The Socio-Cultural Context Affecting the Antenatal Care Among Pregnant Hilltribe Women, Chai Prakan District, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

This study uses mixed method, qualitative and quantitative study. The objective of the research is to study socio-cultural context affecting the antenatal care among pregnant hilltribe women in Chai Prakan District, Chiang Mai Province. Tools used to study quantitative data consist of questionnaires regarding general information, data involving antenatal care, knowledge in attending antenatal care service and attitude towards receiving antenatal care service which pass inspection in content validity by scholars value is equivalent to 0.85, confidence value of the questionnaire for knowledge regarding attending antenatal care service is equivalent to 0.83, confidence value of the attitude questionnaire regarding receiving antenatal care service is equivalent to 0.84. The sample group consists of 142 people.  Analyze data by frequency distribution, percentage, mean and standard deviations. Tool used to study qualitative data is structured interview with the sample group of 8 people.  Analyze data using content analysis to find proposition both overview and in the component of fact that occurs in each aspect.

Research results found that:

Majority of the sample group have knowledge regarding attending antenatal care service at low level and also found that attitude in attending antenatal care service of sample group level agree “attending first antenatal care within 12 weeks is important and beneficial” is in the least. Therefore, within the community together with related agencies should initiate activities to promote knowledge in pregnant hilltribe women to be knowledgeable and have good attitude towards pregnancy including encouraging families to participate in supporting antenatal care of pregnant hilltribe women in order to see the importance of antenatal care and attend first antenatal care within 12 weeks. The study also found that most of the sample group believe in intangible stories such as ghosts, the dead because they believe that if the ghosts address them, the baby would be gone so they tend to have antenatal care after 12 weeks. Hence, within the community together with related agencies should promote knowledge and belief in order for pregnant women to change attitude making positive attitude towards pregnancy within 12 weeks and meet 5 times according to the criteria.