Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Increasing Vaccine Uptake during Pregnancy by Using Prenatal Education Classes: An Effective Tool for Health Communication and Promotion

Stefania Triunfo
* ORCID logo ,
Silvia Perossini
,
Esther Burdin
,
Elena Claudia De Angeli
,
Maria Francesi
,
Alessandra Garolfi
,
Jessica Moretti
,
Ilenia Paruscio
,
Miriam Tassielli
,
Marta Tremolada
,
Simona Gemelli
,
Deborah Pedrina
,
Anna Maria Marconi
Version 1 : Received: 5 August 2023 / Approved: 21 August 2023 / Online: 22 August 2023 (09:43:00 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Triunfo, S.; Perossini, S.; Burdin, E.; De Angeli, E.C.; Francesi, M.; Garolfi, A.; Moretti, J.; Paruscio, I.; Tassielli, M.; Tremolada, M.; Gemelli, S.; Pedrina, D.; Marconi, A.M. Increasing Vaccine Uptake during Pregnancy by Using Prenatal Education Classes: An Effective Tool for Health Communication and Promotion. Children 2023, 10, 1466. Triunfo, S.; Perossini, S.; Burdin, E.; De Angeli, E.C.; Francesi, M.; Garolfi, A.; Moretti, J.; Paruscio, I.; Tassielli, M.; Tremolada, M.; Gemelli, S.; Pedrina, D.; Marconi, A.M. Increasing Vaccine Uptake during Pregnancy by Using Prenatal Education Classes: An Effective Tool for Health Communication and Promotion. Children 2023, 10, 1466.

Abstract

Childbirth education classes represent an antenatal tool for supporting pregnant women and couples in increasing knowledge on pregnancy, delivery, breastfeeding, and newborn care. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the additional lesson to the prenatal course regarding the advantage of the vaccination on mitigation of maternal anxiety. An observational study was designed including participants in childbirth education classes, comparing courses enhanced by the extra lesson on vaccination during pregnancy versus those lacking it. Assessment of the impact of prenatal educational on vaccine was measured by using validated questionnaires (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI; Perceived Stress Scale, PSS; World Health Organization- Five Well-Being Index, WHO-5). A total of 145 pregnant women participated to the investigation by answering to the online survey. Of them, 33 patients (22.8%) belong to the course without lesson on vaccine, while 112 (77.2%) participated to online prenatal education inclusive of additional meeting on usefulness to get vaccinated during pregnancy. No statistical differences were found between study groups in demographics and perinatal outcomes. Participants to enriched course reported lower basal anxiety levels than those without lesson on vaccine (STAI-State, normal score <40, 30 vs. 19%, p-value 0.041; STAI-State, mild score 40-50, 78 vs 67%, p-value 0.037). With reference to the last two weeks, maternal wellbeing level was improved by the added class (score >13 as measurement of wellbeing: 62% vs 80%, p-value<0.05). Moderate perceived stress assessed by PSS was found in those pregnant women without prenatal education on vaccine (64 vs 50%, p-value 0.042). The introduction of a lesson regarding on vaccination during pregnancy in the program of prenatal education courses improves maternal anxiety levels and wellbeing, in addition to reducing perceived stress.

Keywords

pregnancy; vaccine; health literacy; prenatal education classes

Subject

Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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