Evaluation of the effects of health education on endemic fluorosis in Jiangsu Province in 2012 / 中华地方病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the effect of health education on endemic fluorosis in Jiangsu Province,and to provide reference data for the further prevention and control.Methods In 2012,according to the past prevalence of endemic fluorosis in Jiangsu Province,a total of 12 counties (districts) were selected,and 3 townships were chosen in each project county.Health educational activities were carried out iu the classes of grade 4-6 in the central primary school.In the meantime,3 villages were chosen in each selected township where the health educational activities in the community were carried out.Before and after the health education activitics,thirty students in one class of the fifth grade in the central primary school were extracted,and 15 housewives near the central primary school were extracted too.Questionnaire surveys on knowledge of endemic fluorosis were conducted in each project country.Results After the health educational activities,the number of questions of knowledge awareness in the students and the housewives was 3 240,1 620; the number of correct answer was 3 101,1 501;the rates were 95.71％ and 92.65％ respectively,and increased significantly compared with those before the intervention [65.52％ (2 123/3 240),68.64％ (1 112/1 620)],the differences were significant (x2=944.480,299.160,all P ＜ 0.05).Before the health educational activities,the rate of knowledge awarenes in the students was lower than that in the housewives (x2 =4.714,P ＜ 0.05).After the health educational activities,the rate of knowledge awareness in the students was higher than that in the housewives,the difference was significant (x2 =20.055,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The rates of knowledge awareness in the students and the housewives are increased significantly after the health educational activities,and the expected goal is reached.