فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

BACKGROUND: The vulnerability of the youth to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) andsmoking is one of the most important public health issues around the world. Adequate knowledgeabout AIDS and smoking is a powerful tool for promoting positive attitudes and safe behaviors.OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the effect of self‑care education on AIDS and smokingon the level of adolescents’ knowledge and health attitude.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This experimental study was conducted in the academic year of2017–2018, and the participants were selected using randomized cluster sampling. These participantsincluded 220 female students of the third grade of middle school in Isfahan (105 in the interventiongroup and 115 in the control group). Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire; aresearcher‑made questionnaire on knowledge about AIDS, knowledge about smoking, and attitudestoward smoking; and a standard questionnaire on students’ attitude toward AIDS. After completing thepretest, the intervention group performed two training sessions and completed the posttest 1 monthlater. One month after completing the pretest, the control group completed the posttest and did notreceive an intervention. Finally, the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, statistical tests,and statistical software SPSS version 22.RESULTS: The results showed that despite the similarity between the two groups at the beginningof the study, after self‑care education, the knowledge level of AIDS (P < 0.001) and attitudetoward AIDS (P < 0.001) and the knowledge level of smoking (P < 0.001) and attitude towardsmoking (P < 0.001) in the intervention group were significantly higher than the control group. Inintragroup analysis, it was also observed that the difference between the scores before and afterwas only significant in the intervention group.CONCLUSION: It seems that education can promote the level of knowledge and attitude ofadolescents toward AIDS.