| Abstrakt: |
Pregnancy is usually a period of joy, happiness, and expectation for a baby. However, COVID-19 changed the priority and created an environment of worry, perceived threats, and increased protective behaviour to safeguard mother and baby against COVID-19. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess, the level of knowledge, perceived threats, protective behavior, and factors affecting protective behavior among pregnant women by using a convenient sampling technique. The questionnaire collected the demographic profile, knowledge related to the risk factors of COVID-19, perceived treats (severity and susceptibility), and protective behaviors adopted by pregnant women. Among the 325 pregnant women, knowledge was high (50.5%), the highest relative Importance Index for perceived susceptibility and severity was coming to hospital visits (0.64), and the belief that COVID-19 is a severe health problem (0.81) respectively. Around 69.8% had followed COVID appropriate protective behaviors. The study also revealed that, a high level of knowledge (AOR=2.45, 95%CI:1.45–4.13) and having a university education (AOR= 2.91, 95%CI:1.62–5.22) had a significantly higher probability of adapting COVID appropriate behavior among pregnant women. This study emphasizes the need to streamline communication and adequate education for pregnant women which can help reduce perceived threats and improve protective behavior. • 60.9% of the participants had perceived that they are highly susceptible to be infected with covid 19 infections. • 82.5% agreed COVID 19 infections would lead to severe outcomes (perceived severity) and 69.8% had appropriate protective health behavior • Protective health behavior was significantly higher among pregnant women having university education, working and APL • Pregnant women with high level of knowledge and University education were significant association with CAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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