Effect of health education intervention on preventive health practices among Christian rural women in Delta State

The study determined the effect of health education intervention on preventive health practices among Christian rural women in Delta State, Nigeria. Six research questions were raised and answered. Six hypotheses formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Quasi-experimental design was adopted for the study. The population of this study consists of 2,718, 145 women in all the 25 Local Government Areas of Delta State. The sample of the study consist of 120 Christian women from six rural communities in six Local Government Area of Delta State. The sample size was drawn from the entire population using a multi-stage sampling technique. Preventive Health Practices Multiple Choice Test (PHPMCT) was used for data collection. Three experts validated the instruments and the reliability was carried out using the test-retest method. The reliability coefficient of 0.850 was obtained for the instrument. To collect data for the study the Health Education Intervention and the control groups were given pre-test using the Preventive Health Practices Multiple Choice Test (PHPMCT). After six weeks of health education intervention, the Preventive Health Practices Multiple Choice Test (PHPMCT) was re-administered to all the participants in both groups. Data were analysed using mean scores and standard deviation scores while the t-test and analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) were used to test the hypotheses at alpha level of 0.05 significance. The findings of the study include. there was no significant difference in the pre- test experimental and pre-test control groups on preventive health practices scores of health education intervention among Christian rural women in Delta State Nigeria; there was significant difference in the post-test and pre-test experimental groups on preventive health practices scores of health education intervention among Christian rural women in Delta State Nigeria.; there was significant difference in the post-test experimental and post-test control groups on preventive health practices scores of health education intervention among Christian rural women. Based on the findings it was recommended that Health workers should offer health education and preventive guidance to individuals during the check-up and screening process and emphasize the importance of early detection and healthy lifestyle choices.