The Effect of Counseling based on health promotion awareness on reproductive and sexual self-care needs and health literacy of newly married women: An Experimental Study

Abstract

abstract Introduction: Scientific evidence indicates that newly married women have a poor understanding of self-care needs and reproductive and sexual health literacy. The present study was conducted to determine the effect of health awareness counseling on self-care needs and reproductive and sexual health literacy in newly married women.Methods and Materials: The present study was an experimental study that was conducted on 64 women aged 15 to 40 who had been married for six months and were covered by health centers in Tehran. One tenth of the health centers were selected randomly. Obtaining a score of more than 142.5 from the questionnaire of educational sexual and reproductive health self-care needs was one of the criteria for entering the study. Informed consent was obtained from individuals. The participants in the study were assigned to two intervention and control groups by random allocation method with a ratio of 1:1. Questionnaires were completed by interview before and 4 weeks after the intervention. The data was analyzed by SPSS24 software. Independent t-tests and ANCOVA were used. The significance level of the data was calculated as P>0.05.Result: The results showed that after counseling, the overall average score of the perceived reproductive and sexual health self-care needs of the intervention group was significantly reduced compared to the control group [mean difference -6.28 with a 95% confidence interval and (10.57) - to -2.00), (P=0.001)]. The average overall score of sexual and reproductive health literacy after counseling in the intervention group compared to the control group increased significantly [mean difference 4.74 and confidence interval 95% and (7.90 to 1.59), (P=0.01)].Conclusion: It was found that the effect of health awareness counseling on the perceived needs of self-care and health literacy in the field of reproductive and sexual issues in newly married women and the provision of counseling services to newly married women in service delivery programs Health in health centers is necessary in order to improve the health of women and families