Volume 15, Issue 2 (9-2017)
sjsph 2017, 15(2): 121-132 |
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1- Ph.D. Student, Student Research Committee, Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2- Ph.D. Professor, Social Determinants in Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
3- Ph.D. Professor, Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4- Ph.D. Student, Fertility and Infertility Research Center, School of Public Health, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran ,mdadipoor@yahoo.com
2- Ph.D. Professor, Social Determinants in Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
3- Ph.D. Professor, Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4- Ph.D. Student, Fertility and Infertility Research Center, School of Public Health, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran ,
Abstract: (6392 Views)
Background and Aim: Health literacy implies the achievement, processing and perception of fundamental information and services required for making appropriate health-related decisions. Due to the high significance of health literacy during pregnancy and its direct effect on fetus, the present research was conducted to investigate the health literacy of pregnant women visiting medical centers in Bandar Abbas, Iran in 2015.
Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study conducted on 250 pregnant women visiting the healthcare centers in Bandar Abbas, Iran selected by mixed sampling (both clustering and simple random). The data were collected using an adult health literacy questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 16, the statistical tests being independent-sample t-test, ANOVA, Tukey test and linear regression.
Results: The average age of the pregnant women was 31.61±7.45 years. The proportions of the women with an adequate, borderline and inadequate level of literacy were 52%, 20.8% and 27.2%, respectively. A statistically significant association was found between health literacy and education (p<0.001), age (p<0.001), occupation (p<0.001) and the quality of healthcare provision during pregnancy (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The results reveal that the mothers’ health literacy is inadequate or at borderline. Based on these results the following are recommended in an attempt to promote health literacy of pregnant women: 1. revising/simplifying teaching materials, including both oral and pictorial, in addition to written materials in the form of posters, pamphlets and brochures; 2. promoting communication skills of health workers/mothers.
Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study conducted on 250 pregnant women visiting the healthcare centers in Bandar Abbas, Iran selected by mixed sampling (both clustering and simple random). The data were collected using an adult health literacy questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 16, the statistical tests being independent-sample t-test, ANOVA, Tukey test and linear regression.
Results: The average age of the pregnant women was 31.61±7.45 years. The proportions of the women with an adequate, borderline and inadequate level of literacy were 52%, 20.8% and 27.2%, respectively. A statistically significant association was found between health literacy and education (p<0.001), age (p<0.001), occupation (p<0.001) and the quality of healthcare provision during pregnancy (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The results reveal that the mothers’ health literacy is inadequate or at borderline. Based on these results the following are recommended in an attempt to promote health literacy of pregnant women: 1. revising/simplifying teaching materials, including both oral and pictorial, in addition to written materials in the form of posters, pamphlets and brochures; 2. promoting communication skills of health workers/mothers.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Public Health
Received: 2017/09/19 | Accepted: 2017/09/19 | Published: 2017/09/19
Received: 2017/09/19 | Accepted: 2017/09/19 | Published: 2017/09/19
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