DETERMINANTS OF PRECONCEPTION HEALTH BEHAVIORS IN CHILDBEARING AGE WOMEN IN A COLLEGE SETTING.
Contributors: Loma Linda University.
Published: 1994
Number of pages: 164
Subjects: Health Sciences, Public Health.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Behavioral.
Description: Birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality in the United States. To prevent birth defects and developmental disabilities caused by maternal risk behaviors, women need to reduce their own health risks prior to conception.

This research applied the constructs of perceived susceptibility, perceived barrier and self-efficacy from Health Belief Model, and internal locus of control construct from Rotter's Social Learning Theory to examine factors hypothesized to affect intention to practice preconception health behaviors among childbearing age college women. Two additional constructs, knowledge and acknowledgment of risk were added to examine their interaction effects on intention. Women with a history of medical problems and who had admitted they were susceptible to risk outcomes associated with their risk behaviors were seen as having acknowledged their risk.

One hundred sixty-five women were recruited from three university campuses to answer a questionnaire designed to assess five constructs described above across twelve behaviors. Results supported the hypothesis that both knowledge and acknowledgement of risk are important in determining preconception health intention. Multiple regression analyses showed that the two constructs had a positive and significant interaction effect on intention and predicted 25% of the variance in women's intention to practice preconception health behaviors. Constructs associated with stronger preconception health intention were greater knowledge of risk, higher perceived self-efficacy, and lower perceived barriers. Perceived susceptibility and internal locus of control were not significantly correlated with intention. Contrary to prediction, greater acknowledgement of risk was related to weaker intention.

The Task-Associated Self-Perception Charting (TASC) method was used to identify points of intervention for correcting deficiencies in readiness to perform health behaviors. Based on the findings of this research and by using the TASC method, health educators can design programs aiming at empowering women with constructs that increase readiness to perform a specific health behavior, subsequently, strengthening their intention to practice the behavior. The goal of health education is to encourage women to take responsibility for their own health care prior to conception.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-05, Section: B, page: 2587.

Thesis (DR.P.H.)--LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY, 1994.

School code: 0106.