Effects of Vector-borne Diseases Prevention Program on Knowledge and Behaviors Among Junior High School Student Leaders in Mueang District, Lampang Province

Abstract

This quasi-experimental research aims to examine the effects of the Vector-borne Diseases Prevention program on knowledge and preventive behaviors among high school student leaders in Mueang district, Lampang province. The One-group pretest and posttest design were conducted on thirty students. The research tools were the Vector-Borne Disease Prevention program which was developed from the literature review and previous studies. The data were collected using the questionnaires regarding knowledge and behavior for Vector-borne Disease Prevention and Control. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics such as the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The Aedes aegypti larvae indexes were determined before and two times after participating in the program.

The results revealed that the program significantly increased the knowledge and behavior levels of the students (p<0.001). The knowledge scores before and after participating in the program were 4.2±2.7 and 13.6±0.5, respectively. The behavior scores before and after participating in the program were 1.8±0.2 and 2.6±0.1, respectively. Additionally, the Aedes larvae index decreased; it was at a high-risk level before the program (HI=100, BI=850, and CI=100), After using the program, the Aedes larvae index value decreased but also to the high-risk level in 4 weeks after the program (HI=50, BI=200, and CI=23.5) and low-risk level 20 in weeks after the program (HI=0, CI=0, and BI=0).

This vector-borne disease prevention program enabled an increase in the knowledge and preventive behavior level of high school student leaders.