BASNEF model on lifestyle in patients with essential hypertension. Methods: This single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in 2015 on 80 patients with essential hypertension. The intervention group received five sessions of training based on the BASNEF model, while the control group received routine care. A two-part instrument was used in this study. The first part included a demographic questionnaire and the second part comprised the life style questionnaire (LSQ). The LSQ was responded in two times, i.e. before and one month after the intervention. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, and analysis of covariance were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean score of lifestyle in the intervention group was 121.80 at the start of the study that changed to 149.60 (with an increase of 27.8) after the intervention (P < 0/001). However, the mean score of lifestyle did not significantly change in the control group (126.55 vs. 122.78). The greatest improvements were observed in the areas of nutrition and weight management, sports and fitness, physical health, disease prevention, and mental health, in sequence. Conclusions: Using a training program based on the BASNEF model was effective in improving the lifestyle in patients with hypertension. Thus, this model of behavior modification can be used as an inexpensive and applicable method in modification of lifestyle and behavior change in patients with hypertension.

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