Factors Influencing Pregnant Women’s Seeking of Health Information
Keywords:
pregnant women, seeking of health information, perceived self-effcacy, social supportAbstract
Objective: To examine pregnant women’s behaviour in seeking and deciding on health information, and factors influencing them to seek health information.
Design: Predictive research.
Methodology: The study sample consisted of 120 pregnant women receiving antenatal care at Lampang Hospital during September to October 2018. Data were collected using fve instruments: (1) a demographic information form; (2) a social support questionnaire; (3) a questionnaire on perceived self-effcacy in acquiring health information; (4) a pregnancy health information-seeking scale; and (5) a questionnaire on topics of information and reasons for information source selection. The data were analysed based on percentage, mean, standard deviation, multiple regression analysis, and content analysis.
Results: According to the study, the participants sought information from various sources covering different topics, such as fetal health and appropriate health practices for healthy mothers and babies. Their main purpose of information seeking was to evaluate their symptoms and abnormalities, as well as to fnd best self-care practices. Most of the participants obtained information from the internet because of its convenience; however, they most likely trusted and acted on the information provided by physicians, nurses and other healthcare personnel, whom they considered to be experts in pregnancy care. In terms of predictability, the combined factors of age, education level, family income, number of pregnancies, perceived self-effcacy in acquiring health information, and social support could signifcantly predict up to 51.3% (R2 = .513, F = 19.85, p < .05) of the pregnant women’s seeking of health information. When analysed individually, however, only education level, family income, perceived self-effcacy in acquiring health information, and social support were found capable of signifcantly predicting the pregnant women’s seeking of health information (β = .292,
p < .0001; β = .183, p = .012; β = .357, p < .0001; and β = .230, p = .011, respectively).
Recommendations: Health-care personnel should prepare accurate health information on various health issues according to pregnant women’s and their families’ needs, and disseminate it via a conveniently accessible medium, like the internet. In addition, a channel of communication between pregnant women and health-care personnel should be established, with a special emphasis on serving customers who have limited access to information, such as those with low education, income and social support.
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