Development and Effect of a Behavior Program for Reducing Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Unmarried Women

Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to develop a behavior program for reducing exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), thereby to improve perceived benefits and self-efficacy as well as reduce the perceived barriers and prevalence of dysmenorrhea in unmarried women.Methods: The study used a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Participants were randomly assigned to an experiment (n=18) or control group (n=18). The behavior program for reducing exposure to EDCs was developed based on Pender's health promotion model and previous research results. The program was conducted for 12 weeks, consisting of 4 weeks of face-to-face intervention and 8 weeks of mobile intervention.Results: The behavior program we developed was verified as an effective intervention that could improve the perceived benefits and self-efficacy of reducing one's exposure to EDCs. It also decreases the perceived barriers and prevalence of dysmenorrhea in unmarried women.Conclusion: Our results showed that the program was an effective nursing intervention in unmarried women. Therefore, this behavior program for reducing exposure to EDCs can be applied in the context of unmarried women.