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Learning Objective 1: State whether the use of Knowing your Body Kit is associated with increased self-efficacy score on women’s perception of their knowledge of the body.
Learning Objective 2: State the percentage of women who reported that they felt very confident that they could plan their pregnancies
Methods: The social cognitive theory guides this study. Twenty-two low-income women aged 18 to 39 years were interviewed at baseline about their knowledge of the body and use of the various materials that could help in knowing the reproductive changes that occur in women’s body. This was during a home visit by community health workers and nursing students’ team. After this interview the women were introduced and taught how to use a Knowing your body (KB) kit, which consisted of educational brochures that contain information on female reproductive anatomy, hormones, menstrual cycle, birth controls, body temperature changes, characteristics of cervical mucus, and signs and symptoms of pregnancy. The women were also given ovulation test kits, monthly calendars for menstrual log, digital thermometer for basal body temperature, and graphs to chart temperature. The questionnaire administered at baseline was administered at 6-8 weeks later.
Results: 22.73 % were African American, 45.5% were Hispanics, and 22.73% were Native American. The mean score for the self-efficacy scale increased from baseline (3.25, range is 1.9 to 4.35) to post- intervention period (3.86, range from 3.1 to 4.45). Post intervention, 77.27% of the women reported that they felt very confident that they could plan their pregnancies.
Conclusion: Promoting women’s knowledge of the body through the use of the KB kit may be a viable opportunity to promote women’s pregnancy planning ability. There will be need to conduct further study to examine whether cognitive development of women’s reproductive knowledge will translate to behavioral changes.