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Health-related issues are widely covered in news agencies by medical and health journalists. The quantity, format and quality of their coverage influence the general public as well as policymakers and professions. Current studies and observations suggest that news agencies are more dominated by medical topics (disease, symptoms, epidemiology, treatment and medicines) than general public health issues (risk prevention, health protection, education and promotion). This study explores the causes of the current situation in Iran and generates solutions for supporting health-promoting media that may also prove beneficial for other countries.

A qualitative study was conducted to explore the coverage of health-related topics in selected news agencies. Stakeholders, including health journalists, health professionals and public relations staff at the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education were interviewed. Data were collected until data saturation was reached. The transcripts of all the 17 interviews conducted were analyzed using conventional content analysis.

Four groups of causes were identified, including individual factors, organizational factors, socioeconomic factors and the different nature of medicine and public health. The participants proposed several solutions that were classified into three categories, including the empowerment of stakeholders through capacity development, organizational change and mutual communication and culture change.

Creating health-promoting media is a complex but urgent task, and providing a comprehensive and deep understanding of the dynamic interdependencies of the multiple factors at play in it and developing and implementing the most effective interventions for it requires a systematic approach.

High salt intake is one of the most important causes of some serious health problems. This study aims to evaluate the effects of a salt intake reduction intervention based on social marketing model in Ahwaz city, Iran.

This was a before-after study with a control group using social marketing approach. Two similar residential complexes were chosen and randomly assigned into intervention or control groups. One hundred and thirty women were selected in each complex. Formative research was conducted, including focus group discussions (FGDs), a survey to identify cognitive factors of salt intake and a 24-h urine test to estimate salt intake value. Based on the results of the formative research, an intervention was planned and implemented for one month in the intervention group. The postintervention assessment was conducted repeating the cognitive survey and urine test. Statistical tests, including independent T-Test and paired T-Test, were used to compare the experimental and control groups.

Before the intervention mean salt intake levels were 8,574.41 and 8,282.23 mg/day in the intervention and control groups, respectively. The total mean scores of cognitive and behavioral factors were 25.32 and 26.41 out of 59 in the intervention and control groups, respectively. After the intervention in the intervention group, daily salt intake decreased significantly by 1,558.83 mg/day and mean total scores of cognitive and behavioral factors increased significantly by 10.73.

Due to sodium excretion fluctuations in different days and/or different people, estimating sodium excretion based on one-day sample may have bias. Still, 24-h urine test is the most effective method to estimate population mean salt intake which is used in this study.

The authors could not investigate urine sodium levels in other family members due to resource limitations. Knowing this could help us to see if similar results are achieved.

Despite the lack of public policies to decrease population salt intake, interventions based on social marketing can significantly reduce salt intake. However, the long-term effect of such interventions will require further investigation.

During the past few decades, production and marketing of functional foods has increased in many countries including Iran. Considering the fact that consumers’ preferences play an important role in the success of marketing a product to increase consumption, this study aims to fill the knowledge gap in this regard in Iran.

The theory of social marketing served as the framework of this study. Qualitative data were collected via eight semi-structured focus group discussions, between May and September 2014. Participants were 65 women (44 housewives and 21 employed women), aged 23-68 years, selected by purposeful sampling technique, considering maximum diversity. All focus group discussions were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis of the qualitative content of the data was conducted using MAXQDA® software.

The findings showed that there were quite diverse preferences among studied women in regards to different aspects of a product and its social marketing strategies. The preferences toward functional dairy products were categorized in four main groups: characteristics of products including sensory and non-sensory characteristics; price; place of the product supply; and promotion strategies of products categorized in three subgroups of informing and educating, advertising and recommending.

This study is the first study in this regard in Iran. Given the novelty of functional dairy products in the market, the diversity of preferences should be considered both in production of dairy foods and their promotion plans. This understanding can contribute to success of interventions to increase consumption of these products among consumers.

Functional dairy products market has been growing steadily in Iran. Awareness and perception related to these products has an important role in consumers’ acceptance and subsequently long-term marketplace success of these products. The purpose of this paper is to fill the knowledge gap in this regard, study conducted in Iran.

The theory of social marketing served as the framework of the study. Qualitative data were collected via eight semi-structured focus group discussions (FGDs), between May and September 2014. Participants were 65 women (44 housewives and 21 employed women), aged 23-68 years, selected by purposive sampling, with a maximum diversity. All FGDs were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative content analysis of the data was conducted by MAXQDA®.

Almost all participants were unfamiliar with the term “functional dairy products,” although, some of them had consumed these products. Apart from perceiving the functional dairy products as unnecessary by some participants, some women did not trust in health claims of these products for various reasons such as distrust in food manufacturers, exposure to contradictory information, and fear of unforeseen and dangerous side effects due to taking them. The participants agreed on the need for more information from a trusted and credible source such as health professionals or authorities through different communication channels like television, training classes, shopping center, and so on.

This study provides a unique insight into consumers’ awareness and perceptions concerning functional dairy products in Iran. To the best of the knowledge, this study is the first study in this regard in Iran. Given the novelty of these products in the market, the findings could provide information for the dairy industry to expand its market and improve its profitability and reliability, as well as public health sector to design and implement intervention programs to promote functional dairy products consumption in the population.

The purpose of this study is to explore educational perspectives towards the concept of health promoting schools and its potential benefits for schools in more depth.

This paper presents the results of a qualitative study based on interviews with school staff including principals, and teachers with responsibility for health promotion from 18 primary schools in Sydney, Australia, examining their understanding of the health promoting schools concept, and their perceptions of its advantages for schools.

The study documents the variety of school staff perceptions. Further examination of the data led to the emergence of four broad categories to accommodate diverse perceptions on health promoting schools. The findings point to several challenges that need to be addressed by advocates of the health promoting schools concept, most notably developing a shared understanding between health and education sectors of the practical elements and potential benefits.

Sustaining school health interventions, including health promoting schools programs and maintaining their positive outcomes, is likely to be more achievable in circumstances where schools can identify benefits that fit with their core business of education, and their local needs and priorities.

This study adds depth to the understanding of the diversity in educational perspectives regarding the meaning and benefits of health promoting schools. This study also revealed an understanding among school leaders that there is scope for realizing both health and educational outcomes from school health promotion programs.