Women Lift Safely! An Intervention Study to Reduce the Risks of Heavy Lifting

The women will be informed that the safe carrying behaviors can reduce pelvic strain. She is informed about the benefits reducing pelvic strain may imply \[5.1; 5.3.,5.6 Information about health; environmental; social; and emotional consequences, (Michie et al., 2013)\]

"For the target behavior reduce carried weight information on recommended weight limits will be given. The women will be encouraged, that even if these limits may not be feasible for them, any reduction of weight can still reduce the strain on the pelvic floor.~For the target behavior safe lifting techniques, instructions to learn the correct behavior (how to perform safe lifting techniques?) based on leaflets developed and validated by Caagbay et al., (2017, 2020) \[4.1 Instruction on how to perform a behavior (Michie et al., 2013)\]"

Self-efficacy will be promoted by the four sources of self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977): 1) Mastery Experiences (experience that one is able to successfully apply the behavior), vicarious experience (observing successful others performing the safe carrying behavior), verbal persuasion (receiving positive feedback when performing the behavior and encouraging messages to do so) and emotional state (e.g. being in a positive emotional state when performing the behavior). \[6.1 Demonstration of the behavior; 8.1 Behavioral practice/rehearsal; 15.1 Verbal persuasion about capability; 15.2 Mental rehearsal of successful performance; 15.3 Focus on past success;15.4 Self-talk; 5.4 Monitoring of emotional consequences (Michie et al., 2013)\]

A self-selected social partner from the same or neighboring household (e.g. husband, mother-in-law) will be involved in the learning process (observational learning, feedback). The partner will participate in the intervention activities and will be instructed to provide emotional social support and practical informational support. \[3.2 practical support, 3.3 emotional support; 6.3 Information about others' approval (Michie et al., 2013).\]