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Effect of Pelvic Health Education on Pelvic Health Knowledge among Women of Reproductive Age in Nigeria

Abstract

Pelvic health is an important component of women's reproductive and overall health because pelvic health conditions may affect physical comfort, urinary and bowel function, sexual wellbeing, reproductive health, mobility, and quality of life. Women of reproductive age may experience pelvic health problems associated with pregnancy and childbirth, pelvic-floor dysfunction, urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, chronic pelvic pain, menstrual and reproductive conditions, and other gynaecological disorders. However, limited awareness of pelvic health and misconceptions about symptoms may prevent women from recognizing potential problems or seeking appropriate healthcare. In Nigeria, inadequate access to reliable pelvic health information, cultural beliefs, stigma surrounding urinary and reproductive symptoms, low health literacy, and limited availability of specialized pelvic health services may further contribute to gaps in knowledge. Pelvic health education provides an opportunity to improve women's understanding of pelvic health, common conditions, risk factors, preventive practices, available healthcare services, and appropriate healthcare-seeking. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of pelvic health education on pelvic health knowledge among women of reproductive age in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, and Knowledge-Attitude-Practice Model. The Health Belief Model explains how women's perceptions of susceptibility to pelvic health problems, perceived severity, perceived benefits of preventive practices and early assessment, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence their acquisition and application of pelvic health knowledge. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes knowledge acquisition, self-efficacy, observational learning, social interaction, and environmental influences in the development and application of health knowledge. The Knowledge-Attitude-Practice Model provides a framework for explaining how appropriate pelvic health education may improve women's understanding of pelvic health conditions and influence subsequent health-related decisions. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how pelvic health education may influence pelvic health knowledge among women of reproductive age in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative analytical cross-sectional or quasi-experimental research design. The study population will comprise women of reproductive age attending selected hospitals, primary healthcare centres, reproductive health clinics, women's health clinics, community health programmes, workplaces, and other relevant settings across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select states, local government areas, communities, healthcare facilities, organizations, and eligible women. Pelvic health education will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to structured pelvic health education, frequency and duration of educational sessions, information on pelvic-floor health, urinary and bowel health, pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, sexual health, pregnancy and childbirth-related pelvic health, pelvic-floor exercises, preventive practices, warning signs, available healthcare services, and appropriate healthcare-seeking. Pelvic health knowledge will be assessed using indicators such as women's ability to identify common pelvic health conditions, recognize risk factors and warning signs, understand pelvic-floor function, identify appropriate preventive practices, understand the role of pelvic-floor exercises, recognize symptoms requiring professional assessment, and identify appropriate sources of pelvic health services and information. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires and appropriate pelvic health knowledge assessment instruments. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize participants' characteristics, exposure to pelvic health education, and levels of pelvic health knowledge. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of pelvic health education on pelvic health knowledge. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, pelvic health knowledge scores before and after structured education may be compared, while relevant demographic, reproductive, obstetric, educational, socioeconomic, and healthcare-access factors are appropriately controlled. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that pelvic health education has a significant positive effect on pelvic health knowledge among women of reproductive age in Nigeria. Women who receive structured and evidence-based pelvic health education are expected to demonstrate higher levels of knowledge regarding pelvic-floor function, common pelvic health conditions, risk factors, warning signs, preventive practices, and available healthcare services than women with limited exposure to pelvic health information. Education may correct misconceptions that urinary leakage, pelvic pain, pelvic-floor weakness, or other pelvic symptoms are inevitable consequences of childbirth or ageing and therefore do not require attention. Improved knowledge may also increase women's confidence in discussing sensitive pelvic health concerns with healthcare professionals and encourage timely assessment when symptoms occur. However, cultural beliefs, embarrassment, stigma, misinformation, low health literacy, limited access to reliable information, and inadequate availability of specialized pelvic health services may reduce the effectiveness of education programmes. The study therefore expects accessible, culturally appropriate, evidence-based, and regularly reinforced pelvic health education to contribute significantly to improved pelvic health knowledge among women of reproductive age in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on pelvic health education, pelvic health knowledge, women's reproductive health, pelvic-floor health, urinary health, reproductive health education, preventive healthcare, health literacy, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, state ministries of health, hospitals, primary healthcare centres, women's health clinics, healthcare providers, physiotherapists, gynaecologists, nurses, midwives, community health workers, women's health organizations, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for improving pelvic health knowledge. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating pelvic health education into appropriate women's and reproductive healthcare services, training healthcare workers in pelvic health communication, developing culturally appropriate educational materials, strengthening community-based women's health education, improving access to pelvic health assessment and referral services, and promoting timely professional evaluation of pelvic health concerns among women of reproductive age across Nigeria.

Keywords: Pelvic health education, pelvic health knowledge, women of reproductive age, pelvic-floor health, urinary health, reproductive health, women's health, health education, health literacy, preventive healthcare, Nigeria, public health.