This research tests the independent contribution of social capital and the use of the internet to obtain health information to support maternal-child communication about peer pressure to have sex among Puerto Rican families. A sample of 413 Puerto Rican households in Springfield, MA provides the data to independently test these hypotheses. The results of a logistic regression model suggest that Puerto Rican mothers with increased social capital and who accessed the internet for health information are more likely to communicate with their adolescent children about peer pressure to have sex. The combination of these two mechanisms provide opportunities to convey culturally generated resources to Puerto Rican mothers to assist them in helping their children develop healthy sexual behaviors.

Fisherfolks participate in unsafe sexual behaviors which can predispose them to HIV infection. This research was designed to assess the effects of training on HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and sexual behavior among fisherfolks in two fishing communities in Nigeria. Respondents were allocated into Experimental Group (EG, n = 103) and Control Group (CG, n = 105). Data were collected at baseline using a questionnaire which included questions on socio-demographic characteristics, sexual behavior among others. A 3-day HIV/AIDS training was conducted for EG. Fisherfolks in EG and CG with good knowledge were 16.5% and 54.3%, respectively at baseline. The number increased to 100.0% in EG than CG (60%) at follow-up. At baseline, fisherfolks in EG and CG with high riskperception scores were 26.2% and 59.0%, respectively; corresponding figures at post intervention for EG and CG were 100.0% and 70.0% respectively. Training increased HIV/AIDS knowledge, improved risk perception and reduced risky sexual practices among fisherfolks.

Mosquito-borne diseases are a major public health concern. Because of absence of effective therapy and vaccination to treat and prevent such vector-borne diseases, these initial cases have triggered strong concerns within medical communities, turning a bad dream into reality. To date, reducing the mosquito vector population remains the main strategy to control the transmission of mosquito borne diseases. In this connection, community-based perception recognized as an essential tool for long-term vector control management. In this study, a community perception survey was carried out in six selected study areas of Ganjam district of Odisha. A total of 3257 inhabitants from randomly chosen 600 no. of houses from 06 selected study areas were interviewed using a pre-tested structured questionnaire about various mosquito vector-borne diseases. As an outcome, we found that only 36% of people have basic knowledge and idea about vector-borne diseases, out of which only 14% know Anopheles as a causative agent whereas Aedes and Culex were very least concern. Regarding the source of knowledge, electronic media was the principal source of information, while the involvements of health personnel were least mentioned. Results of the current study indicates the necessity to plan health education program to bring important perceptions regarding vector-borne diseases at school and college level because the infrequent source of knowledge is the main cause of an increase in the disease incidence.

As part of a campaign to encourage healthier beverage consumption in a rural New Mexico high school, we wanted to understand students' perceptions of their habits, and the associated health risks and benefits surrounding water and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption to influence future messaging to change behavior. We conducted a posthoc qualitative analysis of 27 student interviews from the program evaluation with both students who participated in the campaign and those who did not. Pre-campaign, students appeared largely unaware of the health risks posed by their beverage consumption habits, lacking any knowledge of nutritional recommendations, water recommendations, or of the sugar levels in products. When informed of the risks, students expressed concern for themselves, their family members, and friends, indicated a desire to make significant changes, and reported making changes for themselves, and educating others regarding the risks. Given the large amounts of money spent and concentrated efforts focused on marketing SSBs to teens, it is critically important to be educating teens and engaging them in behavior change strategies. These data can inform future strategies to improve teen health behaviors and encourage teens to become family health messengers for obesity and diabetes prevention.

Excluding communities in planning and implementing research maximizes internal risks that are otherwise visible and avoidable when there is adequate community consultation. Communities might not meaningfully use research results if majority of the researched people have minimal or no participation in information generation and dissemination. However, effective participation of researched communities in research is key to transferring knowledge to action. Using a qualitative approach, the study identified barriers to, and relevant strategies for improving health research uptake, particularly for schistosomiasis (commonly known as bilharzia) in the Ingwavuma area, uMkhanyakude District of KwaZulu-Natal. Data was collected through modified ethnography using participant observation, focus group discussions, unstructured in-depth interviews, and ethnographic conversational interviews. Results reveal that research uptake is inhibited by reduced opportunities for habitual interaction between residents, a paucity of innovative and inclusive health education activities and unsafe recreational facilities. The community's strategies on strengthening social capital for disease control include using existing social systems and power hierarchies to mobilise and organise and using the performing arts to facilitate habitual interaction and knowledge sharing. The study recommends a community consultation flow which facilitates openness about the benefits and the community's role in research, a pre-condition for community wide efforts in local disease prevention and control.

The purpose of this study was to implement and assess an educational intervention for nursing students pertaining to perinatal depression (PD) screening and treatment. A single group (n = 59), repeated-measures design (i.e., pre- and post-intervention assessments) was used to assess the impact of an online intervention. Demographics, Theory of Planned Behavior constructs, intention to screen and treat PD, and PD-related knowledge were tested. The intervention resulted in positive gains in PD-related perceived behavioral control (PBC), attitudes, subjective norms, knowledge, intention to screen and treat PD, and perceived importance of screening and treating PD from pre- to post-intervention. PBC demonstrated a small-to-moderate positive association with perceived importance of screening and treating PD at post-intervention. Results from the current study suggest that the PD online educational intervention is effective in improving participants' PD-related PBC, attitudes, subjective norms, knowledge, and intention to screen and treat PD.

Cancer incidence and mortality in Nigeria are increasing at an alarming rate, especially among Nigerian men. Despite the numerous public health campaigns and education on the importance of early cancer detection in Nigeria, there exist high rate of fatal/advanced stage cancer diagnoses among Nigerian men, even among affluent Nigerian men. However, there is limited information on patterns of cancer screening and psychosocial predictors of early cancer detection behaviors among Nigerian men. In this cross-sectional study, we examined demographic and psychosocial factors influencing early cancer detection behaviors among Nigerian men. Participants (N = 143; Mage = 44.73) responded to survey assessing: masculinity, attachment styles, current and future cancer detection behaviors, and sociodemographic characteristics. We found that among the participants studied, education, masculinity and anxious attachment were significantly associated with current cancer detection behaviors. Additionally, education and anxious attachment were significantly associated with future cancer detection behaviors. Our finding is best served for clinicians and public health professionals, especially those in the field of oncology in Sub-Saharan Africa. Also, the study may be used as a groundwork for future research and health intervention programs targeting men in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated providing populations with simple and relevant, actionable informational messages for them to be informed on individual and community level measures to combat the pandemic. Distilling guidance from various sources into simple actionable message themes in a short time frame should be the hallmark of any rapid health promotion campaign. We developed and disseminated actionable Information, Education and Communication (IEC) messages on prevention and control during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by selecting five key message themes of prevention. A modified Delphi technique was used for the development process which was peer reviewed after consensus was generated. An online training model using specifically developed YouTube videos and Zoom Meetings was utilized to train Master Trainers and the further hierarchy reaching out to 6989 Community Resource Persons at the peripheral echelons. Conservatively the population reached out has been estimated to be more than 6 million (across 1.2 million households), over a two week period in April 2020. The implementing agency has created 300 videos in around 22 languages based on the 5 Key Messages, which are available online for universal access. A rapid IEC campaign that can be developed, designed and rolled out in a short span is required for emergency situations such as the ongoing pandemic. NGOs play an important role in reaching out relevant messages to the community, filling in the gaps by virtue of their relative systemic agility.

Coverage of HIV testing services (HTS) is generally low among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (hijra) in Bangladesh, thus impeding the national goal of attaining the 90-90-90 target. In this context, this article delineates HTS uptake barriers among these populations. This qualitative study entailed 30 in-depth interviews, six focus groups and seven key-informant interviews with purposively selected MSM and hijra, alongside service providers. Participants cited individual and interpersonal barriers such as low risk perception and misconceptions about HIV testing, programmatic barriers such as knowledge gaps among peer service providers, as well as community and structural barriers such as the criminalization and stigmatization of male-to-male sex. Considering these contexts, it is essential for stakeholders to improve the HTS modality using multipronged approaches to address the multifaceted barriers of HTS uptake.

Inappropriate healthcare waste management (HCWM) may lead to health hazards through the release of toxic and infectious agents into the environment. This study aimed to assess the appropriateness of a Health Action Model (HAM) operationalized in a training intervention to promote behavioral intent towards HCWM practice among hospital staff. This was a quasi-experimental intervention study of 128 hospital staff attending a training intervention in Sabzevar Hospital, Iran. Four training intervention was carried out using potential constructs of the HAM model to compare the quality of HCWM process and behavioral intent of hospital staff before and after a training session. A questionnaire based on HAM and multiple statistical analyses were used to assess the effectiveness of the training intervention. The average age of the eligible participants was 35.05 ± 9.4 years. A majority of the participant was married (88%), nursing staff (54%) and possessed a bachelor's degree (66%) or diploma (18%). After the intervention, a significant change (p < 0.05) was observed in the intervention group compared to the control group in staff knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, belief, and motivation. Further, our result showed a significant improvement from 53.6 ± 24.3 to 83.6 ± 11.5 in the behavioral intention toward HCWM practice. This work provides evidence of the effectiveness of the HAM as a guide in which the potential determinates that influence an individual's behavioral intention toward medical waste practice were identified and described. This model help promote behavioral intention at a variety of target audiences and setting in waste management practice.

In most cultures of the world, infertility is seen as a disaster and is associated with a myriad of emotional and psychological problems for women. Using Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can help treat infertility. The present qualitative study aimed to explore women's attempts related to CAM use in infertility causes and diagnosis. This qualitative study has been carried out through a purposive sampling technique on 78 women living in Neyshabur, Iran. An individual interview and focus group discussions (FGDs) was used to collect data. Purposive sampling was used based on the objective of the study and the characteristics of a population. The data collection was discontinued when saturation occurred, and no new themes or information were explored in the data. Data analysis was performed by content analysis and Atlas T software. This study revealed medical diagnosis and traditional medicine, custom activity, medicine causes, and nutrition issues influence women's view pints and attempt towards infertility and CAM use. Results suggested that infertility should be understood not only in biomedical terms but in light of cultural beliefs and the contingent need for culturally-appropriate supportive CAM. The application of CAM along with medical medicine is an essential element in assisting couples in infertility causes.

Over consumption of salt adversely affects health and is associated with some diseases. Salt over consumption has been reported to be higher in Asian countries including Iran. This research aimed to identify the facilitative factors of reduced salt consumption among 20-65 year-old women to develop effective educational interventions. Methods: This research used qualitative content analysis. We included 42 (31 women aged 20-65 years residing in Hamidia, Yazd and 11 healthcare providers) using Purposeful sampling method. Data were collected through focal group discussions (three groups of 6) and in-depth semi-structured individual interviews with 24 Participants. Data analysis was done using Graneheim and Lundman's approach. Results: Motivators and facilitators were extracted. The former consisted of sub-categories: physical fitness and healthcare, obtaining others' approval, family cooperation and support, internal motivators, contextual motivators and healthcare staff support. Sub-categories of the latter were gaining more information from different instructions, willingness to acquire self-protection skills and nutritional advice. These factors affected to reduce the salt intake among women. Conclusion: In the light of the qualitative results of motivating and facilitating factors, it is essential to enhance internal motivators and increase access to information via different communicative channels in community including schools, medical care providers and public associations. It is also necessary to pave the way for more family and medical staff support, provide appropriate educational and advertising programs, raise women's awareness and change their attitude and behavior with this concern.