Personal and environmental factors encouraging or preventing healthy lifestyle behaviours among Persian couples: a phenomenological investigation.

Objective: The aim of this study was to qualitatively assess the socio-culturally and religion-driven lived experiences before, during and after pregnancy from Persian men and women’s perspectives using descriptive phenomenological analysis. This study also assessed the application of components of sociocognitive theory on couples’ lifestyle behaviours.
Background: Social and cultural influences on preconception, pregnancy and postnatal behaviours of women have been acknowledged in the research literature, but remain understudied in men and in countries driven by strong religious and cultural influences.
Methods: A descriptive phenomenological approach was employed using 16 participants (8 male and 8 female), recruited from an Obstetric Hospital Clinic in Iran. Data were analysed by means of thematic content analysis.
Results: Five major themes were identified, incorporating positive and negative dimensions to enhancing healthy pre- and perinatal lifestyle behaviours: access to information regarding lifestyles; external obstacles to healthy lifestyle behaviours; personal constraints; factors influencing quality of life; and factors encouraging healthy lifestyles.
Conclusion: Analysis revealed that lifestyle behaviours before, during and after pregnancy were influenced by a number of interrelating factors involving personal, socio-cultural/environmental and psychological variables, with cultural norms prevailing over Western medical advice. These findings may inform culturally diverse health care systems and be useful in formulating
recommendations for policies to improve future quality of care.

Post-refereed version, embargoed according to Publishers requirements till 2013.