The Impact of Education on Performing Postpartum Exercise Based on Health Belief Model

Modern life threats the social and mental health of women by involving them in different forms of unhealthy life style, without social support for education of health manners. Therefore, it will lead to physical inactivity, Depression and weight gain. Regarding the application of theories and models of health education, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of education, based on health belief model, on performing postpartum exercise in Iranian primipara women. This experimental study was carried out with the participation of 195 primipara women who were referred to health centers of Bandar Abbas, a city in central south of Iran, in the years of 1391-92. The Participants are primiparous women, coming to be visited to health centers, and will be randomly divided into three groups of 65 participants (1 intervention group an 2 control groups). Participants were interviewed using the HBM questionnaire. Education was given in four sessions on the basis of Health Belief Model for intervention group, while one session was held for second control group. First control group received the routine care of postpartum. Eventually, the collected data were analyzed by Frequency Distribution, Chi-Square Test and Anova. Mean scores of perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, guide for action, self- efficacy in the intervention group before and after education showed a significant difference in comparison with control groups (p<0.0001). Health Belief Model-based education has positive impacts on behavioral improvement.