1.Educational Intervention Based on the Health Belief Model to Modify Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease in Police Officers in Iran: A Quasi-experimental Study
Mohsen SAFFARI ; Hormoz SANAEINASAB ; Hassan JAFARZADEH ; Mojtaba SEPANDI ; Keisha-Gaye N. O'GARO ; Harold G. KOENIG ; Amir H. PAKPOUR
Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health 2020;53(4):275-284
Objectives:
Police officers may be at a greater risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) than the general population due to their highstress occupation. This study evaluated how an educational program based on the health belief model (HBM) may protect police officers from developing CVD.
Methods:
In this single-group experimental study, 58 police officers in Iran participated in a 5-week intervention based on HBM principles. Outcomes included changes in scores on an HBM scale, time spent on moderate to vigorous physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), body mass index (BMI), blood lipid profile, blood glucose, and blood pressure. The intervention consisted of 5 HBM-based educational sessions. Follow-up was conducted at 3 months post-intervention. The paired t-test was used to examine differences between baseline and follow-up scores.
Results:
All aspects of the HBM scale improved between baseline and follow-up (p<0.05), except the cues to action subscale. Self-efficacy and preventive behaviors improved the most. BMI decreased from 26.7±2.9 kg/m2 at baseline to 25.8±2.4 kg/m2 at follow-up. All components of the lipid profile, including triglycerides, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein, showed significant improvements post-intervention. Blood glucose and blood pressure also decreased, but not significantly. Nearly 25% of participants who were not physically active at baseline increased their physical activity above or beyond the healthy threshold.
Conclusions
A relatively brief educational intervention based on HBM principles led to a significant improvement in CVD risk factors among police officers. Further research is needed to corroborate the effectiveness of this intervention.
2.Problematic Use of Internet Among Indonesia University Students: Psychometric Evaluation of Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale and Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form
Iqbal PRAMUKTI ; Ira NURMALA ; Siti R. NADHIROH ; Serene En Hui TUNG ; Wan Ying GAN ; Yan-Li SIAW ; Yung-Ning YANG ; Mark D. GRIFFITHS ; Chung-Ying LIN ; Amir H. AMIR H. PAKPOUR
Psychiatry Investigation 2023;20(12):1103-1111
Objective:
Social media addiction and internet gaming disorder may cause mental health problems among a minority of university students. The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) and the 9-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF) are commonly used worldwide. However, they have not been translated or validated into Indonesian. The present study aimed to translate and validate the BSMAS and IGDS9-SF in an Indonesian context among young adults.
Methods:
A multi-center, web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 458 university students (74% female; mean age 22.5 years) in Indonesia from June to December 2021. The BSMAS and IGDS9-SF were translated into Indonesian. Internal consistency (using Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω) and factor structure (using confirmatory factor analysis) of the two instruments were examined. Concurrent validity of BSMAS and IGDS9-SF was examined using their correlations with two external concepts: nomophobia and psychological distress.
Results:
Internal consistency of the Indonesian BSMAS and IGDS9-SF were both acceptable (Cronbach’s α=0.80 and 0.90; McDonald’s ω=0.86 and 0.92). Both instruments were unidimensional with good factor loadings (0.54–0.78 for BSMAS; 0.63–0.79 for IGDS9-SF). Moreover, BSMAS and IGDS9-SF had stronger associations with nomophobia (r=0.58 and 0.12; p<0.001) than with psychological distress (r=0.43 and 0.15; p<0.001).
Conclusion
The Indonesian versions of the BSMAS and IGDS9-SF had good psychometric properties in terms of linguistic validity, unidimensionality, and reliability. The findings indicate the tools are appropriate for assessing the risk of social media addiction and internet gaming disorder among university students in Indonesia.