ABSTRACT

Background: Based on the Iranian traditional medicine, health protection principles (i.e., Hefz-Al-Sehah) include the instructions having a close relationship with the lifestyle.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of a tailored education intervention based on the Iranian traditional medicine on reducing the number of visits of the insured.

Methods: This trial was performed in Tehran, Iran, in 2017. The population of this study consisted of 101 insured people in the Iranian Health Insurance Organization who were in the 50 - 70 percentile rank in terms of the number of visits to the health centers during the previous year. They were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention group (n=51) received the Hefz-Al-Sehah education both through face-to-face and virtual approaches. The control group (n=50) did not receive any education.

Results: Results showed that the two study groups were the same in terms of demographic characteristics. According to the results, a significant decrease was found in the number of visits to the laboratory (I=-13.46, C=4.81), drug store (I=-10.59, C=0.91), radiology center (I=-4.65, C=-1.47), and clinic (I=-1.37, C=-0.28) before and after the intervention in the intervention group compared to the control group. (P<0.001)

Conclusion: Our results revealed that, the Hefz-Al-Sehah education is effective in reducing the number of visits to the health centers. Therefore, adherence to its instructions is recommended to increase the health and reduce the number of visits.

Trial Registration: IRCT20171125037625N1

Keywords: Health, Education, Iranian Traditional Medicine, Hefz-Al-Sehah.