Knowledge and attitude regarding noncommunicable diseases among school-going girls in Ghaziabad: An interventional study

Abstract

Introduction: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are chronic health conditions that do not spread from person to person. Once considered the epidemic of the affluent, now they are gripping low- and middle-income countries. Disability caused by NCDs has risen from 21% of the total disease burden in 1990 to 34% by 2019. Major causes include poor nutrition, physical inactivity, unregulated usage of tobacco and alcohol, inaccessible healthcare, and unhealthy environment. Therefore, giving the correct information about the long-term effects of adopting unhealthy habits should be emphasized among adolescents. Objectives: The objective is to study the impact of awareness session on knowledge and attitude regarding NCDs among school-going girls in Ghaziabad city. Materials and Methods: A School-based intervention study was conducted in a selected Government School in Ghaziabad city. A predesigned, semi-structured questionnaire was administered to the students to assess their baseline knowledge and attitude. After the awareness session, the same questionnaire was administered again. The data were compiled and analyzed using MS Excel 2016, and appropriate statistical method like McNemar's test was applied. Results: Among the 216 study participants, 75.9% could differentiate between Communicable and NCDs correctly which increased to 89.8% after the session. Regarding the identification of major NCDs pre- and post-session proportions were 59% and 68%, respectively. The attitude of majority of the students (99%) remained positive from the starting. They believed that these diseases are preventable and lifestyle modifications are protective. Conclusion: Considerable improvement was observed in the awareness levels of the school students regarding NCDs after attending the health awareness session. When correct information is imparted, students develop a positive attitude and are encouraged to develop a healthy lifestyle. Hence, it is recommended that regular awareness sessions should be organized in schools to build a healthy nation.