Information–Seeking and its Predictors in Low‐Income Pregnant Women

Abstract

This study examined information-seeking and its predictors (information needs and barriers) in low-income pregnant women. Eighty-four pregnant women from a prenatal clinic were interviewed using three scales that measured the frequency of information-seeking from eight different sources, information needs for 20 pregnancy health topics, and 15 barriers to seeking information, respectively. Most women were black, unmarried, between 20 and 29 years of age, high school educated or less, multigravidas, and in their third trimester of pregnancy. Information needs and barriers were significant predictors of information-seeking. Together, they explained 26% of the variance in the seeking outcome. High information needs and low barriers predicted more frequent information-seeking. First pregnancy and asthma during pregnancy were significant covariates for information-seeking. Information needs and barriers are related to information-seeking among low-income pregnant women. To facilitate pregnant women's information-seeking, health care providers may assess a woman's need for information and barriers that the woman experiences when seeking information, and factors such as first pregnancy and asthma.

Pregnancy-Related Information Need and Information-Seeking Pattern Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic at Ikorodu General Hospital, Lagos State, Nigeria

“…In order to answer research questions 1 and 2 on the levels of information-need and information-seeking, a descriptive analysis was done. Table 2 above, presents the levels of information-need and informationseeking were categorized as high (35-50), moderate/average (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34) and Low (1-17). It was found out that majority of the pregnant women in the study area had moderate level of pregnancy information needs (58.3%) and information-seeking (52.2%).…”

“…It comprised of five sections: Section A -Demographic Data Inventory; Section B: Sources of Information on Antenatal Care -13 items; Section C: Information Seeking Needs -12 items; Section D: Perceived Problems Inhibiting Information Seeking Needs -10 items; Section E: Information Seeking Types -10 items. The levels of information-need and information-seeking were categorized as high (35-50), moderate/average (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34) and Low (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). Maximum attainable score was 50.…”

Designing mHealth for immigrant pregnancy ecology (Preprint)

“…During such vulnerable time, pregnancy can make women more receptive to interventions, which can arm them with health habits to extend beyond pregnancy [5,[13][14][15]. The relationship between health outcomes for pregnant women and technology in part through the creation of the term pregnancy ecology [3] seeks to create a nuanced understanding of the needs of pregnant women, who are often reduced to a series of data points and objectified as the adult carrying a baby to term.…”

Health Information Behavior of Expectant and Recent Fathers

“…A study of a community-based breast and cervical cancer-screening program for low-income women (Marshall, Smith, & McKeon, 1995) disclosed that participants shared a preference for one-to-one interpersonal channels, such as telephone calls, when receiving persuasive messages. Recent work by Shieh, McDaniel, and Ke (2009) confirms that health care professionals and family members are consulted by low-income pregnant women more frequently than newspaper, magazines, or the Internet, although books and brochures are also consulted to a slightly greater extent than family. Wilson (1997) argues that, "interpersonal problems are likely to arise whenever the information source is a person" (p. 559) due to, for example, the attitude of the source consulted or the presence of others in the context of the search.…”

“…Specifically, Shieh, McDaniel, and Ke (2009) have developed scales measuring pregnancy health information seeking, pregnancy health information needs, and pregnancy health information barriers that connect more consistently to elements of Wilson's (1997) theory.…”