Information-Seeking and its Predictors in Low-Income Pregnant Women

This study examined information-seeking and its predictors (information needs and barriers) in low-income pregnant women. Eighty-four pregnant women from a prenatal clinic were interviewed using three scales that measured the frequency of information-seeking from eight different sources, information needs for 20 pregnancy health topics, and 15 barriers to seeking information, respectively. Most women were black, unmarried, between 20 and 29 years of age, high school educated or less, multigravidas, and in their third trimester of pregnancy. Information needs and barriers were significant predictors of information-seeking. Together, they explained 26% of the variance in the seeking outcome. High information needs and low barriers predicted more frequent information-seeking. First pregnancy and asthma during pregnancy were significant covariates for information-seeking. Information needs and barriers are related to information-seeking among low-income pregnant women. To facilitate pregnant women's information-seeking, health care providers may assess a woman's need for information and barriers that the woman experiences when seeking information, and factors such as first pregnancy and asthma.