Misconceptions and Malpractices in Applying Behavioral Changes Theories and Models in Iran

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Misconceptions and Malpractices in Applying
Behavioral Changes Theories and Models in Iran
In the name of God
Hamid AllahverdipourProfessorDepartment of
Health Education Promotion Tabriz University
of Medical Sciences
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WHY USE THEORETICAL MODELS?

• To guide the development of health promotion
  programs.
• Useful in planning, implementing and evaluating
  interventions
• Effective communication strategies should be
  grounded in a sound theory

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PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH A THEORY-BASED APPROACH

• Although the evidence for using theory is
  difficult to refute, the use of theory is not
  without its problems.
• Theory objectifies human experience and through
  this process deviates from the main health
  promotion ethos of holism and empowerment. Tones
  and Green (2004)
• This means that a person is seen as someone who
  can be measured, analyzed, adjusted or directed.

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PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH A THEORY-BASED APPROACH

• A broader concept of theory should perhaps be
  taken to alleviate the narrow, mechanistic focus
  that theory may have.
• Theory should be used as a means to guide the
  understanding of complex behaviour, rather than a
  rigid model that should be followed. Airhihenbuwa
  and Obregon (2000)
• Designing interventions that attempt to focus on
  all aspects of a model may be both daunting and
  unrealistic. Parker et al. (2004)

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PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH A THEORY-BASED APPROACH

• The other key criticism of the theory-based
  approach is that structural, political and
  environmental factors are excluded in many
  theoretical models.
• Behavior and influences on behavior are altered
  by the wider societal context and theory often
  focuses on individuals only. This approach alone
  will not be effective without emphasizing on
  other enabling factors.

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Misconceptions and Malpractices in Applying
Behavioral Changes Theories and Models in Iran
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Misconceptions and Malpractices in Health
Communication Programs In Iran

• Introduction
• Behavior modification is remained as a main
  strategy in the implemented health education and
  promotion programs in Iran.
• There are numerous misconceptions about
  applicability of behavior changes theories which
  could lead to erroneous research outcomes.

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Misconceptions and Malpractices in Health
Communication Programs In Iran

• Methods
• Data Bases SID, Magiran, ISC, and Google scholar
• Searched items health education, theory,
  model, behavior change Theories , Health
  Communication
• Published articles 2001 to 2014 in the
  Persian language
• Studied articles the titles, abstracts and
  full-texts of the 550 article
• Included articles 231 articles

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Misconceptions and Malpractices in Health
Communication Programs In Iran

• Findings
• Applied Theories and Models in the research
• Health Belief Model 48
• Theory of Planned Behavior 32
• Trans-theoretical Model 15
• Others
  5

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Misconceptions and Malpractices in Health
Communication Programs In Iran

• Findings
• Study Design
• Interventional
  52
• Non-Interventional
  48

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Misconceptions and Malpractices in Health
Communication Programs In Iran

• Findings
• Erroneous
• Inappropriate Intervention
  77
• Inappropriate Analysis
  58
• Inappropriate applied methodology
  37
• Discrepancy between title an applied
• theory or Model
  16

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Conclusion

• What is the source of facts and human knowledge?
• How much we should share in producing knowledge?
• What are the approaches of Iranian researchers in
  application of behavior change theories and
  models?
• How we should apply HE theories and models
  correctly?

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