| Summary: | 碩士 === 高雄醫學大學 === 護理學研究所 === 88 === The study used a cross- sectional, correlational design to explore self-care behaviors and related factors among pregnant adolescents. A total of 141 pregnant adolescents under 20 years old were recruited by purposeful sampling from obstetric clinics, health bureaus, public health stations and Unmarried Mothers Home in the Tainan area. The structured instruments used in the study were a Demographic Data Form, Hart Prenatal Care Actions Scale, Appraisal of Self-care Agency Scale and Interpersonal Support Evaluation List. Data were analyzed using percentage, means, standard deviation, t test, one way ANOVA, Persons moment correlation and stepwise multiple regression analysis.
The major findings of this study were as follows:（1）The mean score of self-care behaviors was 142.28, the standardized score of self-care behaviors was 69.4. The level of self-care behaviors belong to middle level.（2）Living arrangements, occupational status and the first time prenatal check-up would cause significantly difference in self-care behaviors. Therefore, pregnant adolescents who lived with parents and partner or with partner only had better self-care behavior score than pregnant adolescents who lived in the Unmarried Mothers Home did; employed pregnant adolescents had better self-care behavior score than the unemployed did; those who had their first prenatal check-up at the first trimester had better self-care behavior score than those who had their first prenatal check-up at the second and third trimester.（3）There was a significantly positive correlation between self-care agency and self-care behaviors.（4）There was a significantly positive correlation between social support and self-care behaviors.（5）The predictors of self-care behaviors of pregnant adolescents were self-care agency and living arrangements; they accounted for 47.8﹪of the total variances.
According to the findings of this study, it is important to assess self-care agency of pregnant adolescents and provide some directions for their self-care behaviors. Health professionals should provide more prenatal care to pregnant adolescents who lived in the Unmarried Mothers Home. These findings may be applied as advice and reference for community health nursing practices.
Key words: pregnant adolescents, self-care behavior, self-care agency, social support
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