Pender’s health promotion model guided this descriptive/correlational study exploring the relationship between religiosity and health-promoting behaviors of pregnant women at Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs). A consecutive sample included women who knew they were pregnant at least 2 months, could read/write English, and visited PRCs in eastern Pennsylvania. Participants completed self-report surveys that examined religiosity, demographics, pregnancy-related variables, services received at PRCs, and health-promoting behaviors. Women reported they “sometimes” or “often” engaged in health-promoting behaviors, Hispanic women reported fewer health-promoting behaviors than non-Hispanic women, and women who attended classes at the centers reported more frequent health-promoting behaviors than those who did not attend classes. In separate multiple linear regressions, organized, non-organized, and intrinsic religiosity and satisfaction with surrender to God explained additional variance in health-promoting behaviors above and beyond what Hispanic ethnicity and attending classes at the PRCs explained in pregnant women at PRCs.

This dissertation investigates the pressing issue of education in cardiac arrest during pregnancy, an emergency of life-threatening significance that necessitates a coordinated response from maternal and neonatal healthcare teams. The study encompasses three primary chapters, each addressing a crucial facet of this intricate scenario. In the chapter titled "Cardiac Arrest in Pregnancy: A Scoping Review on Knowledge and Confidence in a Maternal & Neonatal Response," an extensive examination of existing literature illuminated substantial knowledge gaps in the resuscitation of pregnant individuals, a concern that has persisted for over a decade. These gaps encompass critical domains, including a dearth of high-quality research with a heavy reliance on limited experimental designs, small sample sizes that curtail the generalizability of findings, a lack of comprehensive comparisons among various teaching strategies for enhancing knowledge and confidence, an emphasis on short-term outcomes without adequate longitudinal assessments of knowledge retention and clinical impact, a need for tailored education programs catering to diverse healthcare professionals, and a scarcity of research on collaborative learning experiences, particularly concerning neonatology teams. These identified gaps offer valuable opportunities for future research aimed at fortifying the evidence base, refining educational approaches, and ultimately enhancing the management of cardiac arrest during pregnancy and neonatal resuscitation. This manuscript underscores the pressing need to expand educational initiatives beyond obstetrical units and to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among healthcare teams. The chapter titled, "Escaping PowerPoint: Enhancing Knowledge, Satisfaction, and Self-Confidence in Cardiac Arrest in Pregnancy," introduces an innovative teaching strategy known as the Virtual Escape Room (VER). The randomized controlled study compares the effectiveness of this virtual gamified approach with a traditional online PowerPoint method in improving knowledge acquisition, learner satisfaction, and self-confidence. The findings demonstrate the statistically significant superiority of the VER in enhancing these critical outcomes, highlighting the potential of immersive learning experiences in healthcare education. Notably, the data reveal a substantial increase in mean scores from the knowledge pre-test (M = 59.58, SD = 16.30) to the knowledge post-test (M = 68.24, SD = 17.42), t(64) = 5.635, p < .001 . The assessment tools employed included a knowledge quiz and The National League for Nursing (NLN) Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence instruments. The chapter titled "Puzzling Out the Correlates of Learner Engagement and Exploring Motivational States within a Virtual Escape Room," delves into the intricate aspects of learner engagement within the gamified learning environment of the VER. It uncovers the relationships between engagement, learner satisfaction, and specific engagement components such as enjoyment, creative thinking, and dominance. This manuscript underscores the multifaceted nature of engagement and highlights the imperative need for further research to achieve a more profound comprehension of its role in shaping learning outcomes. The study employed the Gameful Experience Scale (GAMEX) and the Telic/Paratelic State Measure (TPSI) instrument. Notably, statistically significant positive correlations were observed, including r = 0.346 (p = 0.005) between the Enjoyment Score and knowledge post-test, r = 0.305 (p = 0.013) between the Creative Thinking Score and knowledge post-test, and r = 0.255 (p = 0.04) between the Dominance Score and knowledge post-test. Additionally, a significant interaction effect emerged between the T/PSI score (pre vs. post) and the educational intervention (VER vs. control group). T/PSI score increased from 35.83 (SD = 8.67) before the intervention to 38.86 (SD = 9.91) after the intervention, indicating a substantial change. In contrast, there was no statistically significant difference in T/PSI scores before and after the traditional PowerPoint intervention for the control group, where the mean scores changed from 35.89 (SD = 7.02) to 35.57 (SD = 7.94). These findings strongly suggest that the VER condition contributes to a paratelic state among participants when compared to the control condition. This dissertation underscores the paramount importance of effective education in managing cardiac arrest during pregnancy, given the persistent knowledge gaps among resuscitation teams. The introduction of the VER as an innovative educational strategy represents a significant advancement in addressing these deficits. Furthermore, the exploration of engagement and motivational states within the gamified learning environment offers valuable insights into the complexities of learner engagement, paving the way for more effective educational strategies in healthcare settings. Ultimately, these findings have the potential to empower healthcare teams, potentially reducing maternal mortality rates and improving neonatal outcomes in the face of this critical emergency.

No description available.

No description available.

This retrospective study was undertaken to determine the effect of nutritional counseling and assessment of underweight pregnant women enrolled in NIP program of the Virginia State Health Department on pregnancy outcomes, including biological, social and nutritional risk variables. A total sample of 2228 prenatal women enrolled in the program from 1988-1991 were subjects for this study. A NIP program tracking form was used to obtain all the information pertinent to this research. About half of the underweight women as measured by percent expected weight remained underweight at their last visit and only 44% of the underweight pregnant women had normal expected weight at their last visit. Women of the other ethnic group had the highest change in protein intake during their pregnancy indicating that these women showed remarkable improvement in their dietary intake. The incidence of low birth weight in this subject population was greater when compared with the state vital statistics. Black women appeared to be more vulnerable than white women or women of other ethnic group. No significant difference was seen in the incidence of preterm and low birth weight infants born to underweight women who remained underweight at their last visit and those who had improvement in their percent expected weight. Longer NIP participation was not positively correlated with pregnancy outcomes. But positive correlations with number of nutritional visits and when the prenatal care began, it is possible that nutrition intervention by the NIP nutritionists may have reduced the incidence of unfavorable pregnancy outcomes. / Master of Science

Yes / Pregnant women seeking asylum in the UK may be particularly vulnerable with poor underlying health, more complex pregnancies and an increased risk of maternal and perinatal mortality. Studies have shown that some women seeking asylum have poor experiences of maternity care. This is despite the implementation of NICE guidelines to improve care for women with complex social factors. This article reports on a phenomenological study undertaken in West Yorkshire, aiming to explore the maternity care experiences of local pregnant asylum seeking women, to inform service development. Six women were interviewed over a three-month period. The findings focused more broadly on their experiences of living in the UK whilst being an asylum seeker and pregnant rather than focusing on maternity care, although this was included. Five key themes emerged: ‘pre-booking challenges’, ‘inappropriate accommodation’, ‘being pregnant and dispersed’, ‘being alone and pregnant’ and ‘not being asked or listened to’. These findings could be used as the basis for training midwives to understand how the difficulties women experience can impact on their health and social needs.

A quantitative, descriptive and cross sectional study was conducted in four (4) health care facilities to determine whether pregnant women attending antenatal care are aware of danger signs of obstetric complications. The objectives of the study were to assess awareness of danger signs of obstetric complications and to associate demographic and obstetric factors with awareness of danger signs of obstetric complications among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Eastern Wollega zone. Data was collected by means of structured questionnaire from 384 pregnant women attending antenatal care in the 4 health facilities and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 16 computer program. The findings revealed that the proportion of women who were aware of danger signs of obstetric complications was inadequate. Recommendations were made in line with the research findings / Health Studies / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

published_or_final_version / abstract / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

<p>Many of the known risk factors associated with low birth weight, such as socio-economic status, ethnicity, genetic makeup, and obstetric history, are not within a women's immediate control. However, there are many things that a woman can do to improve her chances of having a normal healthy child. Lifestyle behaviours, such as cigarette smoking, nutrition and the use of alcohol, play an important role in determining the growth of the fetus. The aim of this study was to establish the knowledge, attitudes and practices related to lifestyle factors such as alcohol use, smoking and nutrition among childbearing women and health care workers on the farms in Stellenbosch and Vredendal.</p>

Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-26T12:51:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 katiajairagalisteu_dissert.pdf: 6806647 bytes, checksum: ab1b8f140157ecb1f877fc0e8939bf8b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-06-22 / The aim of our study was to assess toxoplasmosis frequency and its risk factors in pregnant women and their newborns from São Paulo State Northwest region. From two thousand and a hundred pregnant women, 232 patients were screened in the referral outpatient clinics of two Health Units in São José do Rio Preto, between June 2005 and March 2006. Serological analysis was performed by the IgG indirect hemagglutination assay. The 133 positive pregnant women were also evaluated by the IgG-avidity test followed by ELISA assays for IgM and IgG for their newborns. The transmission risk factors were accomplished by interview. The independence among rates was determined by the Chi-Square method and odds ratio test with a 5% significance level. The obtained data showed 57.3% of IgG reagent pregnant women, all of them providing highly IgG-avidity results. The newborns showed positivity to IgG but they were all negative to IgM. Our data suggest that the transmission of this protozoan occurs in the studied area. However, we could not demonstrate congenital transmission. Ingestion of water from public reservoirs and unpasteurized milk were considered to be risk factors to toxoplasmosis in the Northwest region of São Paulo State. Due to the Toxoplasma gondii ascertained transmission, serological accompaniment of pregnant women it is highly recommended. / Os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar a freqüência de toxoplasmose e os fatores de risco associados em grávidas e seus neonatos do Noroeste Paulista. Das 2.100 gestantes atendidas em ambulatórios de referência nas duas Unidades de Saúde de São José do Rio Preto, no período de junho de 2005 a março de 2006, foram triadas 232 mulheres grávidas e realizado exame sorológico para a pesquisa de IgG por meio do teste de Hemaglutinação indireta. Destas, 133 grávidas forneceram resultado positivo, as quais foram também avaliadas pelo teste de avidez para IgG. Posteriormente, os neonatos foram investigados quanto a presença de IgM e IgG pelo teste de ELISA. O levantamento dos fatores de risco na transmissão da toxoplasmose foi realizado por entrevista. A independência entre as proporções foi determinada pelo método do teste Qui-Quadrado e o teste de razão de chances. O nível de significância adotado foi de 5%. Os resultados demonstraram que 57,3% eram IgG reagentes. Todas as grávidas positivas apresentaram alta avidez para IgG. Os recém-nascidos mostraram positividade para IgG, entretanto, foi observada negatividade para a pesquisa de IgM. A transmissão do protozoário ocorre na região, no entanto, a transmissão congênita não foi evidenciada. A água de consumo e o leite não-pasteurizado estão associados a essa infecção no Noroeste Paulista. O acompanhamento sorológico para o T. gondii, durante todo o pré-natal, é de extrema importância.