Health-promoting behaviors are one of the main determinative components of health in the prevention of many diseases. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine health-promoting behaviors and their relationship to sociodemographic variables on 330 women of reproductive age admitted to the selected primary health-care centers in Qom city (one of the biggest cities in Iran) from March 2016 to July 2016. Data were collected using the health-promoting lifestyle profile II (HPLP-II) questionnaire and the sociodemographic characteristics and also were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance, with post hoc (if necessary), and multivariable linear regression. The total HPLP-II mean score of women was 136.64 ± 22.37. The highest score in the HPLP-II subscales of women was found for interpersonal relations subscale (26.43 ± 4.21) and the lowest score for physical activity subscale (14.66 ± 4.62). The educational level and income had significant association with some subscales ( p < .05).

Introduction:Recognition of the factors related to women’s health is necessary. Evidence is available that the social structure including social capital plays an important role in the shaping people’s health. The aim of the current study was to investigate the association between self-rated health and social capital in women of reproductive age.Methods:This study is a population-based cross-sectional survey on 770 women of reproductive age, residing in any one of the 22 municipality areas across Tehran (capital of Iran) with the multi stage sampling technique. Self-rated health (Dependent variable), social capital (Independent variable) and covariates were studied. Analysis of data was done by one-way ANOVA test and multiple linear regressions.Results:Depending on logistic regression analyses, the significant associations were found between self-rated health and age, educational level, crowding index, sufficiency of income for expenses and social cohesion. Data show that women with higher score in social cohesion as an outcome dimension of social capital have better self-rated health (PV = 0.001).Conclusion:Given the findings of this study, the dimensions of social capital manifestations (groups and networks, trust and solidarity, collective action and cooperation) can potentially lead to the dimensions of social capital outcomes (social cohesion and inclusion, and empowerment and political action). Following that, social cohesion as a dimension of social capital outcomes has positively relationship with self- rated health after controlling covariates. Therefore, it is required to focus on the social capital role on health promotion and health policies.

Context: Since menopause age is constant, an increase in life expectancy has resulted in an increase of the menopause period in women. Aims: This study was done to assess women's awareness level about symptoms and complications of menopause and methods of their prevention. Settings and design: This cross-sectional research was conducted on 220 women, 40 years of age or older referrals in selected health care centers. Methods and material: The research was conducted using a questionnaire with regular random sampling method. Statistical analysis used: The analysis of obtained findings was done by SPSS statistical software and statistical tests. Results: Based on their total score, 48.6% of women had good awareness, 24.1% of them had average awareness, and 27.3% of them had low awareness. Eighty-five percent of the participants had read or heard some topics about menopause from their relatives (26.8%), friends (25.5%), health care staffs (20%), books and journals (10.5%), and television or radio (8.6%). Women's awareness level had significant correlation with child number, job, education, income, hearing or reading text about menopause and their informational source, but awareness did not have significant correlation with age and being menopausal. Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, the rate of participants' correct answers was lower than 50%. Key message: It is suggested to enhance women's awareness level through all sources including television, radio, journals, newspaper and medical staffs, since education is the most important tool in any prevention programs.

Background: Test anxiety (TA) can hinder students' academic achievement and cause them educational decline and psychological problems. Objective: The effect of inhalation aromatherapy with lavender essential oil on nursing students' test anxiety was investigated. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study was conducted on 33 nursing students who had taken the Community Health Nursing II course and were going to take its final exam. Before taking the exam of the course, the students were allocated to the aromatherapy (n = 16) and the control groups (n = 17). For the aromatherapy group, ten drops of lavender essential oil was added to one liter of water and the solution was distributed in the room space for fifteen minutes by using a humidifier. However, the humidifier which was used for the control group included of only pure water without any essential oil. The students' test anxiety was measured both before and after the study intervention by employing the Test Anxiety Inventory. Results: There was no significant difference between the study groups regarding the participating students' demographic characteristics as well as the pretest and the posttest values of test anxiety. However, within-group comparisons indicated that in the aromatherapy group, the posttest value of test anxiety was significantly lower than the pretest value. Conclusions: The findings indicated that inhalation aromatherapy with lavender essential oil had no positive effects on students' test anxiety. However, as the level of test anxiety in the aromatherapy group decreased significantly after the intervention and the students in this group reported that aromatherapy was pleasant to them. Aromatherapy is probably insignificant in alleviating acute or state anxieties.

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