Intention to Read to Newborns Following a Brief Reading Promotion Intervention among Low-Income Pregnant Women

INTRODUCTION: Reading to children can increase word knowledge and success in school. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends beginning reading at birth. However, children from low-income families are exposed to less words, including reading exposure, than children from high-income families. METHODS: Pregnant women attending a community prenatal education program targeted at high-risk and low-income populations were recruited into this study. Participants completed a pre-survey, engaged with a brief educational intervention, then completed a matched post-survey. Surveys assessed perceived benefits, intended behaviors, and self-efficacy regarding reading to their child. RESULTS: Of 61 eligible participants, 54 (89%) completed the study. Participants reported being Black (33%), White (30%), Hispanic (28%), and other race (9%). Average gestational age at enrollment was 27 weeks (range 13 to 38 weeks). The average age of respondents was 26 years (SD = 7.2); 46% reported being pregnant for the first time. Following the intervention, no change in knowledge regarding benefits of reading was observed, however, baseline knowledge was high (58% – 94%). At post-test, significantly more women reported it was important to start reading to their child at birth (83% vs 56%; p < 0.001) and that they planned to start reading to their child at birth (70% vs 50%; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A brief educational intervention showed promise in increasing pregnant women’s intentions to read to their children and should be considered in conjunction with other reading promotion programs. Follow-up to assess actual reading behavior is needed.