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

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the effect of health education on endemic fluorosis in Shandong Province,and provide evidence for further development of health education measures.Methods From 2011 to 2015,using prospective method,19 endemic fluorosis counties (cities,districts) were selected as project counties in Shandong Province each year,and 3 townships (towns) were selected in each project county.Health educational activities on prevention and treatment of endemic fluorosis were carried out in the classes of grade 4-6 in the central primary school;3 administrative villages were selected in each township (town) to carry out community health education activities.Before and after the health education activities,questionnaire surveys on the health education of endemic fluorosis prevention knowledge were conducted among 30 students of grade 5 in the central primary school and 15 housewives lived near the schools in each township (town).Results The results of health education evaluation showed that the'awareness rate of prevention and treatment of endemic fluorosis in school students and housewives were 95.64％ (27 770/29 037) and 92.09％ (14 341/15 573),respectively,which were significantly higher than those before the intervention [69.40％ (20 157/29 043) and 67.40％ (10 375/15 393)],and the differences were statistically significant (x2 =6 926.73,2 928.85,P ＜ 0.05).Among the primary school students and housewives,the knowledge awareness rates of prevention and treatment of endemic fluorosis were increased by 26.24％ and 24.69％,respectively.Conclusion After implementation of endemic fluorosis health education intervention,the awareness rate of prevention and treatment knowledge in local fluorosis areas in Shandong Province is significantly increased,which means we can further expand the scope of health education.