Educational behaviors of pregnant women in the Bronx during Zika’s International emerging epidemic: “First mom … and then I’d Google. And then my doctor”

Miguel Rodriguez, Antoinette A. Danvers, Carolina Sanabia, Siobhan M. Dolan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The objective of the study was to understand how pregnant women learned about Zika infection and to identify what sources of information were likely to influence them during their pregnancy. Methods: We conducted 13 semi-structed interviews in English and Spanish with women receiving prenatal care who were tested for Zika virus infection. We analyzed the qualitative data using descriptive approach. Results: Pregnant women in the Bronx learned about Zika from family, television, the internet and their doctor. Informational sources played different roles. Television, specifically Spanish language networks, was often the initial source of information. Women searched the internet for additional information about Zika. Later, they engaged in further discussions with their healthcare providers. Conclusions: Television played an important role in providing awareness about Zika to pregnant women in the Bronx, but that information was incomplete. The internet and healthcare providers were sources of more complete information and are likely the most influential. Efforts to educate pregnant women about emerging infectious diseases will benefit from using a variety of approaches including television messages that promote public awareness followed up by reliable information via the internet and healthcare providers.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number719
JournalBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Volume21
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2021

Keywords

  • Health education
  • Zika virus infection

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology

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