RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Genital infections are one of the most common reasons for a hospital visit in the scope of reproductive health problems. The information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB), therefore, is an appropriate model to provide women with accurate genital hygiene behaviors and develop effective sexual and reproductive health training programs. AIMS: This interventional study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of genital infection awareness training provided to women based on the IMB model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study sample consisted of 62 women (nexperimental= 31, ncontrol= 31) who were chosen based on a nonprobability sampling method from vocational courses of Ankara Keçiören municipality. The data collection form developed by the researchers, knowledge evaluation questions (KEQ), and genital hygiene behavior inventory (GHBI) were used to collect data. Data were obtained at training centers and through phone interviews. Another interview was conducted 1 month later and posttest procedures were completed. The Chi-square test, McNemar's, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank tests were used to calculate mean scores. RESULTS: The mean (SD) age was 39.1 (8.4) years for the women in the experimental group and 37.5 (6.7) for the women in the control group (P = 0.481). Pretest knowledge mean scores M (SD)experimental = 15.7 (2.4); and GHBI mean scores M (SD)experimental= 76.9 (11.1) were calculated. Mean scores showed an increase after the training in the experimental group [M (SD)post-test= 19.1 (1.2); M (SD)GHBI= 94.7 (2.6)] (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, it was concluded that the genital infection awareness training provided to women based on the IMB model, improved knowledge and acted as a positive reinforcer for the hygiene behaviors of the women.
