The Effect of Nutritional Education Based on Health Belief Model Constructs on the Nutritional Behaviors of Pregnant Afghan Immigrant Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial
نویسندگان
1 MSc in Midwifery, Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
2 a) Associate Professor, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran b) Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical, Mashhad, Iran
3 a) Assistant Professor, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran b) Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
4 a) Assistant Professor, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran b) Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
5 Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
6 Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
doi
10.22038/jmrh.2023.73659.2149چکیده
Background & aim: Pregnant Afghan immigrant women are a vulnerable population that often experience food insecurity. The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a recommended framework for nutrition education programs to influence health behavior. This study determined the effect of HBM-based nutritional education on the nutritional behaviors of pregnant Afghan immigrant women.Methods: This randomized clinical trial used a pretest-posttest design with 116 eligible pregnant Afghan women, who were selected from health centers in Mashhad, Iran, in 2022. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention (n=56) and control (n=56) group. Data were collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire based on HBM constructs and a standard nutritional behavior assessment for low-income populations. The intervention group received HBM-based nutrition education through four 45-60 minute sessions with 8-10 individuals in each group. Questionnaires were completed pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and one month later. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney, and repeated measures ANOVA/Friedman’s tests in SPSS.Results: The intervention group showed a significant improvement in the total HBM score and its constructs immediately and one-month post-intervention compared to both baseline and the control group (P<0.001). A significant increase was also observed in the nutritional behavior score of the intervention group at both follow-ups compared to the control group (P<0.001).Conclusion: Nutrition education based on the HBM effectively improved the nutritional behaviors of pregnant Afghan immigrant women, providing a suitable and cost-effective method to enhance their nutritional status.
