Current study results indicated that more educated and knowledgeable women were more interested in self- care activities and were implemented in that more frequently. Across surveys have confirmed these findings such as our study results (2). It found that, in the present investigation, people who were poorly educated showed worse health than educated ones, this finding was also in relevance with a study showed that older and less educated patients were less active in self- care activities and had poor knowledge (9, 10), in contrast, Mollem and colleagues survey revealed that there was not association between knowledge and self-care activities in insulin requiring diabetic patients (11) . As aforementioned, present study was done among women who attended to health centers of urban area, because people in these centers provide by free services, most of attendants come from not rich area, and they are consequently less educated, however, it is surprising that presented lack of time as the most important barrier for self- care that can caused by their poor education, this finding is not in accordance with Eftekhare Ardebili investigation (2) and Deborah Cook study in which education level was an important factor to do self- care (12) and Marry Hobbs exploration (13). Although, in the current study, a highlighted rate of samples reported that money was not important, but, just a few women participated in self-care manners. According to mentioned statistics, to recognize the role of demographic characteristics, more researches are necessary (2). In this study, women knowledge regarding self- care were partly good, in contrast, women had not positive attitude toward self-care. Moreover; self-care practice was not also adequate, as well. Knowledge and attitude in this survey is not in accordance with Eftekhar survey results, but self-care behavior was as same as Eftekhar investigation (2). Other variable including regular physical activity, walking, drinking water per day, eating balanced diet (fruit and vegetables daily) were also asked. Answers of women to these questions were consistent with their self- care practice. Samples were not adequately as active as recommended guidelines (2). Only 2% of women drink seven glasses of water daily, 4% of subjects ate more than six portions of fruit that both of them are critically low, despite this, vegetable consumption was partly proper, in which around 18% of subjects were used that for six portions. Plus, according to physical activity, 1% of women exercise regularly more than 3h weekly. These results are in relevance with those found in England (2) that people were not active based on recommended guidelines, look exactly like our study. Subjects in both studies reported that they were confident for doing self- care; however, they were not active in self-care according to guidelines. As aforementioned, it seems necessary to promote people knowledge, and more important, people attitude toward self- care must be changed through effective methods such as motivation interview and group discussion. These recommendation are in relevance with other survey that accentuate on changing attitude especially motivation interview (14) and making linkage between self- care and training systems to promote knowledge (15-17), as well. This survey investigated women overall health regarding self-care. Around 75% of subjects felt satisfied with their overall health always or most of the time, in contrast, 25% of them answered questions (including sometimes, seldom and never) that means they were rarely satisfied with their health. Older and poor educated subjects were less satisfied than others in terms of total health. These results are in accordance with the survey that was implemented in England and Iran in which 76% of the samples presented their satisfaction about general health, meanwhile, in our study, older women and low trained subjects were less likely to feel satisfied regarding their overall health (2). It is very vital to consider that healthy self-care is depend on socio- economics traits and although results are comparable, there might be some different conception in people about healthy word can be understand (18-20). Furthermore, most of women reported feeling healthy despite don’t participating in healthy manners and lifestyle. Other investigation results has also indicated that general health can accompany by diseases or illness as same as our survey reported (21). Despite half of subjects (approximate 50%) had good knowledge, a few women were participated in healthy recommended manners (such as drinking enough glasses of water or eating enough portions of vegetables and fruits per day), then, more studies must implement. Low educated and single or divorced subjects presented feeling unhealthy more frequent. It is not surprising that these results had obtained because most of subjects were housewives attended to health centers that provide people with free services, then it can concluded that most of them came from area with low income and low education. Furthermore, education impact on increasing self- care behavior has been approved in previous studies. For instance, nurse's support in hospital and at home and education augmented self- care behavior in patients with heart failure; in contrast, there were not existed meaningful effects on source application (17). According to these findings, more studies regarding socioeconomic and education about self- care must be done among Iranian women, and people, totally.
Physician were the most common information source as same as England study, furthermore; internet was not an important source to obtain self-care information, that was accounted for 6% of information of self- care that it is not surprising because most of participants were housewives and poor educated women that computer and internet access were not also affordable to them, in contrast, in UK investigation, internet and TV were play the most important role in receiving self- care information (2). Unfortunately, a few number of subjects (16.2%) received their information from related organization (including health centers) that can be increased using making change in current health policies regarding self-care.
Study also showed that most of subjects revealed that books were not play an important role in receiving self-care information that it might basically cause by Iranian people habits to read books that is so low. Then, persuading people to do more study is necessary and this issue must be addressed by policy makers.