Effectiveness of a comprehensive model in changing the caring attitudes of husbands of pregnant women: A quasi-experimental study

The increasing noncompliance of pregnant women with antenatal care (ANC) is often associated with a lack of emotional and practical support from their husbands. Strengthening the caring attitudes of husbands through structured education is considered a potential approach to improving maternal health behaviors. This study aimed to analyze the effect of a comprehensive caring model on changes in the caring attitudes of husbands toward their pregnant wives in Padang Pariaman Regency, Indonesia. A quasi-experimental study with two group pretest-posttest design was conducted among 92 men per group (intervention and control) selected by cluster sampling from November to December 2024. A closed-ended questionnaire was used to assess caring attitudes before and after the intervention, and data were analyzed using paired t-tests at a 5% significance level (α = 0.05). The results showed that most respondents were aged 20-30 years, had high school education, and worked as casual laborers. The mean caring attitude score increased from 44.52 before the intervention to 63.22 after, with a statistically significant improvement (p = 0.000 < 0.05). These findings indicate that the comprehensive caring model effectively enhances husbands' caring attitudes toward their pregnant wives. Strengthening husbands' support through targeted education may improve antenatal compliance and maternal health outcomes.