Knowledge and awareness of maternal health risk factors among reproductive-age women in Almaty: socio-demographic and environmental characteristics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37800/RM.3.2026.792Keywords:
Maternal health literacy (MHL), Reproductive-age women, Preeclampsia, Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), Knowledge and awareness, Kazakhstan, Risk factorsAbstract
Relevance: Environmental health risks have emerged as critical determinants of pregnancy outcomes, yet their recognition among reproductive-age women remains insufficient. Maternal health literacy (MHL), defined as the ability to access, understand, evaluate, and apply knowledge about one’s health and the health of one’s children, is key to addressing both clinical and environmental risk factors.
This study aimed to assess maternal health literacy among women in Kazakhstan across socio-demographic groups, with a particular focus on environmental health risks such as air pollution.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional quantitative study used an MHL questionnaire and involved 808 women of reproductive age living in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Results: Most respondents were aged 18-29 years (53.4%) and 30-44 years (44.1%). The majority had higher education (58.3%), were employed (54.0%), were married (95.3%), and reported an average income level (84.2%). Overall awareness was highest for timely doctor visits during pregnancy (82.1% among women aged 18-29 and 78.7% among women aged 30-44) and diagnostic examinations (82.3% and 83.1%, respectively). Awareness of the impact on air quality was also relatively high, especially among women aged 30-44 years (82.3%). However, knowledge of specific clinical risks was considerably lower: high awareness of preeclampsia ranged from 30.0% to 39.2%, and awareness of gestational diabetes ranged from 25.0% to 32.2% across age groups. Doctors and medical specialists were the most trusted sources of information on reproductive health and pregnancy, with trust exceeding 80% across all age groups.
Conclusion: Targeted interventions, such as digital health education programs, telehealth services, and culturally appropriate information campaigns, are key to improving MHL and reducing inequalities in access to health care.
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