Year: 2025 | Month: October-December | Volume: 10 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 84-91
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijshr.20250413
Impact of Health Education Intervention in Dengue Prevention Among School Children of North Karnataka
Santhoshkumar R. Naik1, Basavaraj S. Mannapur2, Ashok S. Dorle3
1Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, S. Nijalingappa Medical College and HSK Hospital & Research Centre, Bagalkote, Karnataka, India.
2Professor, Department of Community Medicine, S. Nijalingappa Medical College and HSK Hospital & Research Centre, Bagalkote, Karnataka, India.
3Professor and Head, Department of Community Medicine, S. Nijalingappa Medical College and HSK Hospital & Research Centre, Bagalkote, Karnataka, India.
Corresponding Author: Dr. Santhoshkumar R. Naik
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Dengue fever has emerged as an important public health problem. WHO estimated that 50-100 million cases occur annually. Children are more affected by the disease. If children are educated at an early age, they can bring about behavioural change, which will help reduce mosquito breeding places.
Objectives: To assess the baseline knowledge, attitude and practice regarding dengue and to evaluate a change in the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding dengue following health education intervention.
Materials and Methods: A before-and-after non-randomized pre-post health education intervention study done for 6 months from Jan-Jun 2025. 200 school students from 8th-10th were included in the study following consent. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data, and health education was given to all the students regularly and the change was assessed in post-test. Data was analyzed using appropriate tests.
Results: 45.5% students in the pre-test had knowledge on the biting period of mosquitoes and it increased to 100% following health education. Almost all the students had a positive attitude towards dengue control, and they were motivated by health education, which was observed in applying the practice measures. 93.5% students in the post-test reported they participated in the dengue control activities (p <0.001).
Conclusion: The current study shows that health education plays a much better role in influencing the young minds to control dengue. Students will have a receptive mind and gain a better awareness of dengue and its prevention help control dengue in the family and community.
Keywords: Dengue, prevention, health education, knowledge, practice