Effectiveness evaluation of health education on drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis in Jiangsu Province from 2014 to 2018 / 中华地方病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To evaluate the effect of health education on drinking-warter-borne endemic fluorosis in Jiangsu Province.Methods:From 2014 to 2018, a total of 12 counties (districts) with drinking-warter-borne endemic fluorosis were selected to carry out public health education activities, and 3 townships were chosen in each project county (district). School health education activities were carried out in the classes of grade 4 - 6 in the central primary school in each selected twonship. In the meantime, 3 villages were chosen in each selected township where the health education activities in the community were carried out. Before and after the health education activities, questionnaire surveys on knowledge of drinking-warter-borne endemic fluorosis prevention were conducted among 30 students in one class of grade 5 in the central primary school and 15 housewives lived near the central primary school in each township.Results:After the health education activities, the rates of knowledge awareness in the students and the housewives were 94.83% (15 362/16 200) and 95.14% (7 706/8 100), respectively, which were significantly higher than those before the health education activities [63.88% (10 348/16 200) and 65.94% (5 341/8 100)], and the differences were statistically significant (χ 2 = 4 700.00, 2 200.00, P < 0.001). There were no statistical differences in the rates of knowledge awareness in the students and housewives before the health education activities from 2014 to 2018 (χ 2 = 8.43, 0.88, P = 0.077, 0.928). Before the health education activities, the rate of knowledge awareness in the students was lower than that in the housewives, and the difference was statistically significant (χ 2 = 10.03, P = 0.002). After the health education activities, there was no statistical difference between the rate of knowledge awareness in the students and that in the housewives (χ 2 = 1.07, P = 0.301). Conclusions:The rates of knowledge awareness in the students and the housewives are increased significantly after the health education activities. We should expand the coverage of health education. Wide, deep and persistent health education in more ways for different people are needed to consolidate the achievements.