Effect of Narrative Information on Knowledge, Health Beliefs, and Protective Behaviors of Pregnant Women Towards Climate Change
Abstract
Background: The greatest threat to public health in the twenty-first century is climate change, yet little attention has been paid to how it affects the perinatal period. It is essential to use crafted narrative messages to inform expectant mothers about their vulnerabilities to the negative health effects of climate change, and help encourage and enable women to take proper protective behaviors.
Aim of the study: Evaluate the effect of narrative information on the knowledge, health beliefs, and protective behaviors of pregnant women toward climate change.
Research design: To conduct the current study, a quasi-experimental approach was used.
Setting: The study was carried out at Zagazig University Hospital's family planning and antenatal care unit, which is part of the outpatient clinic.
Subjects: Purposive sample of sixty expectant mothers.
Data Collection Tools: Five tools were used for data collection.
Tool I: A structured interviewing questionnaire,
Tool II: The women’s Knowledge questionnaire about climate change,
Tool III: Health Beliefs Model (HBM),
Tool IV: Protective behaviors related to climate change scale.
Tool V: Narrative information for pregnant women toward climate change.
Results: A highly statistically significant difference was found regarding the total score of knowledge and its domains and the health beliefs model for pregnant women about climate change, as reported by the studied pregnant women throughout the intervention phase (p<0.001). Furthermore, knowledge and preventive behavior were statistically significantly correlated before and after the intervention (r = 0.275, p = 0.033*), and the correlation coefficient was positive.
Conclusion: It was concluded that narrative information significantly improves the knowledge, health beliefs, and protective behaviors scores of pregnant women towards climate change throughout the study phases.
Recommendations: Educational training and communication activities should be conducted for pregnant women about climate change and its effect on pregnancy using narrative messages.