{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.04623179227359088, 'fraction_numerical': 0.022165927802406588, 'mean_word_length': 5.196078431372549, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 1, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Pro-environmental Health Behavior and Educational Needs among Pregnant Women: A Cross-sectional Survey.

AIM
To investigate pro-environmental health perceptions, behavior and educational needs among pregnant women in Korea.


BACKGROUND
Based on concerns about the effects of environmental hazards and pollution on their babies and themselves, pregnant women behave in ways that protect their health. The framework of this study was based on Rogers' protection motivation theory.


DESIGN
Cross-sectional survey using questionnaires.


METHOD
The sample comprised 358 pregnant women recruited from July to August 2018 in South Korea. Participants were recruited from prenatal classes at two health care centers and patients receiving prenatal check-ups at two women's hospitals.


RESULTS
Perceived educational needs were ranked in the following order: particulate matter (23.7%), electromagnetic waves (11.7%), instant food (food additives) (9.0%) and environmental hormones (8.3%). Age (β = .17, p = .001), perceived severity (β = .19, p = .001) and response efficacy (β = .28, p < .001) affected pro-environmental behavior, which explained 23.0% of the variance.


CONCLUSION
Educational programs are necessary for mitigating environmental risks during pregnancy. Pregnant women engage in pro-environmental behavior influenced by pro-environmental perceptions, especially perceptions of severity regarding environmental diseases and the efficacy of health behavioral responses. Nursing professionals can use these results to promote pro-environmental health in pregnant women.