Determination and Evaluation of Sense of Coherence in Women in Semi-urban Nepal: A part of the Heart-health Associated Research, Dissemination, and Intervention in the Community (HARDIC) Trial.Show others and affiliations
2021 (English)In: Kathmandu University Medical Journal, ISSN 1812-2027, E-ISSN 1812-2078, Vol. 19, no 73, p. 69-75Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Sense of coherence (SOC) is a core concept of salutogenesis which relates to individuals' overall life orientation. Stronger SOC associates with better coping strategies, better health, and better quality of life. Although the SOC-questionnaire is validated in many cultures and languages, it has not, to date, been applied in Nepal. Objective To determine and evaluate women's SOC before and after a health education intervention. Method This study was conducted as a part of the Heart-health Associated Research, Dissemination, and Intervention in the Community in the semi-urban JhaukhelDuwakot Health Demographic Surveillance Site in Nepal. Jhaukhel and Duwakot were selected as the control and intervention areas, respectively. Participants were women with children aged 1-7 years. Eight hundred and fifty-seven women before and 1,268 women after the health education intervention participated in the study. The statistical analysis was carried out with chi-square tests and one-way uni-variate ANOVA. Result Women's total SOC mean values at baseline were 51.1-57.4 and at follow up 54.4-54.9 in the intervention and control area, respectively. At baseline, SOC was significantly weaker in the intervention area compared to the control area (p < 0.001). At followup three months later, SOC was significantly stronger in the intervention area than in the control area (p < 0.001). Conclusion Nepalese women had weaker SOC than women in high-income countries, but comparable to neighboring country India with similar cultural features. Empowerment of women through community participation and health education strengthened SOC. The SOC-13-questionnaire in its Nepali version is recommended to be further evaluated.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2021. Vol. 19, no 73, p. 69-75
Keywords [en]
Health education; Health promotion; Non-communicable disease; Quality of life; Sense of coherence
National Category
Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology Nursing
Research subject
NURSING AND PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCE, Nursing science
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-17888PubMedID: 34812161Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85110696122OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hv-17888DiVA, id: diva2:1622507
2021-12-222021-12-222024-01-19