Assessment of Awareness and Knowledge About Rickets in Primary Health Care Centers in Saudi Arabia Based on Health Belief Model and Social Cognitive Theory

BACKGROUND: Rickets is considered a significant health issue affecting children especially infants and toddlers. Despite the development affordable and accessible of a health care system in Saudi Arabia, Saudi children had a high prevalence of rickets. This study aims to assess knowledge and awareness of mothers about rickets after short interventional program based on the health belief model and social cognitive theory. METHODS: A Quasi-experimental design pre-posttest type was carried out by using self-administered questionnaire. A sample size of 180 mothers who attended the well-baby clinic in primary health care centers in Riyadh and Medina Region were consented and then enrolled in the study. The questionnaire focused on 7 domains; demographic information and the other 6 domains based on health believe model and social cognitive theory. RESULTS: The mean scores of knowledge, self-efficacy, and health belief model constructs (susceptibility, severity, benefits) significantly increased. The mean score and the percentages of knowledge and health belief model constructs show changes between pretest and post test result with statistical significant (27.9% in knowledge and self-efficacy, 34.9% in perceived susceptibility, 54.5% in perceived severity, 25.9% in perceived benefits, 11.7% in perceived barriers and 5.4% in cues to action) all were with a p-value of less than 0.05. CONCLUSION: Educational intervention based on social cognitive theory and health belief model were effective in improving knowledge, awareness and practice related to preventive behaviors of rickets.