Evaluation of whether health education using video technology increases the uptake of screening for diabetic retinopathy among individuals with diabetes in a slum population in Hyderabad

Purpose: A community-based intervention to compare the effectiveness of pamphlets and videos as education material to promote diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening in urban slums of Hyderabad and to identify barriers/facilitators for compliance with DR screening. Methods: A cross-sectional survey among people with diabetes (sample of 267) was followed by a health education intervention where patients were allocated into two groups (121 received pamphlets and 102 attended video sessions). The effectiveness of the intervention was assessed based on the uptake of DR screening. The facilitating factors and barriers to DR screening were explored through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with participants and health workers. Data analysis included Chi-square test for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data. Results: Among the 235 people in the health education intervention study, 131 (55.7%) received the pamphlet and 104 (44.3%) watched the educational videos. The uptake of DR screening within 2 months was higher in the group shown the educational video than who received the pamphlet (32.7% vs 11.45%; P < 0.05). Absence of an accompanying person and good vision were barriers that prevented patients from screening. Realization of consequences of DR and proximity of the screening facility were identified as motivators. The major results we found in the initial survey of 267 people were that 74.5% had never had HbA1c test and locals underwent health check-ups more regularly than migrants (62.2% versus 34%; P < 0.05). Conclusion: Educational videos led to greater behavior change than pamphlets in motivating diabetics for DR screening.

Effect of information, education, and communication activity on health literacy of smoking and alcohol among school-going adolescents in Delhi

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)/lifestyle diseases account for a major cause of deaths every year. Risk factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption contributing to the development of lifestyle diseases were more prevalent in the developed countries decades back, but millions of productive years of life are lost due to NCDs in India too. Objective: This study was conducted to assess the health literacy of school-going adolescents regarding harmful effects of smoking and alcohol consumption and assess the improvement in their knowledge after different information, education, and communication (IEC) activities. Methods: It was a school-based interventional study conducted among students of class 6, 7, and 8. Assessment of health literacy of risk factors – smoking and alcohol use in lifestyle diseases was done by self-administered questionnaire among school-going adolescents. Intervention in the form of IEC was done three times, and the postintervention data were collected 2 weeks after the first and 3 months after the last intervention. Responses were scored and categorized as satisfactory and unsatisfactory. Results: There were a higher proportion of students with satisfactory level of knowledge of smoking and alcohol use effects in both the schools after 3 months of educational intervention, although the result was statistically significant for School 2 only where intervention was given by didactic lectures (P < 0.05). Conclusions: There was an improvement in scores of students in both the schools after 2 weeks and 3 months of educational intervention, though the results were statistically significant for 3 months only (P < 0.05).

IEC material development for malaria control by working with target populations / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To develop user-friendly information education-communication (IEC)materials and guidelines of malaria control for various target groups. Methods The participatory methods were used to make sure participation of target groups at each stages of IEC material development. Results A package consisted of interactive video, 2 posters for primary groups, sto ry booklet for students, manual for activities of "buddy system" for teachers, flipcharts for health staff at grass-root levels, guidelines on communication skill and how to use the first 5kinds of materials, was developed. Conclusion A set of user-friendly IEC materials and guidelines of malaria control has successfully been developed with sufficient participation of target groups.