Document Type : Original Research Article
Authors
1
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health, Sirjan School of Medical Sciences, Sirjan, Iran
2
Professor, Department of Medical Education, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech Health Sciences Center El Paso, Texas, USA
3
Assistant Professor, Department of Health, Faculty Of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
4
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
10.22038/jmrh.2024.74239.2174
Abstract
Background & aim: COVID-19 is highly contagious and pregnant women might have a higher risk of developing severe symptoms and disease when infected, compared to others. The aim of this study was too evaluate the impact of a self-care education intervention on knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) related to preventing COVID 19 among pregnant women in Sirjan, Iran.
Methods: This study was conducted in Sirjan Health Centers, from January to March 2021. A total of 60 pregnant women participatedin this study, and were divided into two experimental and control groups of 30 individuals each. Data collection was done using a validated and reliable researcher made questionnaire. Data was collected using a demographic questionnaire, and questionnaires about knowledge, attitude and behavior. The educational intervention included face to face counseling, educational brochuresand posters, and text message reminders sent weekly over a two month period. The post-intervention questionnaires were completed after the two-months intervention was over. Data analysis was performed in SPSS 23, using t-tests, chi-square, and correlation coefficients.
Results: In this study, the mean scores of knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) significantly increased after the intervention in the experiment group (P<0.001). However, there were no significant changes observed in the mean scores of knowledge (p=0.14), attitude (p=0.25) or practices (p=0.09) after two months in the control group. Additionaly, comparison of the mean scores of KAP between the intervention and control groups post-intervention showed significantly higher in the experimental group.
Conclusion: The finding of this study confirm the effectiveness of the educational intervention in improving KAP regarding preventive behaviors related to COVID-19. Therefore, it is recommended to utilize health education models in caring for pregnant women during pregnancy.
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