Background Blended learning is a new approach to improving the quality of medical education. Acceptance of blended learning plays an important role in its effective implementation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate and determine the factors that might affect students’ intention to use blended learning. Methods In this cross-sectional, correlational study, the sample consisted of 225 Iranian medical sciences students. The theoretical framework for designing the conceptual model was the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2). Venkatesh et al. (2012) proposed UTAUT2 as a framework to explain a person’s behavior while using technology. Data were analyzed using SPSS-18 and AMOS-23 software. Structural equation modeling technique was used to test the hypotheses. Results The validity and reliability of the model constructs were acceptable. Performance Expectance (PE), Effort Expectance (EE), Social Influence (SI), Facilitating Conditions (FC), Hedonic Motivation (HM), Price Value (PV) and Habit (HT) had a significant effect on the students’ behavioral intention to use blended learning. Additionally, behavioral intention to use blended learning had a significant effect on the students’ actual use of blended learning (β = 0.645, P ≤ 0.01). Conclusion The study revealed that the proposed framework based on the UTAUT2 had good potential to identify the factors influencing the students’ behavioral intention to use blended learning. Universities can use the results of this study to design and implement successful blended learning courses in medical education.

PurposeHypertension is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and stroke, and has a direct relationship with aging. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of education based on the health belief model (HBM) on the adoption of hypertension-controlling behaviors in the elderly.MethodsThe present quasiexperimental study was conducted on 100 hypertensive elderly persons from Qom, Iran. The questionnaire was completed by the participants before, immediately after, and 3 months after the intervention.ResultsThe results of repeated measure analysis of variance showed a significant difference in the scores of the constructs in the intervention and nonintervention groups before, immediately after, and 3 months after the intervention (P<0.001).ConclusionEducation based on the HBM increases the performance and enhances the health beliefs regarding hypertension in the elderly population with hypertension. Therefore, it is recommended to consider the HBM to enhance self-care behaviors in the elderly.

No abstract

Background: Urinary tract infection is one of the most common infectious diseases in children, which can lead to serious complications for a child. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Theory Planned Behavior (TPB)-based education on the promotion of preventive behaviors of urinary tract infection in mothers with a daughter under age two. Methods: The present study is an educational randomized controlled trial that its sample consisted of 100 mothers who had a daughter under age two. They were selected through convenience sampling and then were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups (each group included 50 participants). The data collection tool was a reliable and valid questionnaire based on TPB constructs. First, in both groups, the pre-test was administrated and then the educational intervention in the intervention group was conducted in the form of four educational sessions in 1 month (based on the pre-test need assessment) and then 3 months after the intervention (according to the ideas of Panel of Experts), post-test in both groups was administrated and then the data were analyzed through SPSS version 23 software with inferential statistics (independent t-test, paired t-test, and chi-square). The significance level was considered 0.05. Results: Three months after the intervention, the mean score of the constructs of TPB in the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group. The performance of prevention of urinary tract infection in the intervention group before the education increased from 2.85 ± 0.51 to 3.74 ± 0.29 (out of 4) (p = 0.001). Conclusions: TPB-based education with active and interventional follow-up was effective in promoting the preventive behaviors of urinary tract infection. Therefore, due to the side effects of UTI, especially in vulnerable periods such as childhood, it is recommended that trainings based on this model be carried out in other health care centers in order to maintain children health.

Background: Diabetes is the most prevalent disease resulted from metabolic disorders. This study aimed to investigate the effect of training based on health belief model (HBM) on oral hygiene-related behaviors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: This study was conducted as an educational randomized controlled trial (single blind) on 120 patients with type 2 diabetes referring to a diabetes clinic selected through systematic sampling, who were assigned to two groups of control (N = 60) and intervention (N = 60). The data collection tool was a valid and reliable questionnaire based on HBM which was completed by both groups before the intervention. Then, the intervention group received 4 sessions of educational program based on HBM in 1 month, and the same questionnaire was completed again after 3 months and the data were analyzed through SPSS version 20 software with inferential statistics, t-test, paired t-tests, Chi square, Mann-Whitney test, and Wilcoxon test analysis. Results: Three months after the intervention, awareness of the patients and perceived susceptibility, benefits, selfefficacy, internal cue to action, and performance in oral and dental hygiene-related behaviors had a significant increase in the intervention group (p < 0.05). So that the performance of oral and dental hygiene in the intervention group increased from 2.16 ± 0.71 to 3.25 ± 0.49 (p = 0.001) after the education. Conclusion: Our results suggest that training patients with diabetes based on HBM as well as through active follow-up can enhance their skills in oral and dental hygiene-related behaviors. Controlling, monitoring and followup during the program are also recommended.