educational intervention in promoting fatty liver preventive behaviors in women: using the protection motivation theory

Background: the aim of this study was to determine the effect of educational intervention on improvingthe preventive behaviors of fatty liver in women referring to comprehensive health service centers inbardaskan using the protection motivation theory (pmt).materials and methods: this quasi-experimental study was conducted on women aged 18-59 in bardaskanin 2020. the sample size was determined as 128 according to the suggestion (cohen), including 64experimental and 64 control samples. the participants completed a researcher-made questionnaireconsisting of three parts (demographic variables, constructs of pmt, and fatty liver prevention behaviors).the educational intervention for the experimental group was performed in 12 one-hour sessions over 4weeks using lectures, group discussions, questions and answers, brainstorming, substitution experiences,and delivery of the designed educational booklet. two months after the completion of the educationalintervention, the questionnaire was completed again by all participants. the obtained data were analyzedby spss 21 using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, independent t test, paired t test, ancova test, andlinear regression test.results: there was a significant difference between the mean scores of perceived susceptibility (p < 0.001),perceived severity (p = 0.002), perceived external and internal rewards (p = 0.010), response efficiency(p = 0.010), perceived cost (p < 0.001), and behavior (p = 0.028) between the experimental and controlgroups after the educational intervention.conclusion: educational intervention based on pmt led to behavior modifications to promote thepreventive behaviors of the fatty liver.