The Effect of a Potential Development Program for Counselors Providing Options to Women with Unintended Pregnancies in Health Region 7

Abstract

This quasi-experimental research aimed to compare the knowledge, attitudes, and satisfaction of alternative counselors for women with unplanned pregnancies before and after participating in the capacity development program in Health Region 7. The study was conducted among 80 samples, who were personnel providing services in adolescent clinics in Health Region 7, using the Potential Development Program. Data were collected using questionnaires before and after participating in the program, and data were analyzed using Paired t-test statistics to compare knowledge, attitude, and satisfaction scores. The results of the study found that after participating in the program, knowledge scores about alternative counseling for women with unplanned pregnancies increased significantly (p<0.001) from a mean of 11.72 to 17.97. Attitude scores increased from 17.00 to 28.85 (p<0.001), and participants’ satisfaction was at a “very good” level, accounting for 88.75%. Discussion The capacity development program effectively increased knowledge and changed attitudes of alternative counselors for women with unplanned pregnancies. The significantly increased knowledge and attitude scores reflected a deeper understanding of the law and counseling process, especially in terms of safe abortion. The high level of satisfaction from participants indicates the success of the program in meeting the need for skill development of health care professionals. Furthermore, the findings are consistent with previous studies indicating that training to develop counselors' competency results in better confidence and attitudes towards caring for women with unintended pregnancies. Recommendations The training program should be expanded to community and health care providers to increase access to services for women with unintended pregnancies, and long-term follow-up should be conducted to assess the sustainability of the knowledge and attitudes gained from the program.