Title : Impact of medical education among health professionals on lymphatic filariasis elimination program’s at HIMS, Sitapur, U.P. India
Abstract:
Introduction: Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis is the second cause of permanent, long-term disability in the world. It is one of the world’s most disabling and disfiguring disease. It prevents the afflicted from experiencing a normal working and social life, resulting in handicap, inferiority of self and furthering the cycle of poverty. The global baseline estimate of people affected by lymphatic filariasis was 25 million men with hydrocele and over 15 million people with lymphoedema. At least 36 million people remain with these chronic disease manifestations.
Materials and Methods: A pre-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design was conducted on September 2021 by interviewing 159 medical professionals attending CME in tertiary care centre, Sitapur. A pre-designed and pretested questionnaire was used to collect the pre-test and post-test data. Questions were based on the knowledge regarding filariasis. Results were analyzed statistically using percentage, proportions and paired t test.
Result: In the present study, it was revealed that in the pre-test majority of participants had average knowledge. Although in the post-test 72% participants had good knowledge and 87% participants had average knowledge. In this study, 63.33% had average knowledge regarding filariasis in pre-test, while in post-test, 60% had good knowledge. The mean post-test knowledge scores of subjects were significantly higher than their mean pre-test knowledge scores and calculated value is t = 8.396, P < 0.05.
Conclusion: Structured teaching program increase the knowledge of filariasis among the attendees of CME. Health education should be a part of regular activity of community health services.
