TY - JOUR
T1 - Do empowerment strategies facilitate knowledge and behavioral change? the impact of family health advocacy on health outcomes
AU - Baffour, Tiffany D.
AU - Chonody, Jill M.
PY - 2012/7/23
Y1 - 2012/7/23
N2 - This study evaluates the impact of a Family Health Advocacy (FHA) intervention on 46 African American women ages 13 to 35 living in a rural southern community. FHA utilizes empowerment strategies to provide education and social support to reduce risk factors for poor pregnancy outcomes. Use of a paired t test demonstrated a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores in the acquisition of knowledge of safer sex practices, alcohol consumption, early prenatal care, maternal infection, and nutrition. Behavioral change was not realized in the areas of nutrition or behaviors that cause risk of maternal infection. Social workers can influence behavioral change for at-risk populations by addressing microlevel barriers such as education and resources and macrolevel barriers such as advocacy for expanded health and social services.
AB - This study evaluates the impact of a Family Health Advocacy (FHA) intervention on 46 African American women ages 13 to 35 living in a rural southern community. FHA utilizes empowerment strategies to provide education and social support to reduce risk factors for poor pregnancy outcomes. Use of a paired t test demonstrated a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores in the acquisition of knowledge of safer sex practices, alcohol consumption, early prenatal care, maternal infection, and nutrition. Behavioral change was not realized in the areas of nutrition or behaviors that cause risk of maternal infection. Social workers can influence behavioral change for at-risk populations by addressing microlevel barriers such as education and resources and macrolevel barriers such as advocacy for expanded health and social services.
KW - African American women
KW - Maternal and child health
KW - advocacy
KW - empowerment
KW - health disparities
KW - health promotion
KW - rural health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84865246175&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/19371918.2010.494991
DO - 10.1080/19371918.2010.494991
M3 - Article
C2 - 22873938
AN - SCOPUS:84865246175
SN - 1937-1918
VL - 27
SP - 507
EP - 519
JO - Social Work in Public Health
JF - Social Work in Public Health
IS - 5
ER -