Research On Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behavior Of Birth Defects For The Women Of Childbearing Age In Hunan Province

Objective:The knowledge level of birth defects and eugenics, attitude and behavior wereinvestigated in this paper in order to provide a scientific basis for improving and enhancingthe quality of service in prevention of birth defects, making a strategy of eugenic andsuperior nurture and birth defects interventions.Method:50communities or villages were selected by multi-stage sampling and randomsampling method and then4575child-bearing women of18to45years living in the localfor five years were randomly selected. The knowledge, attitudes and behavior of birthdefects for child-bearing women were investigated with self-designed questionnaire. Thedata was analyzed by SPSS13.0software with descriptive statistics, t-test, and varianceanalysis.Result:1. A total of4800questionnaires have been distributed but only4575were completedand useable, thus the rate of response was95.9%.2. The level of birth defects prevention knowledge for the women of childbearing agewith average score of10.61±3.405,57.9%of the women of childbearing age failed,35.8%passed,6.3%got high score. The average score of different age groups of birthdefects prevention knowledge for women of childbearing age show the significant meaningof statistics (F=50.028, p=0.000). The average score of the40years and above age groupwas lowest. The average score of different marital status groups of knowledge for womenof childbearing age show the significant meaning of statistics (F=5.185, p=0.006).Unmarried of women of childbearing age with the highest average score. The averagescore of different education background groups of knowledge for women of childbearingage show the significant meaning of statistics (F=195.618, p=0.000). The average score increased with the education level increased. The average score of different occupation ofknowledge for women of childbearing age were significant difference(F=90.594,p=0.000). Medical personnel with the highest score followed by business services staff,students, teachers, civil servants and staff, workers were third and other occupations werefourth. The average score of urban and rural areas of knowledge for women of childbearingage show the significant meaning of statistics (t=126.85， p=0.000). The level ofknowledge in urban areas group is higher than rural areas group.3. The proportion of recognition of the prevention of birth defects specific service forthe women of childbearing age in Hunan Province was higher than other place. Attitude atbirth defects was basically consistent to the level of knowledge, the excellent healthservices was demand. Television, radio (61.0%), friends and family (45.5%), newspapers,magazines, books (45.6%), and Internet (36.3%) were the main ways of obtainingknowledge on bearing. In addition to the ways of expectations of access to knowledge theabove, there were aristogenesis counseling (50.2%), aristogenesis knowledge training(41.3%), community blackboard newspapers, billboards (33.3%) and paper promotionalmaterials (35.5%). The most of women of childbearing age who accepted the eugenicsconsultation and technical services were unsatisfied. The satisfaction is32.0%only.4. The proportion of medical examination before marriage and pre-natal was low formarried (61.8%) and the women of childbearing age (73.5%).there few women study theknowledge of new wedding and aristogenesis (38.5%).Conclusion:1. Women of childbearing age have insufficient related knowledge to prevent birthdefects in Hunan Province. The overall level of the investigation results is lower than thatof other provinces of China.2. Women of childbearing age access eugenic knowledge via television broadcasts,newspapers, magazines, networks, and relatives and friends.3. Age, occupation, educational level and difference between town and country are thefactor resulting in low level of birth defect knowledge.Liu Qian (Department of Social Medicine and Health Service Management)...