Association Between Social Determinants of Health, Prenatal Self-Evaluation, and Health Practices in Pregnant Women with Threatened Preterm Labor: A Cross-sectional Study

Objective: This study aimed to examine the association between social determinants of health, prenatal self-evaluation, and health practices among pregnant women diagnosed with threatened preterm labor (TPL). Methods: The study was conducted in a public hospital in Izmir, western Türkiye, between June 2023 and March 2024 and included 249 pregnant women diagnosed with TPL between 20 and 37 weeks of gestation. Data were collected within the first hour of hospital admission using 3 instruments: the Personal Information Form, the Prenatal Self-Evaluation Questionnaire (PSEQ), and the Health Practices in Pregnancy Questionnaire (HPQ). Results: There was a statistically significant relationship between PSEQ and HPQ scores according to age, education level, and income level (P < .05). A moderate positive correlation was found between HPQ and PSEQ scores (r = 0.419, P < .05). In the regression analysis, HPQ scores were a significant predictor of PSEQ scores (β = 1.474, R2 = 0.254). Lower age, lower education level, and lower income level were associated with less favorable prenatal self-evaluation and health practices. In addition, regular prenatal care and healthy lifestyle behaviors were associated with better outcomes in both scales. Conclusion: The findings indicate that social determinants such as age, education, and income are associated with prenatal adaptation and health practices among women with TPL. Improving health behaviors and supporting access to regular prenatal care may contribute to better maternal well-being in this high-risk group. Cite this article as: Piçinciol M, Eksioglu A, Hadımlı A, Can HO, Turfan EÇ. Association between social determinants of health, prenatal self-evaluation, and health practices in pregnant women with threatened preterm labor: a cross-sectional study. Arch Health Sci Res. 2026, 13, 0137, doi: 10.5152/ArcHealthSciRes.2026.25137.