The effectiveness of a pregnancy leaflt to promote health in Tshwane, South Africa

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy-related health education conveys basic information regarding healthy lifestyle choices and preventive healthcare in order to promote the health of the mother and foetus. Verbal education is supplemented frequently by means of healthpromotion leaflts. A pregnancy-related leaflt used in primary care clinics in Tshwane, South Africa titled: ‘Are you pregnant or planning to have a baby?’ was the focus of this research. Objectives: The study had two objectives, the fist of which was to explore whether the English pregnancy leaflt improved the knowledge of young female adults with regard to maintaining their health and preventing complications during pregnancy. The second objective was to explore whether the literacy level of the young adult female had an effect on the effiacy of the English pregnancy leaflet. Method: The research design used was a pre-test post-test design. Two samples of 30 participants each, namely, a post-secondary and a tertiary sample, participated in the study. Self-report data were gathered with a questionnaire based on the leaflt. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a Pearson’s chi-square test. Findings: The fidings indicated both samples’ prior knowledge regarding health maintenance, showing that prevention of complications during pregnancy was almost nonexistent and that the pregnancy leaflt did not improve their knowledge to an extent where they would be informed and knowledgeable about their health during pregnancy. Conclusion: An evidence base must be developed in order to support the development of behaviour changing material. Agtergrond: Swangerskapsverwante gesondheidsopvoeding dra basiese inligting oor aangaande gesonde leefstylkeuses en voorkomende sorg om die gesondheid van moeder en fetus tydens swangerskap te bevorder. Verbale gesondheidsonderrig word dikwels versterk deur gedrukte inligtingstukke. ’n Swangerskapsverwante inligtingstuk tans in gebruik in primêre gesondheidsorgklinieke in Tshwane met die titel: ‘Are you pregnant or planning to have a baby?’ was die fokus van die studie. Doelwitte: Die studie het twee doelwitte gehad, naamlik (1) om uit te vind of die Engelse inligtingstuk die kennis van jong volwasse vroue to so ’n mate kon verbeter dat hulle in staat was om gesond te bly tydens hul swangerskap en komplikasies te voorkom, asook (2) om te bepaal of die geletterdheidsvlak van die jong volwasse vroue ’n invloed gehad het op die vermoë van die inligtingstuk om hul kennisvlakke te verhoog. Metode: Die navorsingsontwerp was ’n voor-toets/na-toets ontwerp. Twee groepe van 30 deelnemers elk, ’n na-sekondêre onderrig en ‘n tersiêre groep, het aan die studie deelgeneem. Data is deur self-rapportering ingesamel waar die deelnemers ’n vraelys gebaseer op die pamflt voltooi het, voor en na blootstelling aan die inligtingstuk. Die data is met behulp van beskrywende statistiek en ’n Pearson’s chi-kwadraat ontleed. Resultate: Die bevindings dui daarop dat beide groepe baie min voorkennis aangaande gesondheid tydens swangerskap gehad het en dat die swangerskapsverwante inligtingstuk nie hul kennis tot so ’n mate verbeter dat hulle ingelig en in staat sou wees om gesond te bly tydens hul swangerskap nie. Gevolgtrekking: Dit is belangrik dat navorsingsbewyse gebruik word in die ontwikkeling van gedragsveranderingsmateriaal.

Keywords

• effectiveness, knowledge, leaflet, literacy, pregnancy, young adult female