Effectiveness of Planned Teaching Programme on Knowledge regarding Hazards of Plastic use and its Safe Disposal among adults at selected rural areas of Agartala, Tripura

Introduction: A healthy environment is fundamental to life, and attention to the effects of the environment on human health is essential if we are to achieve the goal of health for all. This study was done to assess the effectiveness of hazards of plastic waste and its safe disposal in Adults. Objectives: the main aim of the study was to enhance the knowledge regarding plastic use and its safe disposal among adults by planned teaching programme. (1) To assess the knowledge regarding hazards of plastic use and its safe disposal among adults before and after planned teaching programme. To evaluate the effectiveness of planned teaching programme on the hazards of plastic use and its safe disposal among adults. To find out the association of level of pre-test knowledge score with their selected demographic variables. Methodology: The research design adopted for the study was pre-experimental one group pre-test post-test design. Non probability Convenience Sampling technique was used to select the samples, the sample size was 90 adults (30-45 years adults living in rural areas of Agartala, Tripura) the study setting was Narsingarh, Natun palli, Agartala, Tripura. Those who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected by convenient sampling technique. A pretest was conducted by using a structured knowledge questionnaire, followed by planned teaching program posttest was taken. The result of the posttest score revealed that the planned teaching program had its impact on improving the level of knowledge regarding hazards of plastic use and its safe disposal among adults at selected rural areas of Agartala. The overall mean score of pre-test was 8.6 with the S.D. 2.53, whereas in post-test the overall mean score was 16.03 with S.D. 3.02. The t-test value was 15.24 and mean difference was 7.43 which is statistically significant at p<0.05 level of significant. After planned teaching program only 1.1% having inadequate knowledge, 93.3% of them were having moderate knowledge and 5.6 % of them were having adequate knowledge and the score is statistically highly significant (p=0.001). Conclusion: The study finding implied that the education had a vital role in improving the knowledge of adults regarding hazards of plastic and its safe disposal. The planned teaching programme was effective in improving the knowledge. Adult play a vital role in family and in community and what they learn is likely to be applied during the rest of their lives thereby they can bring a big change for a better future.