Effect of Health Education Intervention On Diarrhea Prevention Practices Among Mothers of Under-5 Children in Abia State, Nigeria (Published)
Delayed response to the onset of diarrhea in infants caused by poor sanitation and delay in responding to signs and symptoms can be fatal, as evidenced by mortality in children attributable to diarrhea, occasioned by inadequate understanding of the dangers and consequences involved due to poor knowledge of far-reaching consequences, inadequate prevention and skills to manage the condition as it develops. This study evaluated the effect of a health education intervention on diarrhea prevention practices among mothers with children under the age of five in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria. This study employed a quasi-experimental research design. From population of 350 under-5 mothers in the Local government, a sample size of 60 was determined using power formula. Systematic sampling was used to select the mothers. The health education intervention involved a control and experimental group. The duration of program was one hour weekly didactic intervention for six weeks. A structured validated questionnaire was used to collect data at baseline, at 6th and 12th week post intervention. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients for the constructs ranged from 0.75 to 0.87. The mother’s prevention practices were measured on a 27-point rating scale. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at α = 0.05 level of significance.Findings showed that between the baseline and the post-immediate there was a significant difference in the mean prevention score in the experimental group (from 19.03±5.91 to 22.20±3.67 at p< 0.05. However, there was no significant difference (p >0.05) in the mean prevention score of the control group (from20.13 ± 4.89 to 20.8 ± 3.41). In conclusion, the health education intervention was effective increasing the mother’s prevention and home management practices of diarrhea. It is recommended that matrons and nurses in charge of antenatal and postnatal clinics should teach mothers about prevention andhome management of diarrhea.
Keywords: Abia, Health education, Mothers, Prevention, diarrhea, under-five children
Impact of Health Education on Hypertension Knowledge, Motivation and Preventive Practices towards Hypertension Control among Pre-Hypertensive Traders in Lagos State, Nigeria (Published)
Undiagnosed cases of hypertension remain prevalent in developing countries. Insufficient and lack of knowledge of hypertension and its risk factors limit its proper management and healthy self-care practices. Therefore, this study assessed effect of health-education intervention on hypertension related knowledge, motivation and preventive practices among traders in Lagos State. Quasi-experimental design was employed with seventy participants forming experimental and control group each in major markets of Alimosho and Ajeromi-Ifelodun local government areas of Lagos State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used. Interviewer administered questionnaire was developed. Weight (kg) and height (m) were measured by bathroom weighing scale and sphygmomanometer respectively. Participants’ body mass index (kg/m2) was calculated. Data were collected at baseline, immediate post intervention and sixth week of follow-up; analyzed by SPSS version 21.0 with level of significance placed at p< 0.05. Frequency, percentage, means and standard deviation were used to describe findings while independent t-test was used for inferential statistics. Treatment effect were judged on t-distribution and Cohen’s d effect size. Participants’ mean age in experimental and control groups was 44.91±8.82 years and 44.37±8.80 years respectively. More than a quarter (40.0%) in experimental group and 34.3% in control group had tertiary education. Overweight is 22.9% and 20.0%, while obesity is 41.4% and 57.1% in experimental and control groups respectively. Knowledge, motivation and preventive practices significantly increased after intervention among experimental group more than control group (p< 0.05). Information-Motivation Behavioral (IMB) model promotes hypertension knowledge, motivation and preventive practices.
Keywords: Health education, Knowledge, Motivation, pre-hypertension, preventive practices, traders