| Objective:This study was to investigate the health literacy status of pregnant women, and exam the role of health education on the improvement of maternal and infant health literacy of pregnant women. Furthermore, explore the association between socio-demographic characteristics and individual differences in maternal and infant health knowledge, behaviors and skills. Thus, the present study can provide important information about the development of targeted health promotion strategies and the improvement in maternal and infant health literacy levels among pregnant women.Methods:The questionnaire of “maternal and infant health literacy” was designed according to “the maternal and infant health literacy-basic knowledge and skill” published by the Ministry of Health in 2012. All pregnant women who participated in the study took regularly checks in pregnancy and received maternal and infant health literacy learning at the Central Hospital affiliated to Shenyang Medical College. After the first round of the questionnaire survey was completed, the second round was conducted among pregnant women who participated in the health education program(more than 4 times) at different days using the same questionnaires. Health education served as an intervention order, and then the maternal and infant health knowledge, behaviors and skills of pregnant women were compared between before and after the education using knowledge scale of maternal and infant health literacy, behavior scale and skill scale. All questionnaires were recovered on site. All data from the questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS version 18.0. ?2 test or Fisher exact test was used for the comparison of multiple groups, rank test was used for the measurement of data that did not meet the normal distribution, where the data were represented with the median and interquartile range [M(P25,P75)].Results:1. To investigate the health literacy status of pregnant women before the maternal and infant health program(1)Before the education, the overall scores of subjects were 54.3(38.6, 67.1) for maternal and infant health knowledge with the pass rate of 40.3%. There was no significant difference(P >0.05) in the age, education level, rural/urban residence status, and economic status.(2)Before the education, the awareness rates were all less than 40% in the " suitable value of increased weight during pregnancy", and "the effect of deficiency calcium on the health of pregnant women", and "suitable calcium intake volume during medium-term pregnancy", and " best food source of calcium", and " minimum check times during pregnancy ", and "normal range of blood pressure in pregnant women", and "pregnant weeks of full-term delivery ", and "the effect of low birth weight on the health in adulthood", and "the minimum increased grams when full moon for newborns", and "the time of breast feeding after adding auxiliary food to infants". Before the education, maternal and infant health literacy behaviors were studied, there were less than 60% of pregnant women have the correct behavior during pregnancy, such as “exercise more than 30 minutes a day”, “folic acid supplement more than 6 months”, “more than 300 g of milk a day”, and “receiving enough times of prenatal examination”. Before the education, both of the rates of recognizing and forming basic skills of maternal and infant health literacy were less than 60%.2. To compare the scores and pass rates of maternal and infant health literacy between before and after the maternal and infant health programAfter the maternal and infant health program, both the scores 88.0 and pass rates(98.3%) of maternal and infant health literacy were higher than those before the program(the scores of 52.0 and the pass rates of 39.5%)(P < 0.001). The similar results were also found in behaviors and skills(P < 0.001). After the program, the scores were increased in behaviors and skills100.0 and 89.9 respectively compared to before the grogram 72.7 and 44.4 respectively, as well as, the pass rates were enhanceed in behaviors and skills(99.3% and 88.8%, respectively) compared to before the grogram(76.4% and 31.8%, respectively).3. To understand the maternal and infant health literacy of pregnant women among various demographic characteristicBefore the maternal and infant health program, there was no significant difference of maternal and infant health literacy, behaviors and skills in the various age, education level, rural/urban residence status, and economic status(P > 0.05). After the maternal and infant health program, all the scores of maternal and infant health literacy, behaviors and skills in the group of college degree or above were higher than those in the group of high school or below(P < 0.05), as well as, the scores in the group of urban were higher than those in the group of rural(P < 0.05).Conclusions:1. Before the education, the general level of maternal and infant health literacy was low, there wass no significant difference in the age, education level, rural/urban residence status, and economic status.The level of maternal and infant health literacy knowledge in the pregnant women needs to be improved, and the behavior pattern should be correct and the basic skills should be ameliorated.2. The four main levels of measurement(the maternal and infant health literacy, behaviors, skills and pass rates) were significantly improved in pregnant women after the educational training. The age, level of education and the place of residence had some influence on the efficacy of maternal and infant health education. In the group of ?35 years old, college degree or above or urban, the levels of maternal and infant health literacy are more efficiency improvement.3. Maternal and infant health literacy education can significantly improve maternal and infant health literacy levels in pregnant women. |
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