Reproductive health beliefs and behaviors in teens with diabetes: application of the Expanded Health Belief Model

OBJECTIVE: To identify significant correlates among constructs of the Expanded Health Belief Model (EHBM) with reproductive health behaviors [preventing an unplanned pregnancy and seeking preconception counseling (PC)] and metabolic control in teenaged women with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Eighty adolescent women with type 1 diabetes participated in a multisite, exploratory, case-control study. Subjects (only cases, and not controls, were used for the analyses of this paper) had a single, 1-h structured phone interview with a trained, same gender research assistant. Variables of interest were awareness, knowledge, health beliefs, attitudes, intention and behaviors regarding diabetes and reproductive health. RESULTS: Several major constructs of the EHBM were significantly correlated in the expected direction with reproductive health behaviors and metabolic control of adolescents with type 1 diabetes. In particular, perceived susceptibility, barriers, threat, intention, and self-efficacy with birth control (BC) use, and motivational cue (initial awareness of PC) with seeking PC. CONCLUSIONS: Being told by a health care professional to seek out PC is a motivational cue that triggers action. The timing of this message would seem to play an important role in preventing an unplanned pregnancy. Therefore, interventions focusing on changing health beliefs and on increasing awareness may be effective in promoting positive reproductive health behaviors in adolescent females with diabetes.