Assessment of maternal health literacy and its determinants among pregnant women in Amhara region, northern Ethiopia
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Date
2021-08
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Addis Abeba University
Abstract
Background- Maternal health literacy is a set of cognitive and social skills that define a woman's
motivation and capacity to obtain, comprehend, analyze, and apply knowledge to recognize risk
factors, taking actions for healthier life style and proper nutrition during pregnancy in order to achieve
positive health outcomes for herself and her children. Maternal health literacy is associated with poor
health outcomes among women and their children, especially in low-income areas. Therefore this study
aims to assess maternal health literacy and its determinants on pregnant women attending in the
antenatal care.
Method- Facility based cross-sectional study was done at health facilities in west Gojam and southern
Gondar zone. Data was collected from 327 pregnant women who came to health facilities for antenatal
care. Interviewer administered questionnaires were employed to collect data. Frequencies, proportion,
were used to describe findings. Crude odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were considered to
measure associations for each variable with the maternal health literacy. Multivariable logistic
regression was run to identify determinants of maternal health literacy by controlling possible
confounders. Assumption of goodness of fit was checked and Statistical significance was determined
at p<0.05.
Result- A total of 327 pregnant women participated in the study with a response rate of 99.09%.
Maternal health literacy among pregnant women in this study was 54.1%. The respondents Self-care
domain score was 54.1%, danger sign and birth preparedness domain score was 61.8%, breast feeding
and family planning domain score was 64.2%. Statistically significant associations were documented
with residence, AOR=2.66, 95% CI: =2.66, (1.05, 6.71) source of health related information (AOR=
19.1, 95% CI: 1.33, 7.42), formal school attendance (AOR=2.45, 95%CI: 1.04, 5.61), gestational age
(AOR=3.44, 95%CI: 1.04, 11.4) and parity (AOR=2.66, 95%CI: (1.03, 6.86).
Conclusion and Recommendation - our findings showed that women in the study are predisposed to
maternal health risks due to their low level of maternal health literacy .antenatal care units which are
visited almost by all pregnant women at list once could be used as good platform. Assessing maternal
health literacy needs in antenatal care unit and integrating health education that improves maternal
health literacy in antenatal care services is very essential.
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Keywords
Maternal health,Literacy,Pregnant women