Effect of an educational program on health related behaviors for secondary school students in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Abstract This is an intervention study which is carried out by the researcher to evaluate the knowledge and practice of the Saudi students in secondary schools after implementation of health education program. The area of the study was Alameer Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz secondary school, in northern Ola province. The target population was the secondary school students and the sample size was the students of the first year and the subject was consisted of 106 students who were chosen randomly. Their ages ranges between 14 and 17 years old and they were male. The researcher used tow tools to collect the data; structure interview questionnaire sheet. This sheet was developed after the review of the literature by the researcher to collect the demographic data suchas (age and family health history) and Students knowledge, health beliefs and practices towards (smoking, obesity, infectious diseases, oral hygiene) definition, causes, risk factors, signs and symptoms, complications, investigations, prevention and control. It was as pre- and-post test. Physical assessment sheet, This tool is used for recording data obtained as baseline assessment, and follow-up. Every student was weighed using a standardized calibrated weighing scale. The student was weighed without shoes and their height was estimated. This was done before and after the program. The health education program was designed to improve student's knowledge and practices of students after the program implementation. It included the following topics:- l/ Smoking definition, causes, complications and how to quit.2/ Obesity: definition, causes, complications and how to avoid obesity.3/ Infectious diseases: definition, causes, ways of transmission, complication and how to prevent it.4/ Oral and dental hygiene: benefits of teeth brushing, decay its causes and how to prevent it. The study was conducted in four phases, which took a period of 4 months from January 2008 to April 2008.

1/Essessment phase: The researcher designed the two tools (questionnaire & physical assessment). Feasibility and legibility of the instruments are done. 2/ Planning phase: Health education program was planned and designed by the researcher based on the result of the assessment phases. Health education program was developed and scheduled.Asseetive materials are prepared (video tabes, pamphlets, and posters). 3/ Implementation phase: The health education program was implemented by the researcher through ten sessions were carried out in Elmer Sultan bin Abdul-Azia secondary school. Teaching session were given for one hour per day. 4/Evaluation phase: A post test was done for the students, immediately to evaluate effect of the program. The results showed that there was an increase in the students‘ knowledge regarding the four topics that has been discussed, specifically there was decrease in number of students who smoke by 20% , and decrease in those were obese by 3%, also there is decrease in the number of students with infectious diseases by 3% and number of students who began teeth brushing increased by 25% which mean positive behavior of the students (p > 0.05 ). The study recommend that there should be continuous health education among students usingihe modern media to convey the message of health education. Also the study recommended that schools should be facilitated with a nurse or professional health educator, Because of their preventive roles.