title: Do empowerment strategies facilitate knowledge and behavioral change? The impact of family health advocacy on health outcomes.
abstract: This study evaluates the impact of a Family Health Advocacy (FHA) intervention on 46 African American women ages 13 to 35 living in a rural southern community. FHA utilizes empowerment strategies to provide education and social support to reduce risk factors for poor pregnancy outcomes. Use of a paired t test demonstrated a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores in the acquisition of knowledge of safer sex practices, alcohol consumption, early prenatal care, maternal infection, and nutrition. Behavioral change was not realized in the areas of nutrition or behaviors that cause risk of maternal infection. Social workers can influence behavioral change for at-risk populations by addressing microlevel barriers such as education and resources and macrolevel barriers such as advocacy for expanded health and social services.
authors.affiliation: aCenter for Teaching and Learning, Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27110, USA. baffourt@wssu.edu
authors.forename: Tiffany D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Baffour
authors.forename: Jill M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chonody
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003254:Consumer Advocacy; D005192:Family Health / Q000193:education; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008430:Maternal-Child Health Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012424:Rural Population; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology