Health perception factors associated with health care behavior among pregnant women in Takbai district, Narathiwat province.

Abstract

This descriptive research study aimed to study health perception factors associated with health care behavior among pregnant women in Takbai district, Narathiwat province. Population was 547 newly pregnant women which registered at health care center in Takbai district, Narathiwat province, fiscal year 2015, and sample size calculating used Daniel formula for 250 cases, and systematic random sampling was determined. Data were collected by questionnaires (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient= 0.75) and analyzed by Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The results showed that health perception factors, including perceived risk, perceived severity, perceived benefits and perceived barriers had mean score with high level (=2.78, S.D.=0.412). Moreover, health care behavior among pregnant women including, food consumption, antenatal care, iron supplementation, doctor appointment, and hygiene and personal care had mean score with high level(= 2.93, S.D.=0.261). The analysis of association reported that health perception factors were significantly associated with health care behavior among pregnant women in Takbai district, Narathiwat province ( r=0.158, P-value=0.036) . Considering health perception factors, reported perceived severity and perceived benefits were found the significant association (r=0.179, P-value=0.005, r=0.140, P-value=0.026, respectively). Conversely, perceived risk and perceived barriers were not found the association ( r=- 0.085, P-value=0.179, r=0.054, P-value=0.399, respectively)