The role of health beliefs and health literacy in women's health promoting behaviours based on the health belief model: a descriptive study

Mahla Ghorbani-Dehbalaei,Mostafa Nasirzadeh,Marzeyeh Loripoor

doi:10.1186/s12905-021-01564-2

Mahla Ghorbani-Dehbalaei, Mostafa Nasirzadeh + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01564-2

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Abstract

BackgroundHealth literacy and health beliefs are factors that can effectively contribute to adoption of preventive behaviors among women. The present study was done to explore the role of health beliefs and health literacy in women's health promoting behaviors based on the health belief model (HBM).MethodsThe descriptive study was conducted in 2020 on 431 female students of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences (RUMS) who had been selected through stratified sampling. Data collection tool was a questionnaire which covered eight demographic information, 41 health literacy questions and 50 researcher-developed questions of health belief based on HBM constructs. Data were collected electronically and SPSS version 20 and independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient and Multiple Linear Regression were used for data analysis at a significance level less than 0.05.ResultsThe preventive behaviors were adopted by 75.57% of the population and the total health literacy score was found to be 52.71 out of 100. According to the Multiple regression analysis, self-efficacy (β = 0.414, p = 0.001) and cues to action (β = 0.299, p = 0.001) were found to be the first and second robust predictors of behavior, respectively. Health literacy, self-efficacy, cues to action and perceived susceptibility constructs predicted 52.1% of preventive behaviors.ConclusionIt is recommended that researchers design, implement and evaluate interventions based on behavioral change theories, especially the self-efficacy theory, in order to promote women's health.

Highlights

Health literacy and health beliefs are factors that can effectively contribute to adoption of preven‐ tive behaviors among women
The results of a study conducted by Saadatmand et al among the students of Islamic Azad University of Qom indicated that only 7.3% had desirable and good menstrual health behaviors [7]
Health Literacy assessment questionnaire has been taken from the study conducted by Saeedi Kopaei and Mottaghi with 41 questions in five dimensions included menstrual, nutritional, physical activity, breast self-examination and anemia [2]

Summary

Introduction

Health literacy and health beliefs are factors that can effectively contribute to adoption of preven‐ tive behaviors among women. Cultural, social, economic, and political factors, women are more vulnerable than men, and they are more exposed to health risks than men due to physical, sexual, and mental differences [1, 2]. As well as menstruation expose women to specific health risks including menstrual cramps, iron. Anemia is the most common nutritional disorder in the world, as many as 12.2% of adolescent girls, 3.8% of young adult women in the world, and 17% of Iranian women suffer from iron deficiency anemia [3, 4]. The results of a study conducted by Saadatmand et al among the students of Islamic Azad University of Qom indicated that only 7.3% had desirable and good menstrual health behaviors [7] Ghorbani‐Dehbalaei et al BMC Women’s Health (2021) 21:421 important issue for women’s health is an integral part of overall health, millions of women around the world, menstruation regularly and increasingly disrupts their physical, mental, and social well-being [6].

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