EVALUATION OF BELIEF IN COVID-19 MYTHS AND LEVELS OF COVID-19 ANXIETY AND PERCEPTION OF HEALTH IN PREGNANCY

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to establish pregnant women's belief in COVID-19 myths, COVID-19 anxiety and perception of health levels during the pandemic.
 Method: This study was a descriptive study of 473 pregnant women. Introductory Information Form, COVID-19 Anxiety Scale, Health Perception Scale and the form of myths related to COVID-19 Pandemic were used. During data analysis, descriptive statistics, One way anova test, Independent groups t test, Mann Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test and Spearman correlation analyses were performed. 
 Results: A correlation was found between the average number of people believing in COVID-19 myths and the mean scores obtained from the COVID-19 anxiety scale (r=0.093, p=0.042) and the perception of health (r=0.115, p=0.012) scale. The difference between mean age and gestational week values and the average number of people believing in COVID-19 myths (p=0.000; p=0.004), the mean scores obtained from COVID-19 anxiety (p=0.000; p=0.006) and perception of Health (p=0.008; p=0.036) scales was significant. The mean number of people believing in myths in unplanned pregnancies (p=0.011) and the mean score from COVID-19 anxiety scale (p=0.004) were higher.
 Conclusion: The level of belief in COVID-19 myths in pregnant women was found to be associated with anxiety and perception of health. Belief in myths, perception of health and anxiety levels increased with increasing gestational week and increasing gestational age. Belief in myths and anxiety levels were lower in planned pregnancies. While pregnant women's belief in myths increased their anxiety level, it also resulted in an increase in the perception of health.