Analyzing early childhood allergy prevention motivation of mothers of infants and its predictors using latent class analysis and structural equation modelling.

Autor: Wirtz MA; Research Methods in Health Sciences, Faculty for Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology, University of Education Freiburg, Kunzenweg 21, 79117, Freiburg, Germany. markus.wirtz@ph-freiburg.de., Schulz AA; Research Methods in Health Sciences, Faculty for Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology, University of Education Freiburg, Kunzenweg 21, 79117, Freiburg, Germany., Heiberger A; Research Methods in Health Sciences, Faculty for Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology, University of Education Freiburg, Kunzenweg 21, 79117, Freiburg, Germany., Dresch C; Research Methods in Health Sciences, Faculty for Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology, University of Education Freiburg, Kunzenweg 21, 79117, Freiburg, Germany.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: BMC public health [BMC Public Health] 2024 Oct 24; Vol. 24 (1), pp. 2950. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Oct 24.
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-20436-6
Abstrakt: Background: Allergic diseases are among the most common chronic diseases in childhood. Early childhood allergy prevention (ECAP) behaviors of those caring for the infant during pregnancy and the first months of life may influence the risk of allergy development over the life course. Motivation and intention to use appropriate primary ECAP measures are thus of critical importance.
Aims: To characterize parental ECAP motivation, (a) valid indicators will be developed and (b) typical parental characteristics will be identified. (c) According to socio-cognitive models, the predictive value of parental risk perception, control belief and self-efficacy for parental ECAP motivation shall be determined.
Method: A sample of N = 343 (expectant) mothers of infants completed a questionnaire on self-reported ECAP motivation, risk perception, control belief, and self-efficacy. The cross-sectional data were analyzed using latent class analysis and structural equation modelling including nominal regression models.
Results: Four typical maternal response profiles (motivated to a customary degree, 70%; motivated to use primary preventive measures, 17.8%; reluctant towards new prevention measures, 6.4%; highly motivated to apply preventive measures in case of an existing allergy, 5.8%) could be identified for the items on ECAP motivation. After splitting the model variables "risk perception" (allergy vs. allergy-associated general health problems) and "self-efficacy" (trust vs. insecurity) a satisfactory model-fit was achieved (CFI = .939; RMSEA = .064). Particularly, increased "risk perception-allergy" (OR = 1.655) and "self-efficacy-insecurity" (OR = 2.013) as well as lower "risk perception-general health" (OR = 0.555) and "control belief" (OR = 0.217), respectively, are associated with higher ECAP motivation.
Conclusion: The use of ECAP-measures by parents to protect their newborns from allergies is important, but there are deficiencies in their implementation. Based on a social cognitive model approach, predictive characteristics could be identified, which are associated with increased motivation to implement ECAP-measures. For public health our findings provide a promising basis for conception of behavioral and environmental ECAP prevention measures and their motivated implementation by parents.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
Externí odkaz: