Exploring the Importance of Health Education during Pregnancy Based on the Health Belief Model
Abstract
Pregnancy health education is of great significance for the health of both mothers and infants, and the Health Belief Model (HBM) provides a key theoretical framework for it. The HBM consists of six constructs: perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy. It can facilitate the transformation from “knowing” to “believing” and then to “acting” for pregnant women. Pregnancy health education based on the HBM can improve maternal and infant health outcomes, enhance specific health knowledge and safe behaviors, and promote the establishment of healthy lifestyles. Its intervention implementation involves assessment, planning, implementation, and re-assessment processes, and the educational content needs to be constructed according to the characteristics of the early, middle, and late stages of pregnancy. However, the application of the HBM faces challenges such as cultural adaptability, digital integration, and the lack of long-term effect evaluation. In the future, targeted optimization is needed to improve the pregnancy health education system and ensure maternal and infant health.
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