Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Food Habits Among Pregnant Tribal Women in Santhal Pargana, Jharkhand: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Survey.

INTRODUCTION

Maternal malnutrition is common in developing countries. They face deficiencies in macronutrients and micronutrients. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to nutrition among tribal pregnant women in a developing district in Jharkhand, India.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a purposive sample of 139 pregnant tribal women attending a tertiary healthcare center in Deoghar, Jharkhand, India. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. An expert surveyor with local language proficiency collected the data. The questionnaire collected data on sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric history, and nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices. There were seven questions for each domain, totaling 21 questions. For each domain (having seven questions with a maximum score of seven), the total score was divided by seven to get an average score.

RESULTS

Among the 139 participants, 107 (76.97%) were aged between 15 and 24 years. Most women (91, 45.46%) had education up to the secondary level, while 124 (89.2%) were homemakers. Primigravida women accounted for 61 (43.88%) participants. Anemia was prevalent (average hemoglobin 9.51±0.48 gm/dL) among all participants. The knowledge score was 1.75±0.57, attitude 1.04±0.24, and practice 1.36±0.02 (ANOVA F = 125.6, P < 0.0001). A multiple linear regression model indicated that knowledge and attitude collectively predicted practice (R = 0.45, P < 0.0001), but only knowledge made a significant independent contribution (t = 4.4, P < 0.0001). Similarly, age, education, income, and gravida significantly predicted knowledge levels (R = 0.828, P < 0.0001), with education being the only significant independent predictor (t = 15.73, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Despite a high prevalence of anemia, participants exhibited limited knowledge, attitude, and practice of food habits among pregnant tribal women. The level of education plays a crucial role in shaping knowledge, attitudes, and practices. It emphasizes the role of awareness programs in improving maternal health.