title: Determinants of puberty health among female adolescents residing in boarding welfare centers in Tehran: An application of health belief model.
abstract: Background:Adolescence is a critical stage of growth and development. That is associated with changes in body shape and appearance. Issues such as irregular menstrual periods, amenorrhea, and menstrual cycle are major issues in women's health. The purpose of this study was to examine the determinants of physical puberty health based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) among female adolescents.Methods:This analytical cross sectional study was conducted in welfare boarding centers in Tehran, Iran. Data were collected in 2011 by a structured and valid questionnaire. Total 61 female adolescents (age range: 12-19 yrs) participated in this study from welfare boarding centers in Iran, Tehran, by using convenience sampling method. The questionnaire consisted of demographic characteristics, health belief model constructs and physical puberty health behaviors gathered by using interview. A series of univariate general linear models were used to assess the relationship between puberty health and health belief model constructs.Results:According to the results of this study there were positive significant relationships between perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action and increased puberty health in female adolescents (p<0.05). Perceived benefits, perceived barriers and cues to action were predictors of physical puberty health behaviors.Conclusion:Based on the results of the study to improve the physical Puberty health behaviors of female adolescents should make them aware of the benefits of health behaviors, and remove or reform the perceived barriers of health behaviors. Also, the appropriate information resources should be introduced for obtaining information about puberty health.
authors.affiliation: PhD student, Department of Health Education & Promotion, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. shayestehshirzadi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shayesteh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shirzadi
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Road Traffic Injury Research Center, Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. m.asghari862@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asghari Jafarabadi
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Health Education & Promotion, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. haidarnadrian@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Haidar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nadrian
authors.affiliation: PhD student, Department of Health Education & Promotion, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. mahmoodihassan115@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mahmoodi
keywords: Boarding Welfare Centers; Female adolescent; Health belief model; Puberty