Towards Elimination of Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus in the Developing Countries: A Look at the Theory of Planned Behavior

Abstract

To achieve the global maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) elimination, it is vital to develop an ideal theoretical framework that can be used for the disease elimination. The theoretical framework for this review is the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), a modified model of the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). The TPB was meant to be applied to the prediction of purely volitional behaviors, and to help understand the psychological determinants of individuals. The TPB shows that the intention of human beings to perform a particular behavior and the conduct of that behavior are based on belief structures and determined by three independent constructs: attitude toward the behavior, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms to perform the behavior. In relating TPB to the predictive model of NNT, there are various determinants of preventive behavioral intention among the women towards NNT. The beliefs of pregnant women on the outcomes of their pregnancies after they attend antenatal care, receiving tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccination and delivering in a hospital setting are all dependent on how the women value these which likewise determine their attitudes toward receiving a TT to prevent their unborn child from NNT.