Table 2 Preconception health knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intent of survey respondents from five countries stratified by sex
| Â | Pooled | South Africa | UK | USA | Kenya | Malaysia | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Men (n = 2590) | Women (n = 2410) | Men (n = 490) | Women (n = 510) | Men (n = 468) | Women (n = 527) | Men (n = 480) | Women (n = 520) | Men (n = 480) | Women (n = 520) | Men (n = 480) | Women (n = 520) | ||
Preconception health knowledge, attitude and behavioural intent | |||||||||||||
Preconception health knowledge | Poor knowledge score | 1109 (42.8) | 848 (35.2) | 211 (43.1) | 186 (36.5) | 252 (58.9) | 159 (30.2) | 222 (42.3) | 129 (24.8) | 204 (42.5) | 169 (32.5) | 220 (45.8) | 205 (39.4) |
Adequate knowledge score | 1116 (43.1) | 1399 (58.1) | 238 (48.6) | 294 (57.7) | 187 (40.0) | 290 (55.0) | 213 (44.4) | 298 (57.3) | 238 (49.6) | 259 (49.8) | 240 (50.0) | 258 (49.6) | |
Good knowledge score | 185 (7.1) | 343 (14.2) | 41 (8.4) | 30 (5.9) | 41 (8.8) | 71 (13.5) | 45 (9.4) | 93 (17.9) | 38 (7.9) | 92 (17.7) | 20 (4.2) | 57 (11.0) | |
Attitude (% rates as important) | Take folate | 1408 (54.4) | 1753 (72.7) | 297 (60.6) | 399 (78.2) | 226 (48.3) | 302 (57.3) | 238 (49.6) | 293 (56.4) | 353 (73.5) | 421 (81.0) | 294 (61.3) | 338 (65.0) |
Avoid alcohol | 2041 (78.8) | 2248 (93.3) | 437 (89.2) | 470 (92.2) | 369 (78.9) | 409 (77.6) | 391 (81.5) | 432 (83.1) | 446 (92.9) | 492 (94.6) | 398 (82.9) | 445 (85.6) | |
Exercise daily | 2021 (78.0) | 2132 (88.5) | 430 (87.8) | 453 (88.8) | 365 (78.0) | 387 (73.4) | 384 (80.0) | 405 (77.9) | 457 (95.2) | 480 (92.3) | 385 (80.2) | 407 (78.3) | |
Avoid smoking | 2078 (80.2) | 2365 (98.1) | 445 (90.8) | 482 (94.5) | 383 (81.8) | 457 (86.7) | 389 (81.0) | 455 (87.5) | 455 (94.8) | 505 (97.1) | 406 (84.6) | 466 (89.6) | |
Maintain good mental health | 2093 (80.8) | 2386 (99.0) | 458 (93.5) | 483 (94.7) | 371 (79.3) | 451 (85.6) | 381 (79.4) | 464 (83.2) | 467 (97.3) | 511 (98.3) | 416 (86.7) | 477 (91.7) | |
Eat healthily | 2146 (82.9) | 2402 (99.7) | 463 (94.5) | 490 (96.1) | 400 (85.5) | 468 (88.8) | 399 (83.1) | 450 (86.5) | 470 (97.9) | 514 (98.9) | 414 (86.3) | 473 (91.0) | |
Check blood pressure regularly | 2077 (80.2) | 2346 (97.3) | 454 (92.7) | 487 (95.5) | 378 (80.8) | 430 (81.6) | 373 (77.7) | 439 (84.4) | 459 (95.6) | 514 (98.9) | 413 (86.0) | 476 (91.5) | |
Behaviour (% rates as likely) | Access preconception care if available and planning a pregnancy | 2048 (79.1) | 2218 (92.0) | 420 (85.7) | 436 (85.5) | 376 (80.3) | 421 (79.9) | 397 (82.7) | 405 (77.9) | 435 (90.6) | 487 (93.7) | 420 (87.5) | 469 (90.2) |