The effectiveness of educational intervention based on
PRECEDE model on the level of stress among the elderly at elderly clubs
Gholamreza Sharifirad, Mohtasham Ghaffari1, Samaneh Zanjani2, Akbar Hassanzadeh3
Departments of Health Education, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, 1Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health,
Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 2Department of Health Education and promotion, Faculty of Health,
International Campus of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, 3Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Health,
Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The elderly are vulnerable to negative effects of stress factors; so, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of educational intervention based on the PRECEDE model on stress level of the elderly and to control stress factors. Materials and Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 94 elderly people from the clubs for the elderly in Tehran were randomly divided into case and control groups in 2008–2009. Planning for the educational program was done according to the PRECEDE model. Before implementing the program, valid and reliable depression, anxiety, and stress questionnaires (DASS 21) were completed for both groups. The experimental group received the educational intervention based on the PRECEDE model (eight sessions, one session per week), and both groups were followed up two months after the intervention (the previous questionnaires were filled again). DASS 21 Scoring and Interpretation Generator was used for calculating scores of the questionnaires. Finally, the data obtained were analyzed by the SPSS 15 software using t-test, paired t-test, and Mann-Whitney test at a significant level of P≤0.05. Results: The findings showed significant differences between the experimental group and control group in terms of predisposing factors of knowledge (P≤0.001) and attitude (P≤0.001), enabling factors (P≤0.001), reinforcing factors (P≤0.001), and functioning especially in deep breathing and relaxation techniques (P≤0.001). Mean scores and severity of stress were significant after the intervention (P≤0.001). Conclusion: The findings of the present study confirmed the effectiveness of the PRECEDE model-based educational program on preventing or reducing stress level in the elderly.
Key words: Educational intervention, elderly, PRECEDE model, stress
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DOI:
10.4103/2277-9531.106641
INTRODUCTION
We are at the start of the 21st century, which has given people a life expectancy of over 66 years. Each year, 2.5% is added to the world population, which shifts the age ratio of the world toward the elderly.[1]
The elderly are increasing in Iran, too. Based on the 2006 census, 7 million people are over 60 years in Iran.[2] They need special attention in various aspects. The elderly are vulnerable to both physical and mental disorders. Some mental problems are more prevalent during this period of life[3] including stress, which is a modern condition and underlies many physical and mental disorders.[4]
Original Article
Copyright: © 2012 Sharifirad G. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
This article may be cited as: Sharifirad G, Ghaffari M, Zanjani S, Hassanzadeh A. The effectiveness of educational intervention based on PRECEDE model on the level of stress among the elderly at elderly clubs. J Edu Health Promot 2013;2:3.
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Sharifirad, et al.: Effectiveness of educational intervention on the level of stress
Journal of Education and Health Promotion | Vol. 1 | October 201212
The elderly are exposed to different kinds of stresses like change in family structure, and physical and physiological changes. Furthermore, social effects such as retirement, death of friends, and reduced social activity cause stress.[5]
Considering all this, it is not possible to live without stress, either, but we have to learn how to cope with daily stresses and adapt our reactions to reduce their undesirable effects.[6]
Studies on the effect of stress management techniques including relaxation show that using these methods can significantly reduce stress and its destructive effects.[7-9]
In general, when it comes to changing human behavior in the field of health, health education and applying models is suggested. This helps explain how behaviors occur, how health education is applied, and how this education affects later behaviors.[10]
Among interventional studies on models and theories of behavior change, that of Hazavehei et al. may be mentioned. After implementing an educational program based on the PRECEDE model, the mean depression score in the intervention group reduced significantly as compared with the control group.[11] In addition, Lesan et al. studied firefighters and found a significant reduction in their anxiety after implementing the PRECEDE model-based educational intervention for the case group.[12]
The PRECEDE model that is used in the studies mentioned is one of the most popular and common programming patterns in health education and health promotion.[13]
The PRECEDE (Predisposing, Reinforcing, Enabling Constructs in Educational Diagnosis and Evaluation) model was designed by Green et al.[14] This model begins from the final results (causes) and proceeds in seven consecutive stages of design, implementation, and evaluation. This model was based on epidemiologic and social behavioral sciences, management, and education. It is a planning model; not a theory. This model sees healthy behavior as influenced by personal and environmental factors. It determines the factors that affect health status, helps planners achieve their goals through intervention, and designs steps to formulate policies and implement and evaluate educational programs.[14-16]
The results of studies on stress management showed that good planning makes various biological changes (like reducing hypertension) in a short time, but a comprehensive plan or a combination of individual with environmental programs is more effective and enables behavioral changes. The PRECEDE model is a similar program to manage stress.[14] Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of the educational program based on the PRECEDE model on the stress of the elderly.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was quasi experimental and case control. The
statistical society included the elderly (people over 60 years) in the elderly clubs of sixth and seventh regions of Tehran, which were selected by drawing lots. Because the number of the members of 60–75 years at these clubs is low, eight clubs were randomly selected. In each region, members of two clubs were randomly assigned to the case group and those of two other clubs were assigned to the control group. A sample size with a confidence interval (CI) of 0.95 and power of 0.80 determined 44 for each group by using the following formula:
N=2(Z1+Z2)2.S2/d2
To obtain the required number of subjects, 97 volunteers enrolled in the study, and in the end, 94 remained.
The data collection tool was in the form of two questionnaires. The standard questionnaire of DASS 21 was used to evaluate depression, anxiety, and stress. This questionnaire has 21 questions, of which seven questions are used for each set of symptoms. This questionnaire is designed as a four-point Likert scale with the following choices: Not at all, some of the time, good part of time, and most of the time.
The least score for each question was 0, and the highest score was 3, which were respectively assigned to the first and last choices. The questionnaire was completed as a self-report. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire have been evaluated and confirmed in several studies.[17,18] In addition, several researchers in Iran have used this questionnaire for psychological studies.[8,9,19]
The next questionnaire was designed based on the PRECEDE model and had six sections. The first section covered demographics with 15 questions; the second section was about knowledge with nine questions where a correct answer had a score of 2, wrong answer had a score of 0, and ‘I don’t know’ had a score of 1. The third section was about attitude with 10 three-level Likert-style questions (agree, no idea, disagree). The fourth section covered enabling factors with five questions. The fifth section was about reinforcing factors with three questions and finally the sixth section was about functioning with seven questions. This questionnaire was designed after studying books and articles, and interviewing 30 elderly people at the clubs for the elderly of Tehran. Then it was validated by several lecturers of health education and psychology for validity of face and content, and their comments were used for validity. Reliability of the questionnaire was measured using 30 of the elderly people by internal correlation (a=0.86).
Both questionnaires were filled at two stages of pretest and at the end of the two-month educational intervention, in an interview with both groups of case and control. After the questionnaires were filled in the first stage, the data were analyzed and the content, objectives, and curriculum were adjusted based on these.
Educational intervention was carried out for eight weeks (one session per week). Mean duration of each session
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was 75 minutes (ranging 60–90 minutes).