ASSESSMENT OF BAHRAINI WOMEN'S HEALTH AND ILLNESS COGNITIONS AND PRACTICES.
Contributors: University Of Illinois At Chicago, Health Sciences Center.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 241
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Bahraini women's health beliefs and practices pertinent to the periods of pregnancy, postpartum, and infancy were examined. An assessment tool directed at identification of Bahraini women's health practices and perceptions was developed.

A total of 133 interview questions for the questionnaire were sequenced chronologically from pregnancy through infant care. The questionnaire consisted of six subparts in addition to the demographics category. A probability sampling (stratified proportionate) procedure was used to select the 181 respondents. Face-to-face interviews were conducted by the investigator and trained nurses at respondents' homes using the structured questionnaire.

The findings revealed that the Bahraini women use both lay health practices and practices advocated by the health professionals to maintain and to restore health. Overall, the use of lay health practices was higher among Bahraini women who were less educated, not working outside the home, and living in extended families within large households, and located in rural areas. However, the use of certain lay health practices, such as the restriction of water intake during the postpartum, was higher among educated Bahraini women. These same women had a smaller number of children and lived in smaller households in urban areas.

The use of certain health practices advocated by the professional health care providers was higher among the Bahraini women who were more educated, working outside the home, and living in nuclear families in urban areas.

The data support the importance of nurses' assessing their clients' health practices before proceeding to plan and implement nursing interventions. The nursing interventions must be planned to meet the needs of individual women.

The findings indicate that the Arab-Islamic tradition is an influential force in shaping the Bahraini women's health-illness cognitions and practices. Further studies are needed to determine the attitudes of professional health care providers toward adherents of lay beliefs and practices.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-03, Section: B, page: 0701.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO, HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, 1987.

School code: 0806.