Knowledge, Attitudes, and Preventive Behaviors Toward Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection Among Pregnant Women Attending an Antenatal Clinic at a General Hospital in Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to examine the levels of knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors regarding coronavirus disease and explore the relationships among these factors among pregnant women who received antenatal care at general hospitals in Chiang Mai Province. The study sample consisted of 380 pregnant women attending antenatal care, selected through cluster random sampling. The research instruments included a personal information questionnaire, a knowledge assessment questionnaire on coronavirus disease, an attitude questionnaire on coronavirus disease, and a questionnaire on preventive behaviors against coronavirus disease. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient.

The research findings revealed that the participants demonstrated a good level of knowledge (Mean = 18.49, S.D. = 1.53), attitudes (Mean = 65.32, S.D. = 6.83), and preventive behaviors against COVID-19 (Mean = 51.91, S.D. = 5.05), respectively. Additionally, attitudes toward COVID-19 were found to have a low positive correlation with preventive behaviors against COVID-19, with statistical significance (r = 0.33, p-value < 0.01). However, knowledge about COVID-19 was not correlated with either attitudes toward COVID-19 or preventive behaviors against the disease. Therefore, pregnant women with positive attitudes toward COVID-19 prevention are more likely to engage in appropriate preventive behaviors. It is recommended to implement activities that promote positive attitudes among pregnant women to encourage proper infection prevention behaviors, thereby reducing potential health risks for both pregnant women and their unborn children.