Social networks have had a major influence on students’ performance in recent years. These networks create many opportunities and threats for students in various fields. Addiction to social networking and its impact on students’ academic performance caused the researcher to design and conduct this study. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between social networking addiction and academic performance of students in Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 360 students were enrolled by stratified random sampling. The study tools included personal information form and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. Also, the students’ overall grade obtained in previous educational term was considered as the indicator of academic performance. Data were analyzed using SPSS-18.0 and descriptive and inferential statistics. The mean social networking addiction was higher in male students (52.65 ± 11.50) than in female students (49.35 ± 13.96) and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). There was a negative and significant relationship between students’ addiction to social networking and their academic performance (r = − 0.210, p < 0.01). The social networking addiction of the students was at moderate level and the male students had a higher level of addiction compared to the female students. There was a negative and significant relationship between the overall use of social networks and academic performance of students. Therefore, it is imperative that the university authorities take interventional steps to help students who are dependent on these networks and, through workshops, inform them about the negative consequences of addiction to social networks.

Background: Blended learning is a new approach to improving the quality of medical education. Acceptance of blended learning plays an important role in its effective implementation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate and determine the factors that might affect students’ intention to use blended learning. Methods: In this cross-sectional, correlational study, the sample consisted of 225 Iranian medical sciences students. The theoretical framework for designing the conceptual model was the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2). Venkatesh et al. (2012) proposed UTAUT2 as a framework to explain a person’s behavior while using technology. Data were analyzed using SPSS-18 and AMOS-23 software. Structural equation modeling technique was used to test the hypotheses. Results: The validity and reliability of the model constructs were acceptable. Performance Expectance (PE), Effort Expectance (EE), Social Influence (SI), Facilitating Conditions (FC), Hedonic Motivation (HM), Price Value (PV) and Habit (HT) had a significant effect on the students’ behavioral intention to use blended learning. Additionally, behavioral intention to use blended learning had a significant effect on the students’ actual use of blended learning (β = 0.645, P ≤ 0.01). Conclusion: The study revealed that the proposed framework based on the UTAUT2 had good potential to identify the factors influencing the students’ behavioral intention to use blended learning. Universities can use the results of this study to design and implement successful blended learning courses in medical education.

Caregivers of hemodialysis patients endure a significant caring pressure as a result of caring for patients with chronic illness, which can affect their quality of life. Disruptions in the quality of life of these caregivers impose double pressure on them and disrupt the care process. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the level of care burden and its relationship with quality of life of caregivers of hemodialysis patients. In this descriptive-analytical study, 246 caregivers of hemodialysis patients were enrolled by census method, so that, all patients and caregivers who attended the study environment at morning, evening and night participated in the study. The study tool was a three-part questionnaire, which included personal information, Novak & Guest Care burden Questionnaire, and WHOQOL-BREF Quality of Life Questionnaire. Data were analyzed by descriptive, statistical and inferential tests. In total, 37.4% of caregivers were experiencing high and very high levels of care burden and 42.7% of them were experiencing a moderate level of care burden. The mean and standard deviation of the quality of life of caregivers was 76.27 ± 13.67 out of 130. There was a significant and negative correlation between the total scores of care burden and quality of life (r = − 0. 436, P < 0.001). The factors influencing care burden included variables such as; level of patient’s caring capability, the patient’s incidence of other chronic diseases, and the age of the caregiver. So that, in case of reduced patient’s capability in self-care, the patient’s incidence of other chronic diseases, and the increased age of the caregiver, the level of care burden on the caregivers would be increased. The caregivers of hemodialysis patients endure high level of care burden and this pressure has a negative effect on their quality of life. Therefore, it is recommended to pay more attention to the needs of caregivers and provide adequate social, economic, physical and psychological support for them.

INTRODUCTION: Self-medication is consumption of one or several medications without the physician’s prescription. Given the risks of self-medication, this study was carried out to assess the prevalence of self-medication and its related factors among the elderly in Kermanshah-Iran METHOD: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 272 elderly visiting the private offices in Kermanshah were selected through convenience sampling method. The instrument for data collection was a researcher made self-medication questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytic statistical methods (Chi-Square and Fisher exact test). RESULTS: The prevalence of self-medication was 83%. The most common reasons for self-medication were certainty of its safety (93%), prior consumption of the drug (87.6%), busy offices of physicians (82%), non-seriousness of the illness (77.8%) and prior experience of the disease (73%).The most common drugs used for self-medication were analgesics (92%), cold drugs (74%), vitamins (61%), digestive drugs (54%) and antibiotics (43%). There was a significant correlation between self-medication and gender (p=0.001), education level (p=008), drug information (p=0.01), marital status (p=0.002), and medical insurance (p=0.001) variables. CONCLUSION: considering the relatively high rates of self-medication among the elderly as well as its side effects, designing and performing educational programs are suggested for the elderly people.

Purpose: Study habits have been the most important predictor of academic performance and play a special role in the academic achievement of students. The aim of this study was to investigate the status of study habits and its relationship with academic achievement in medical sciences students in Kermanshah-Iran. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 380 medical sciences students at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. The samples were randomly assigned to the study. The Palsane and Sharma study Habit Inventory was the tool used for data collection. Data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The mean of students’ grade point average was 15.73±1.5 out of 20 and the mean of total status of study habits was 45.70±11.36 out of 90. The status of study habits in 81.3% of the students was at moderate level. There was a direct and significant relationship between study habits and academic achievement. Conclusion: The status of study habits was at moderate level for most students. Therefore, it is recommended to consider and assess students’ study habits at the time of entry into university, in addition, specific training should be offered to students in order to help them learn or modify study habits to increase their academic achievements.

The possibility of self-medication is higher in health sciences students than other students because of easy access to drug information resources and relatively sufficient familiarity with various kinds of drugs. The current study was aimed to determine the prevalence of self-medication and its related factors among the health sciences students. A total of 250 health sciences students were included in this cross-sectional study via random sampling. Data were collected by a researcher-made self-medication questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS-20 software using descriptive and inferential statistics (chi-square test). The prevalence of self-medication was 89.6%. Prior experience about the illness, non-seriousness of the illness and availability of drugs were the most prevalent reasons for self-medication. The most commonly used medications included common cold drugs, analgesics and antibiotics. The most frequently used medications were cold pill, acetaminophen pill and amoxicillin capsule. Most students obtained their pharmaceutical information from the pharmacist physician and online sources. Self-medication did not show a significant difference in terms of variables such as age, gender, marital status, insurance status and residence. Given the high prevalence of self-medication among the health sciences students, training courses about the self-medication risks, more supervision over prohibition of over-the-counter drugs and adequate facilities for students’ access to medical services are suggested to be provided.