Health Literacy and Self-care among Pregnant Women in a Low Income Country: A Pilot Study in Indonesia

Self-care during pregnancy is a crucial factor influencing the health of pregnant women. Maternal complications are often associated with low self-care behavior during pregnancy. The ability and awareness of pregnant women play a significant role in fostering good self-care, which is closely linked to health literacy. Unfortunately, in Indonesia-a low-income country-health literacy among pregnant women remains relatively low, and limited research has addressed this issue. This study aimed to determine the relationship between health literacy and self-care among pregnant women.

A quantitative study with a cross-sectional design was conducted, involving a population of 80 postpartum mothers. A total of 66 participants were selected using a non-probability purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through two questionnaires: the Maternal Health Literacy and Pregnancy Outcome Questionnaire (MHLPAQ) to measure maternal health literacy, and a self-care questionnaire developed by researchers to assess self-care practices. The Spearman test was employed for data analysis. The study was carried out at the Kassi-Kassi Public Health Center from May 10 to June 7, 2024.

The findings revealed a significant relationship between health literacy and self-care (r = 0.849; p-value < 0.001), indicating a very strong positive correlation. This demonstrates that health literacy is closely associated with self-care among pregnant women at the Kassi-Kassi Public Health Center, Indonesia.

Higher health literacy is associated with better self-care behavior among pregnant women. Therefore, enhancing health literacy is essential for improving maternal self-care practices in Indonesia.