The effectiveness of stress management intervention in a community-based program: Isfahan healthy heart program

• Main Authors: Hamidreza Roohafza, Nizal Sarrafzadegan, Masoumeh Sadeghi, Mohammad Talaei, Mehrdad Talakar, Masoud Mahvash
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vesnu Publications 2012-02-01
• Series: ARYA Atherosclerosis
• Online Access: http://arya.mui.ac.ir/index.php/arya/article/view/362
• ISSN: 1735-3955; 2251-6638

<strong>BACKGROUND:</strong> This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of stress management<br />training in improving the ability of coping with stress in a large population.<br /><strong>METHODS:</strong> Five cross-sectional studies using multistage cluster random sampling were<br />performed on adults aged &ge; 19 years between 2000 to 2005 in Isfahan and Najaf Abad as<br />intervention cities and Arak as the control city within the context of Isfahan Healthy Heart<br />Program. Stress management training was adapted according to age and education levels of the<br />target groups. In a 45-minute home interview, demographic data, General Health Questionnaire<br />(GHQ) and stress management questionnaires were collected. Data was analyzed by t-test,<br />linear regression and general linear model.<br /><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Trends of both adaptive and maladaptive coping skills and GHQ scores from<br />baseline to the last survey were statistically significant in both intervention and reference areas<br />(P &lt; 0.001). While adaptive coping skills increased significantly, maladaptive coping skills<br />decreased significantly in the intervention areas. Furthermore, stress levels decreased<br />significantly in the intervention compared to the reference area.<br /><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> Stress management programs could improve coping strategies at the<br />community level and can be considered in designing behavioral interventions<br /><strong>Keywords:</strong> Stress Management, Community, Intervention, Coping Strategies.