An educational intervention based on extended parallel model to reduce exposure of pregnant women to BTEX air pollutants: A quasi-experimental study

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) are air pollutants that may cause serious adverse effects on the health status of pregnant women and their fetuses. In this study, researchers aimed to investigate the effect of an educational intervention using an extended parallel process model on the protective behaviors of pregnant women against BTEX. In this quasi-experimental study, 94 first-trimester pregnant women were recruited for the study. The intervention caused significant increases in mean scores of perceived susceptibility, severity, response efficacy, and self-efficacy. The researchers found the effectiveness of educational intervention on protective behaviors to reduce exposure to BTEX air pollutants.