Health status of incarcerated women, mothers in prison, development of maternal identity in prisoners, pregnancy risk factors & outcomes, preterm labor risk assessment. Infant mortality is a major problem in United States, disproportionately affecting the offspring of low-income women. Adequate prenatal care has been shown to decrease infant mortality, but low-income women are less likely than middle class women to get prenatal care. Synthesizing previous research on barriers to prenatal care for low-income women that are amenable to nursing intervention, this study will test the Pender Health Promotion Model, which has been used in predominantly middle- class populations to study utilization of health-promoting behaviors, and the Triandis Model of Social Behavior, which has been used to health- related behaviors of low-income populations. Data will be collected on 200 low-income women enrolled in a large southeastern prenatal clinic at their first registration for prenatal care. Variables of interest are definition of health, perceived health status, health locus of control, perceived self-efficacy, importance of health, perceived barriers and facilitators to prenatal care, biologic characteristics, interpersonal influences, situational factors, behavioral factors, habit, intention to get prenatal care, and demographic data. Utilization of prenatal care will be determined by a chart review after delivery, focusing on week of gestation at the time of the first prenatal care visit, total number of visits, and week of gestation at delivery. Structural equation modeling will be used in the analysis. The knowledge gained from this study will be used to propose nursing interventions directed at increasing prenatal care utilization in low-income women.
