The Effects of Health Belief Promotion Program on Caregivers’ Behaviors in Prevention of Acute Respiratory Infection and Health Outcomes of Preschool Children

Abstract

Acute respiratory infections are a significant public health concern, particularly among preschool-aged children who have underdeveloped immune systems and immature respiratory tracts. These children are susceptible to infections an average of 6 to 8 times per year. Without appropriate care, complications or even death may occur. Although advances in modern medicine have improved survival rates, the incidence of illness remains high. Factors contributing to acute respiratory infections can be categorized into three main areas: child-related, caregiver-related, and environmental. Among these, the caregiver’s role is particularly critical in monitoring, prevention, and making timely decisions regarding access to medical care. The Health Belief Model is a conceptual framework used to promote health behaviors by emphasizing perceived susceptibility, perceived severity of disease, perceived benefits of preventive actions, and perceived barriers, thereby encouraging the adoption of appropriate behaviors. Previous research has primarily applied the Health Belief Model to individuals with chronic illnesses. However, few studies have adapted this model for caregivers of preschool-aged children to prevent acute respiratory infections.

Additionally, long-term outcome evaluations in this area remain limited. This quasi-experimental study aimed to examine the effects of a health belief promotion program on caregivers’ behaviors to prevent acute respiratory infections., as well as on the health outcomes of preschool-aged children. The objectives of the study were: 1) to compare the acute respiratory infection prevention behaviors of caregivers between the experimental and control groups after the intervention; 2) to compare the acute respiratory infection prevention behaviors of caregivers in the experimental group before and after the intervention; and 3) to compare the health outcomes of children in the experimental and control groups. The sample consisted of 68 caregivers of children aged 2 to 6 years, equally divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 34 participants in each. The experimental group received the health belief promotion program,which included the provision of information about acute respiratory infections, individual and group discussions, demonstrations, hands-on activities, and weekly follow-up for 4 weeks. Data were collected using a personal information questionnaire, a questionnaire on preventive behaviors related to acute respiratory infections, and a child health outcomes assessment form. Data were analyzed using frequency and percentage, mean and standard deviation, and analysis of covariance.

Among the 68 participants, 91.18 percent were female, and 8.82 percent were male, aged 20 to 65 years, with the majority aged 30 to 39. No statistically significant differences were found in general characteristics between the experimental and control groups at the .05 significance level, indicating that both groups were comparable. After receiving the health belief promotion program, caregivers in the experimental group had significantly higher mean scores for acute respiratory infection prevention behaviors compared to their pre-intervention scores (t = -5.13, p < .001) and to those of the control group (F_1,65 = 25.46, p < .001). These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the health belief promotion program in promoting preventive behaviors, particularly when supported by enhanced self-efficacy and social support. The study found no statistically significant differences in children’s health outcomes between the experimental and control groups. This may be attributed to external factors, such as increased public health awareness during the COVID-19 pandemic and the relatively short follow-up duration of the study. The findings of this study suggest that healthcare professionals should consider implementing programs based on the Health Belief Model to promote preventive behaviors among caregivers of preschool-aged children. Future research should include longer follow-up periods and explore factors influencing the adoption of such programs in various settings to ensure sustainability and long-term benefits.

Keywords : Caregiver behaviors, Health belief promotion program, Health outcomes, Preschool children, Prevention of acute respiratory infection

Author Contributions

VS: Conceptualization, method and design, tool validation, data collection and analysis, and writing and revising the manuscript

RP: Conceptualization, method and design, data analysis, writing, revising, and editing the manuscript, and corresponding with the editor-in-chief

PS: Conceptualization, method and design, data analysis, and revising the manuscript