Nursing Intervention "EducaTHE" to Improve Knowledge and Self-care Behaviors for Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnant Women: a Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.

Abstract

Objective: This work sought to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effect of the nursing intervention "Knowledge and self-care behaviors of pregnant women in the face of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy - EducaTHE".

Methods: This study is a pilot randomized controlled trial. Sixty pregnant women who were enrolled in the antenatal care program of a health institution participated. They were selected via simple random sampling and assigned to the experimental group (n = 30) and control group (n = 30). The intervention consisted of four educational sessions once a week, while the control group received usual antenatal care. Recruitment, follow-up, and dropout rates were assessed, as well as participant satisfaction. Both groups completed the "Knowledge and Self-Care Behaviors - CoNOCiTHE" and "Determinants of Behavior" scales before and four weeks after the intervention to assess impact.

Results: The recruitment rate was 75.94%, 90% at follow-up and 10% dropouts. Overall satisfaction was 4.82 out of 5. The effect of the intervention showed a significant increase in the level of knowledge and behaviors in the experimental group compared to the control group (77 vs. 69; p< 0.001) and in the determinants of behavior (159 vs. 154; p=0.066), and a large effect size (d-Cliff = 0.7517). These changes were not significant in the control group (p≥0.05).

Conclusion: This study shows the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention in the maternal population, as well as the potential ef-fect of improving knowledge and self-care behaviors in the face of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Therefore, it is rec-ommended to use these types of educational interventions in maternal and perinatal nursing care.