ASSESSMENT OF BASNEF MODEL TO IMPROVE NUTRITIONAL BEHAVIORS OF FAMILIES HAVING AN ELDERLY MEMBER: PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTION

Background: Education can improve nutritional behaviors of individuals. The aim of this study was to assess effects of nutritional health education based on the BASNEF model on nutritional behaviors of families with Materials & Methods: The present research was conducted as an interventional study among 70 individuals (35 subjects for intervention and 35 for control groups) giving care to family members older than 60 years. The data collection tool in this study was a researcher-made questionnaire designed based on the BASNEF model measuring awareness, attitude, subjective norms, enabling factors and intent toward nutritional behaviors. Baseline and follow up information between interventions and controls were compared and the results were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: The results of paired t-test revealed series of significant differences between score obtained at baseline and follow-up measurements within the intervention group for only 3 subscale of knowledge (p= 424.68, p= 0.001), attitude (t = 66.54, P = 0.001), as well as behavioral intention (t = 974.9., P= 0.001). The results of independent t-test showed series of significant differences between the two groups for 4 subscale of knowledge (t=0.399, p=0.001), attitude (t=90.78, p=0.000), enabling factor (t=0.09, p=0.02) and intention (t=110, p=0.000). Conclusion: Our findings indicated that participating in educational programs can significantly increase level of knowledge, attitude, and behavioral intention about healthy nutritional behaviors. This study demonstrated the importance of receiving educational programs adopted from a model such as BASNEF in developing personal understanding of enabling factors to change the behavioral nutrition