%0 Journal Article
%T Health-promoting behaviors and social support of women of reproductive age, and strategies for advancing their health: Protocol for a mixed methods study
%A Azam Baheiraei
%A Mojgan Mirghafourvand
%A Eesa Mohammadi
%A Saharnaz Nedjat
%A Sakineh Charandabi
%A Fatemeh Rajabi
%A Reza Majdzadeh
%J BMC Public Health
%D 2011
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1471-2458-11-191
%X This study has a sequential explanatory mixed methods design. The follow-up explanation model is used to elaborate the quantitative results by collecting qualitative data from participants who could best assist in elucidating the results. The study is conducted in two sequential phases. The first phase is a population-based cross-sectional survey in which 1350 Iranian women of reproductive age are selected by proportional random multistage cluster sampling of the 22 main municipal sectors of Tehran, Iran. Questionnaires are completed through a face-to-face interview. The second phase is a qualitative study in which participants are selected using purposive sampling in the form of extreme case sampling on the basis of health-promoting behavior scores. The qualitative phase is based on data collected from focus group discussions or individual in-depth interviews. A conventional qualitative content analysis approach is used, and the data are managed with a computer-assisted program. Women's health-promoting strategies are developed using the qualitative and quantitative results, a review of the related literature, and the nominal group technique among experts.The findings of this mixed methods sequential explanatory study, obtained using a culturally sensitive approach, provide insights into the health behavioral factors that need to be considered if preventive strategies and intervention programs are to be designed to promote women's health in the community.Health-promoting behaviors are among the main determinants of health that have been recognized as underlying factors in disease prevention [1]. Modifying lifestyle factors could potentially prevent many cases of heart disease and types 2 diabetes [2]. Thus, health-promoting behaviors and a healthy lifestyle should be considered as major strategies to improve and maintain health [3]. Promoting women's health is necessary during the reproductive years, the period when health issues such as pregnancy-related diseases
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/191