Intervention for Behavioral Change in Funeral Ceremonies in Islamic Republic Of Iran

Background: Large-scale funeral ceremonies are commonplace among Iranians and start from the time of person’s death till the fortieth day and anniversary. These traditional ceremonies cause a lot of psychological, economical and unnecessary problems for the bereaved family. This interventional research aims to change the behavior and the way in which the funeral ceremonies are held to remove the unnecessary problems associated with them. Methods: In this interventional study, the behavioral intervention continued for six months with the cooperation of Friday prayer Imams and other responsible parties. Data were collected using the questionnaires before and after intervention and were analyzed by SPSS. Results: Some behavioral changes after the intervention were reported. A reduction was seen in the mean number of someone else’s house used as a venue for the funeral ceremonies, of fabric writing installations, of meals given in the funeral ceremonies, and of the individuals present at these meals and involved in the process. An increase was observed in the number of flower arrangements. The mean difference in all the studied variables before and after intervention was statistically significant (P < 0.005). Conclusions: Conducting conferences, distributing pamphlets, educational programs for the public will change the quality and type of funeral ceremonies. Similar program is recommended for other parts of Iran with similar cultural backgrounds.