Behavioral Care Research Articles

Cat Caring Behaviors and Ownership Status of Residents Enrolling a Cat in a Free Sterilization Program.

Most cats entering animal shelters in Australia are less than 12 months old and emanate from low socioeconomic areas. Many are unidentified and may be either owned or semi-owned cats (cats cared for by someone who does not consider themselves the owner). In Australia, approximately 33% of cats entering shelters and pounds are euthanized annually, adversely affecting the mental health of staff involved. Our study investigated cat ownership and caregiving behaviors of cats enrolled in the Australian Pet Welfare Foundation's Community Cat Program, which included free sterilization, microchipping, and preventive healthcare. The suburbs targeted in Ipswich, Australia had a high per capita cat intake into animal shelters. We surveyed 1094 cat owners and semi-owners. Most cats were under 12 months old (79%), primarily domestic short-haired (69%), and acquired through informal channels such as friends, family, or as strays. Veterinary care was limited, with only 15% of cats having visited a veterinarian and 28% being vaccinated. Prior to hearing about the free sterilization program, 88.5% of participants identified as owners, while 11.5% were semi-owners. Before completing the survey, these semi-owners transitioned from an informal caregiving relationship to becoming owner of the cat/s. Of the semi-owners, 93% indicated that their transition to ownership was driven by feelings of responsibility, emotional attachment, and access to free sterilization services. These findings suggest that targeted interventions, such as accessible veterinary care and sterilization programs, are crucial in encouraging semi-owners to take full ownership of cats, improving cat welfare, and reducing unplanned breeding. Supporting this transition helps curb overpopulation and fosters improved caregiving, benefiting both cats and communities.

A fine line between attack and care.

Oxytocin neuron projections from two brain regions involved in parental care regulate both parental care and infanticidal behaviors in virgin mandarin voles.

Preventing risk of placement breakdown and hospital admission in the management of distressed behaviour in dementia care: A qualitative case study with family and care-home staff.

Objectives: Behaviours such as hitting-out and declining personal care are commonly exhibited by people living with dementia and are associated with care-giver stress and anxiety and care home placement breakdowns. Traditionally, pharmacological approaches have been used to manage behaviour; however, research indicates limited effectiveness. National guidelines recommend use of non-pharmacological interventions as first line treatment for distress, but further research is required to elucidate the components that lead to improved care for people living with dementia. This study aims to explore what works, examining case studies in which a non-pharmacological clinical intervention, the Newcastle Model, was used to understand and manage distressed behaviour in dementia care within care home settings. Method: A qualitative case study design was used. Three cases were selected from the Edinburgh Behaviour Support Service for their success in preventing care home placement breakdown during a distressed behaviour intervention in NHS Scotland. Family members and staff involved in the interventions within these cases were interviewed (N = 6). Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Findings: All participants reported positive outcomes from the intervention. Three key themes were identified, each with subthemes. Participants described a supportive, non-judgmental environment which allowed them to integrate knowledge about dementia and tailor interventions to the specific needs of the individual living with dementia. There was also a sense of family and staff coming together to unite with shared goals. A preliminary model of all of themes and their interactions is presented. Conclusion: The study supports use of biopsychosocial, formulation-led approaches in the understanding and treatment of complex behavioural presentations in community care settings. It suggests that clinicians should endeavour to facilitate safe and open environments for care home staff and family members, in order to promote attribution change and person-centered care, and to help mediate differences and conflict between staff and family members.

Validating risk behavior in driving simulation using naturalistic driving data

The absence of physical accident risk in driving simulation, which allows for safely studying critical driving situations, also reduces the driver's risk perception, which may result in unrealistic driver behavior. Validation studies in this context are rare for ethical reasons, making it difficult to assess the extent of this issue at present. The present study addresses this gap by utilizing naturalistic driving data. Four critical cut-in situations on German highways were extracted from naturalistic data and replicated in a driving simulator study with N = 58 participants. Both in-situ self-ratings on subjective criticality and post-hoc video-based ratings (from the driver and objective observers), as well as presence ratings, were collected to supplement driver behavior. Although driver reactions in the simulator and the field were not equivalent in absolute terms, drivers in both the simulation and the real world exhibited accident-avoidance behavior through braking reactions, indicating relative validity. No clear mediating role of the sense of presence towards a more careful driver behavior was found. This work shows that drivers exhibit accident-avoiding behavior in the simulator and tend to react to hazards in the simulator similarly as they would in a real situation, while absolute numerical values should only be interpreted with caution.

Public and health care provider attitudes, understanding, and behaviors regarding emergency use authorizations: a scoping literature review

BackgroundUnder Sect. 564 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, when the US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary issues a declaration based on one of four types of determinations, FDA may authorize an unapproved product or unapproved uses of an approved product for emergency use. It is unclear how much the public and health care providers understand about emergency use authorizations and how that understanding influences perceptions or behavioral intentions. The current study aimed to explore consumer and health care provider perceptions of emergency use authorizations and how promotion of emergency use authorizations has been investigated in the literature.MethodsWe conducted a scoping review via PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and CINAHL for original research published in English from January 1, 2012, through November 10, 2022. We conducted surveillance of the literature through March 2023.ResultsWe identified 13 studies reported in 14 publications that addressed public and health care provider attitudes, understanding, and behaviors with regard to products authorized under an emergency use authorization. We did not identify any articles describing research regarding the promotion of emergency use authorization products. Findings suggest gaps in understanding of emergency use authorizations, both for the public and health care providers. Findings also suggest the public and health care providers have concerns about safety or the lack of full FDA approval that may contribute to decreased willingness to receive treatments and vaccines under an emergency use authorization.ConclusionsFuture research should explore how emergency use authorizations have been promoted and how that promotion impacts public and health care provider perceptions.

Situational Analysis of Cat Ownership and Cat Caring Behaviors in a Community with High Shelter Admissions of Cats.

Managing stray cats in urban areas is an ongoing challenge, and in Australia, many are euthanized. Most stray cats are from disadvantaged areas and are under 1 year of age. The Australian Pet Welfare Foundation intended to assess the impact of a free cat sterilization program in an area with high shelter intake of cats in the city of Ipswich, Queensland. The aims of this pre-intervention study were to undertake a situational analysis of cat ownership, semi-ownership and cat caring behaviours, and compare those in the same demographic with dog ownership and caring behaviours relating to sterilization rates, to provide a basis against which to assess the program's effectiveness. In a sample of 343 participants from that area, 35% owned cats and 3% fed stray cats. Cats were predominantly obtained from family or friends (31%) and shelters (20%). More respondents owned dogs (53%), which were most often sourced from breeders (36%) and family acquaintances (24%). More owned cats than owned dogs were sterilized (91% versus 78%). However, only 74% of cats aged 4 to <12 months were sterilized. Cat containment practices varied, with 51% of owners containing their cat(s) at all times, and a further 18% doing so at night. These results suggest the need for community-based programs that focus on sterilizing owned and semi-owned cats, and assisting semi-owners in becoming full owners to reduce stray cat populations and associated negative impacts. This includes assistance with cat containment where vulnerable native species are present. Public understanding of the causes and effective solutions for free-roaming cats, alongside legislative changes, are required to facilitate these efforts. Assistive programs aligned with One Welfare principles are expected to benefit the wellbeing of animals, humans and their environments.

Pre-kindergarten teachers’ perceived preparedness to support children with asthma, cancer, and diabetes in the classroom

ABSTRACT As childhood chronic conditions rise, it becomes increasingly important for educators to feel prepared to address the diverse needs of these students. This study examined trends in educators’ readiness for chronic conditions by examining pre-kindergarten (pre-K) teachers’ perceived preparedness to support students with asthma, cancer, or diabetes. A survey was conducted with seventy-six pre-K teachers (mean ± SD age = 46.10 ± 10.54 years, 100% female, 50% Black/African American) to evaluate their general preparedness levels and readiness for specific caring behaviors. Repeated-measures ANOVAs, t-tests, and Pearson correlations were run to analyze the responses. The findings indicated that teachers felt more prepared to support children with asthma, followed by diabetes, and then cancer. Moreover, there was a weak positive correlation between teaching experience and preparedness to support these children through various caring behaviors. Educators who reported prior experience with cancer and diabetes were also significantly more prepared for those conditions than those without prior experience. To enhance their ability to support students effectively, early childhood educators should have increased access to professional development opportunities and preservice training that delves into more nuanced topics like childhood chronic conditions. Through these avenues for knowledge obtainment, educators may gain skills that could foster a safer environment for their students.

Investigating the relationship between moral courage and caregiving behaviours among nurses working in COVID-19 wards in Iran.

To examine the correlation between moral courage and caregiving behaviour among nurses who are employed in the COVID-19 ward in Iran. This study is a descriptive-correlational and cross-sectional research conducted in 2021 in the city of Tehran, Iran. A total of 270 nurses employed in COVID-19 wards, who had been working in these wards for at least 1 month, were recruited from XXX hospitals and XXX Hospital. Data collection was conducted from September to November 2021. The data collection tools included a demographic information form, the Caring Dimension Inventory (CDI-25), and the Professional Moral Courage Scale (PMC). The designed questionnaire links were provided to the participants virtually through the Persian platform 'Pars Line' and via WhatsApp. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to examine the relationship between moral courage and care behaviour. There was a significant difference in the mean of caring behaviour between the age groups (<30 and >40 years old), and the work experience groups (<5 years and >15 years) (p < 0.05). Ethical values also varied significantly between certain age and experience groups (p < 0.05), but no significant differences were found in ethical behaviour across most ages (30-40 years) and work experience categories (>10 years) (p > 0.05). The level of moral courage among the nurses was higher than the median score of the instrument (87.31 ± 10.37). Among the dimensions of moral courage, the highest score was related to the dimension of ethical factors (17.64 ± 2.64), and the lowest score was related to the dimension of multiple values (17.26 ± 2.78). The level of caring behaviours among the nurses was lower than the median score of the instrument (46.11 ± 10.84). Among the dimensions of caring behaviours, the highest score was related to physical-technical behaviours (19.22 ± 5.27), and the lowest score was related to professional behaviours (1.35 ± 0.67). Based on the analysis, moral courage had a weak and inverse correlation with caring behaviours among nurses. The higher moral courage does not necessarily result in improved caregiving behaviours, emphasizing the need for further research to explore and address this relationship. No Patient or Public Contribution.

How does the training given to intensive care nurses affect their attitudes toward preventing pressure ulcers?

ObjectiveThe study aimed to determine the effect of training in the prevention/treatment of pressure ulcers on nurses' attitudes. Material methodThe study was conducted experimentally in a pretest-posttest design. Training was given to nurses participating in the study with content prepared by "Wound and Ostomy Incontinence Nurses Association" guide. The study was conducted between August and October with nurses working in Level 3 intensive care units. The study was completed with 79 nurses. Before the training was given, the "Nurse Introduction Form" and " Attitude Towards Pressure Ulcer Prevention Instrument (ATPUPI)" form were applied to those. All nurses were re-administered the ATPUPI scale three months after the training to evaluate their attitudes. Frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, and independent sample tests were used in statistical analyses. ResultsThe mean age of the nurses was 29.62 ± 5.74 years, the mean length of service was 71.77 ± 77.19 months, 94.9 % were graduates, and 82.3 % worked in shifts. The mean scores before the training were 44.53 ± 4.13 and 45.12 ± 2.53 after the training. It was determined that there was a significant difference between the nurses who did not receive training on pressure ulcers other than undergraduate education and those who obtained training in terms of the mean score of ATPUPI. Still, after the training, the mean scores reached a similar level, and this difference disappeared. The increase in the mean scores of those who did not receive any education other than undergraduate education was found to be statistically significant. ConclusionAs a result of our study, intensive care nurses' attitudes toward preventing pressure ulcers were found to be at a high level. It was found that the training given to nurses who had not received training on pressure ulcers other than undergraduate education had a significant positive effect on their attitudes. According to this result, it is recommended that in-service training should be given from the moment they start intensive care and repeated at regular intervals to ensure continuity in knowledge, attitude, and care behavior.

High-value care modeling: Evaluating cost conscious and potentially wasteful behaviors.

42 Background: Value-based care is key to decreasing waste, addressing increasing healthcare costs, and minimizing patient financial toxicity - especially in the treatment of high-cost diagnoses such as cancer. Medical student exposure to role-modeling of high-value care (HVC) behaviors may help shape professional identity formation and have long-term effects on future practices. Our study aimed to investigate the frequency and characteristics of faculty role-modeling of HVC in medical student core clinical rotations. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was performed with third- and fourth-year medical students on clinical rotations at 11 U.S. medical schools. The survey assessed thirteen variables associated with cost conscious role-modeling behaviors or potentially wasteful role-modeling behaviors, as well as questions characterizing the rotation such behaviors were observed on, demographic information, and organizational culture around HVC. Results: Cost-conscious role-modeling behaviors were observed “sometimes” or “often” between 52.9-70.5% of the time across all clinical rotations, with the exception of observing a student or resident being praised for ordering a cost-effective diagnostic work-up (seen only 25.7% of the time). Potentially wasteful role modeling behaviors were observed “sometimes” or “often” 5%-14.3% of the time, except simultaneously ordering numerous tests before seeing results of initial screening tests (45.1%) and repeating tests rather than attempting to obtain recently performed test results (42.9%). HVC was most often observed on internal medicine rotations (58.3%) and least frequently on surgery rotations (34.5%). Attendings were significantly more likely to model HVC compared to residents/fellows in 5/7 domains. Organizational culture correlated with frequency of HVC behavior observed. Conclusions: HVC role-modeling behaviors, as observed by medical students, are variable across clinical rotations. HVC practices are essential not only within oncology, but across all medical specialties; future studies should strive to identify factors which promote or inhibit HVC modeling and understand differences between HVC education in undergraduate medical curriculum.

Impact of Online Husband Class on Pregnancy Care Behavior

Impact of Online Husband Class on Pregnancy Care Behavior

Factors related to futile care and its consequences in intensive care units: A narrative review

Futile care includes not only end-of-life care but any care that cannot cause the patient to survive and be discharged from the hospital or preserve the quality of life is also called futile care. Providing futile care comes with many challenges. Therefore, this review was conducted to assess futile care and its related factors in intensive care units. This study was conducted as a narrative review. The factors related to the perception of futile care included individual and organizational factors. The consequences of futile care on nurses include increasing moral distress, decreasing job satisfaction, high levels of depersonalization of negative caring behavior, and weakening healthcare professionals' morale. According to the findings, nursing officials should reduce unnecessary care in special departments by increasing nurses' knowledge and supporting strategies, and designing effective care programs.

The effect of experimental warming on reproductive performance and parental care in the burying beetle Nicrophorus nepalensis.

Rising temperatures can adversely affect parental care and reproductive performance across a range of taxa. However, the warming impact is contingent upon understanding how temperature affects the spectrum of parental behaviours and their interplay. Here, we assessed how temperature affects parental care and reproductive success in the burying beetle, Nicrophorus nepalensis, which exhibits complex parental care behaviours. We exposed breeding pairs of N. nepalensis, to three temperature regimes (18°C, 20°C and 22°C) and assessed changes in parental care, and the subsequent development and growth of their offspring. Our findings show that 22°C disrupts carcass nest building by the parents and results in smaller clutches. Moreover, no eggs successfully hatched in the 22°C treatment. A milder increase to 20°C did not affect the hatching rate but resulted in smaller broods and lighter offspring, even when considering brood size, suggesting a change in post-hatching care quality. Our research suggests that warming may weakly affect parental care but has strong detrimental effects on offspring performance. These findings highlight the necessity of investigating the effect of ambient temperature across a diversity of traits and behaviours and across a range of life-history stages to fully assess species vulnerability in the face of future climate change.

The current status of primipara’s childbirth experience and its correlation with their reproductive intention: a cross-sectional survey study

BackgroundThe childbirth experience of primipara profoundly impacts her future physical and mental health, reproductive intention, and choice of childbirth mode. This study aimed to explore the current situation of primipara’s childbirth experience, to analyze the factors influencing negative childbirth experience, and to explore the relationship between childbirth experience and reproductive intention.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of 522 primipara 1–5 days postpartum was conducted at five hospitals in Guangdong Province (May to July 2024). Data were collected using the General Information Questionnaire, the Social Support Rating Scale, the Childbirth Readiness Scale, the Caring Behaviors Inventory Scale, the Wijma Delivery Experience Questionnaire, and the Questionnaire on Reproduction Intention of Primipara.ResultsThe mean score of fear of childbirth was 68.86 ± 17.68. A total of 137 respondents met the clinical criteria for fear of childbirth (≥ 85 points), indicating that 26.2% of primipara had a negative experience of childbirth. Binary logistic regression model showed that elderly primipara [odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)): 11.167 (2.737–45.559)], pregnancy comorbidities or maternal childbirth complications [OR (95%CI): 6.596 (3.046–14.287)], childbirth intervention [OR (95%CI): 6.168 (2.869–13.258)], and severe pain [OR (95%CI): 4.660 (2.197–9.882)] were risk factors for negative childbirth experience. Childbirth accompaniment [OR (95%CI): 0.081 (0.018–0.368)], high level of social support [OR (95%CI): 0.768 (0.704–0.839)], and high level of childbirth readiness [OR (95%CI): 0.878 (0.812–0.950)] protected against a negative birth experience. There was a negative correlation between the fear of childbirth score and reproduction intention scores.ConclusionsChildbirth accompaniment and high levels of social support and childbirth readiness can reduce primipara’s perception of negative childbirth experience. Negative childbirth experience can reduce reproduction intention.

Disordered eating behaviors and associated factors in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

ObjectAs part of their treatment, patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) have to be very careful with what they eat and with their insulin doses. Therefore, the risk of eating disorders increases in this patient group. In this study, we aimed to determine the disordered eating behaviors of patients with type 1 DM and to evaluate the sociodemographic characteristics, diabetes care behaviors, and quality-of-life scale results that these behaviors may be related to. MethodThe sociodemographic characteristics and diabetes treatment data of 191 patients aged 9–18 years with type 1 DM were analyzed. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), the PedsQL 3.0 Diabetes Module, and the Diabetes Eating Problem Survey-Revised (DEPS-R) were applied. ResultsThe median DEPS-R score of the patients was 18 (19.00), and 44.5 % had a DEPS-R score above 20. A significant correlation was found between age, duration of diabetes, frequency of blood glucose measurement, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level, body mass index standard deviation score (BMI-SDS), and DEPS-R score. There was no significant difference between girls and boys. Patients with a high DEPS-R score had low scores on the PedsQL and on the PedsQL 3.0 Diabetes Module. ConclusionThe DEPS-R scale is a diabetes-specific, easy-to-use, and effective method for screening patients with type 1 DM for disordered eating behaviors. It can help prevent the progression of disordered eating behaviors to clinical eating disorders in patients with type 1 DM. It would be beneficial to use this scale as a routine screening, especially in clinics where access to a psychologist is not possible.

A Study on the Effects of Socio-Cultural Pressure and Health Beliefs on Scalp and Hair Care Awareness and Behavior

Purpose: In modern society, with economic development and improvement of living standards, beauty is no longer solely aimed at physical appearance, but there is a lot of interest in scalp and hair care based on health. This study aims to investigate the influence of socio-cultural pressure and health beliefs on the perception of scalp and hair care.&#x0D; Method: In modern society, with economic development and improvement of living standards, beauty is no longer solely aimed at physical appearance, but there is a lot of interest in scalp and hair care based on health . This study aims to investigate the influence of socio-cultural pressure and health beliefs on the perception of scalp and hair care.&#x0D; Results: Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to determine the correlation between the variables. All the variables showed a significant positive correlation with each other. Next, multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the effects of scalp and hair sociocultural pressure and health beliefs on perception and behavior of scalp and hair care, and it was found that sociocultural pressure from acquaintances, sociocultural pressure from media, intention to use, and maintenance had a significant positive effect on Perception and Behavior of scalp and hair care. Maintenance (β=.403, p&lt;.001), sociocultural pressure from acquaintances (β=.246, p&lt;.001), sociocultural pressure from the media (β=.240, p&lt;.001), and intention to use (β=.129, p&lt;.05) were found to affect perception and behavior of scalp and hair care.&#x0D; Conclusion: In order to improve 'Perception and Behavior of Scalp and Hair Care', it can be interpreted that it is necessary to pay attention not only to scalp and hair health beliefs but also to socio-cultural pressures. It can be said that this study proves that idealized appearances in the media and relationships can influence not only behaviors such as dieting, but also individuals' perceptions and actual behaviors regarding scalp and hair.

Implementation of Character Building Training in the Framework of Cultivating a Moderate Attitude of Religion in Students

This study examines the implementation of Character Building Training (PPK) and the content delivered. This qualitative study involved 60 students, and eight lecturers selected using purposive sampling and snowball sampling techniques, with data collection considered sufficient if it has reached saturation point. Data was collected through observation and in-depth interviews from June to September 2022. Data analysis was carried out manually using the Discovering Cultural Themes model, including data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions and verification. The study results indicate that PPK is implemented through a PPK campaign cycle, capacity building, and institutionalization with an approach including mentoring, learning, guidance, and support. The content includes attitudes and values, skills, knowledge, and integrative moderate insights, strengthening tolerant, open, critical, caring, and creative behavior, respecting differences, and behaving politely. The CBT program has specifically strengthened the religious character and love of the homeland, with the most significant improvements in this area. The implications and contributions of this study highlight the importance of continuous character education among youth as a tool to strengthen religious moderation.

Insights into the relationship between professional values and caring behavior among nurses in neonatal intensive care units

ObjectiveProfessional values are crucial for delivering high-quality care in neonatal intensive care units while caring behavior impacts nurses’ performance and well-being. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between professional values and caring behavior among nurses in neonatal intensive care units.MethodsA cross-sectional study involving 172 nurses was conducted using the Nursing Professional Value Scale and Caring Behaviors Assessment Tool. The study was carried out between 1 October and 5 December 2023.ResultsNurses demonstrated a moderate to high degree of professional commitment, with a mean professional value score of 91.1 ± 11.1. The mean score for caring behavior was 99.7 ± 12.4. The highest-rated domain was setting up a supporting, protective, and corrective environment, with a mean score of 22.8 ± 2.7. A low positive relationship was found between the supportive, protective, and corrective environment domain and nurses’ professional value (r = 0.18, p = 0.017), as well as between overall caring behavior and nurses’ professional value (r = 0.16, p = 0.038).ConclusionThe results indicate a favorable relationship between professional values and caring behavior, especially in areas like establishing a supportive workplace. However, both professional value and caring behavior needs improvement in certain aspect. Enhancing these aspects could further strengthen their relationship, ultimately improving the quality of care provided to newborn patients and their families.Practice implicationsTo cultivate a positive work environment and instill caring behaviors and professional values among NICU nurses, it is imperative to allocate sufficient time and resources. This investment is necessary for nurturing a culture of care, improving patient outcomes, and fostering a supportive environment for NICU nurses, newborn, and their families.

Parent Training for Disruptive Behaviors in Referred Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether face-to-face and therapist-assisted online (i.e., blended) behavioral parent training are effective on reducing disruptive behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in routine mental health care. Ninety-seven children with ASD (4-13years; 76 boys) were randomized to face-to-face parent training, blended parent training, or a waitlist control condition. We assessed treatment effects on parent-rated child noncompliance (primary outcome) and irritability (secondary outcome). This involved comparing both formats separately to the control condition using linear regression models. Child behaviors at 6months follow-up were also examined. Children in the face-to-face parent training condition improved significantly more on noncompliance and irritability than children in the waitlist condition and improvements sustained to 6months follow-up. Children in the blended condition did not improve more than children in the waitlist condition and attrition was high. Our results extend findings from efficacy studies to routine mental health care and advocate the use of face-to-face parent training for disruptive behaviors in children with ASD. More research into blended parent training programs for children with ASD and disruptive behaviors in routine mental health care should be conducted to draw more definite conclusions about the value of blended parent training for these children. Trial registration number NL4712; date of registration 22-10-2014.

Knowledge of pregnancy care behaviors, complications, and urgent maternal warning signs up to one year postpartum among Georgia residents

ObjectivesMaternal mortality in the U.S. continues to increase, and the State of Georgia has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among the 50 states at 33.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, disproportionately affecting Black and rural populations. This study sought to ascertain knowledge of adults living in Georgia about proper pregnancy care behaviors and their ability to identify warning signs and symptoms (WSS) of life-threatening complications during pregnancy and up to 1-year postpartum.MethodsIn 2022, using a cross-sectional study design, a questionnaire including items from validated instruments was distributed to adults residing in Georgia through social media and email. Questions were grouped into categories: total pregnancy knowledge, general pregnancy care behaviors, and pregnancy and postpartum WSS. Based on correct answer choices, scores were created for each of the four categories and compared by gender, age, education, race, and ethnicity using multiple linear regressions.ResultsParticipants (n = 588) ranged from 18 to 76 years old and were primarily female (80%). The vast majority (83.3%) failed to identify important pregnancy care behaviors. More than half of all participants were unable to recognize pregnancy and postpartum WSS of complications, 52% and 56% respectively. Male, Black, and Hispanic self-identified adults exhibited lower recognition of pregnancy care behaviors and WSS of pregnancy and postpartum complications, relative to other genders, races, and ethnic groups, respectively (p < 0.001).ConclusionsThis research identified important gaps in maternal health knowledge among adults living in the State of Georgia, highlighting specific opportunities for intervention and offering evidence-based information that can help improve health literacy for better maternal outcomes.