Background & Objectives: In modern civilization, community participation is considered to be the most important way of development in different parts of the society. Establishing social development and health promotion centers (SDHPC) is the first step which is taken in this regard. In these centers, social development is implemented along with health promotion. During some planned activities people practice participation and having sense of responsibility while they move towards development and health. They understand that the key for solving majority of health problems are in their own hands.

  Methods: In the framework of an action research, interventions based on dynamic, reevaluation activities, were done in two parts: Formation of activity committees and establishment of population laboratory. SDPHC set its programs based on a planned approach to community health and community mobilization was the first practical action in this plan.

  Aiming at presentation and evaluation of community mobilization model, different activities consisting of mobilization of heath volunteers, raising participation of regional stake holders, recognizing social literature to ensure effective and pervasive communication with people, propagation and call for participation along with general enumeration of society was done to find authoritative people.

  Results: Health volunteers helped to recognize 60 key persons. 53 of them accepted participation. Objectives of the center were explained to them in three meetings, and their opinions were collected. A study of community literature showed that this region had a moderate to high cultural behaviors, and moderate to low income level and education with suitable interest in participation. The Evaluation of provincial broadcasting organization, municipality and other organizations was not desirable except for education organization. Publishing a newsletter was not welcomed by people but it created a bright perspective among governmental authorities. 287 persons accepted invitations voluntarily and took membership. After regional census, it was found that 4355 households with a total population of 19652 were living in this region 9305 (48%) of whom were females. Mean age of population was 26 and mean household dimension was 4.5. 8352 persons (42%) were married. Majority of women were house wives and majority of men had self managed job.

  Conclusion : The process of community mobilization in this project was evaluated to be successful but for establishment and continuation of activities in SDHPC most of the organizations and different groups of people should be encouraged to participate.

  Background & Objective: Depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is an injectable contraceptive method that is widely used by 68 million women in over 114 countries and was reported Different medical and non medical reasons were reported for discontinuation of DMPA use. Due to little information about continuation rate and reasons for discontinuations of DMPA in this region and because of the different result of the research in other countries this study was designed. to evaluate the use of DMPA�including continuation rate and side effects.

  Methods: In this cross sectional retrospective study 396 DMPA user women referring to health care centers in Ardabil were selected through classified sampling. The data were collected by a questionnaire by interviewing the subjects and data were analyzed by SPSS software using analysis variance (ANOVA) and correlation and T-test.

  Results: The mean age of the study population was 32±7.8 years, 33.8% had primary education and the majority of the users were housewives (%95) and only20 (%5) were employed. 6, 9, 12 and 24 month cumulative continuation rate of DMPA were recorded as %44.5, %26.5, %18.2 and %2.3 respectively. The most common reason for discontinuation among all of groups was amenorrhea. The most common side effects were amenorrhea (%69.7), low back pain (%13.4), and weight gain (%13.4) and headache (%10.4). There was a significant corvelation belween education level and spouse's education level, spouse's job, family income, grariding, number of off spring, type of previous delivery and continuity of DMPA (p<0.05).

  Conclusion: The result of this study could help health authorities and care givers in term of correct counseling and follow up. This factor could result in more satisfaction and improve continuation rate of DMPA.

 Background & objectives:�Amblyopia as one of the most important social and visual problems is common in the world including Iran. It plays a major role in visual dimness. The aim of this study was to determine prevalence and causes of amblyopia in middle school students in Ardabil city, Iran in 2004.

 Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study 4548 middle school students were included. The subjects primarily were screened by optometrists and an ophthalmologist by using of Snelen chart. The doubtful cases were referred to eye clinic for further checking and re-examined by ophthalmologist. The data were collected by questionnaire and the results were analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistics using SPSS software.

  Results: The results cleared that 11.4% of subjects (520) had refractive errors, 2.63% (120) showed the amblyopia and 0.9% (43) experienced strabismus. The most common cause of amblyopia was anisometropia (59% of all cases) and for strabismus was isotropia (69.5% of all cases). These findings showed that there is a significant correlation between type and rate of refractive defects with amblyopia. The highest rate for refractive amblyopia was over 3 Diopter hyperopia (29.5% of refractive amblyopia). Hyperopia revealed to occur in males more than females and vice versa for astigmatism

  Conclusion : It seems that the prevalence of amplyopia in Ardabil is similar to other cities in Iran and other countries. But the refractive amblyopia in Ardabil shows more prevalent than other areas. Its reason may be due to less knowledge to use glass and low socio-economic conditions as well as low quality of treatment.