Cognitive factors associated with brucellosis preventive behaviours among diagnosed patients: an application of Empowerment Model

Background: Brucellosis is an endemic disease in many countries, especially in the Mediterranean region, as well as countries such as the Islamic Republic of Iran. Despite the preventive measures against brucellosis adopted in different countries throughout the world, the disease is still a public health concern. Aims: Our aim in the present study was to examine the cognitive factors associated with Brucellosis Preventive Behaviours (BPBs) among diagnosed patients utilizing Empowerment Model. Methods: In 2013, applying a cross-sectional study, all 238 patients with brucellosis in Chaldoran County, Islamic Republic of Iran, were recruited to answer a researcher-made EM-based questionnaire and BPBs Scale through interview. Results: Hierarchical multiple linear regressions were performed with BPBs as the outcome variable. Predictors for this variable, according to their natures, were classified in two different blocks. In the first block, significant effect was found on BPBs by demographic variables (Delta R2 = 0.301). In the second block, the level of education, knowledge, and self-efficacy were significant predictors (P < 0.001) of BPBs (Delta R2 = 0.808). Conclusions: The Empowerment Model was found as a helpful framework in predicting the risk factors of BPBs. Health care providers in low- and middle-income countries should consider the patients' knowledge on the disease and their level of self-efficacy to perform BPBs as the core categories of empowerment while designing brucellosis prevention programmes.