Abstract
This study investigated personal characteristics (individual factors) associated with compliance to health education among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, (UCTH) Calabar, and Cross River State, Nigeria. Level of Knowledge, educational status, age, parity and time’ of pregnant women were isolated and examined. Three research questions and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. Literature was conceptually, empirically and theoretically reviewed based on the variables under study . Descriptive design was adopted, and using the convenience sampling technique, a sample size of 140 pregnant women who attended antenatal care from May 2016 to November 2016 was used. A validated and reliability certified (with a correlation coefficient of 0.79) structured questionnaire was used to generate data from respondents. Questionnaire was administered through face to face interaction and on the spot collection of completed questionnaire . Data were presented using frequency tables, pie-charts and bar-chart, while chi-square (X 2 ) analysis at 0.05 level of significance was used to test the hypothesis . The results of the study showed that individual factors that facilitated compliance were level of knowledge and level of education of the pregnant women; 72.9% of the study participants had adequate knowledge about health education and a greater proportion (62.9%) complied with health education. Chi-square analysis of the hypothesis showed a statistically significant association between level of education and compliance towards health education (X 2 cal = 31.56, X 2 crit = 7.815, P = 0.05, df = 3). Number of children (parity) and lack of time were the individual factors that hindered compliance. It was therefore recommended that Midwives should intensify efforts in awareness creation on family planning and its benefits, to reduce number of children to give mothers time to take care of themselves. Government of Nigeria and Cross River State in particular should reduce the high cost of education thereby encouraging every citizen to have basic education thus reduce illiteracy level of women and of its citizens in general.
Highlights
Non compliance to health education during Antennal Care (ANC) is an underlying factor in more than 50% of the major causes of maternal mortality
Respondents have knowledge of ANC health education is encouraging considering the fact that knowledge is usually the first step towards the modification of desirable behaviour, given that fact that a greater number of pregnant women 88 complied with health education
It is implied that the pregnant women’s’ knowledge of the importance of ANC services through health education enhanced their compliance. This result supports the findings of Mersal, Esmat and Khalil (2013) and Kumar (2000) who asserted that knowledge implied being aware and that before a pregnant woman would comply with health education she must been fully aware of the benefits of ANC services, benefits of compliance to health education and the complications that results from non compliance
Summary
Non compliance to health education during Antennal Care (ANC) is an underlying factor in more than 50% of the major causes of maternal mortality. Antenatal care (ANC) period presents opportunities for reaching pregnant women with health education to maximize maternal health during and after pregnancy and the health of their neonates. ANC is an important period of contact between health workers and pregnant women for provision of health education. The principles of ANC for women with uncomplicated pregnancies are to provide education, reassure, and support; to address and treat the minor problems of pregnancy; and to provide effective screening during the pregnancy (Dhange, Breeze, and Kean, 2013). Health education during ANC covers good nutrition, exercise, clothing and travel during pregnancy; avoidance of malaria, sexually transmitted infections (STIs)/Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and danger signs of pregnancy (Dhange, Breeze & Kean,2013)
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