Improving Knowledge and Attitudes in Pregnant, Postpartum, and Lactating Women toward Preventing COVID-19 Transmission and Self-Care with Health Education Packages using Android Applications

Background: The Covid-19 outbreak is rapidly increasing as evidenced by the number of cases, deaths and countries affected. However, limited data is available on pregnant women with Covid-19 on which to base recommendations for pregnancy and post-partum care. This study aims to identify the effectiveness of nursing intervention with health education via an android application about self-care and prevention of Covid-19 transmission toward the knowledge and attitudes of pregnant, post-partum and lactating women. Method: This study was done with a research and development design that consisted of three stages. Stage one was identifying the existing nursing intervention for respondents with Covid-19, stage two involved the health education formulation and built it in to an android application, stage three measured the differences in knowledge attitude of respondents before and after health education by using the android application. 152 respondents pregnant, post-partum and lactating with Covid-19 women participated in this study. Samples were collected by quota sampling from hospitals where they were being treated. Result: Stage one results showed that nursing intervention has been done comprehensively, (bio including nutrition, exercise, psychosocial, spiritual etc). Stage two established the health education and built it in to an android application. Stage three found that there were differences between pre and post health education via an android application in the knowledge and attitudes during pregnancy, post-partum and lactating women in self-care and prevention of Covid-19 transmission. Significancy was found among post-partum and lactating women (p=0.018*). Conclusion: There was a difference in knowledge and attitudes among pregnant, post-partum and lactating women in self-care and prevention regarding the spread of Covid-19 before and after health education via an android application. This study recommends that health care providers use this health education method in their intervention to improve health status and prevent further spread of Covid-19. Further research to explore more health indicators is needed.