Implementation of health education programme relating to risk factors for chronic diseases of lifestyle among high school learners in the Amajuba district, Kwa-Zulu Natal
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Date
2010
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Publisher
University of the Western Cape
Abstract
Currently, chronic diseases are a growing cause of death and disability in South Africa. This study was an experimental study using a pretest-posttest control group design. The study population was made up of two conveniently selected high schools located in the Amajuba District, Northern Kwa Zulu Natal. The total population for the intervention school was 1050 learners and for the control school were 945 learners. Chronic diseases of lifestyle are a group of diseases that share similar risk factors as a result of exposure, over many decades, to unhealthy diets, smoking, lack of exercise and stress. The major risk factors include high blood pressure, tobacco addiction, high blood cholesterol, diabetes and obesity. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of a health care education programme on the knowledge of high school learners as it relates to risk factors for chronic diseases of lifestyle in the Amajuba District, Northern Kwa Zulu Natal, through the implementation of a health education programme in the intervention school and a 45 min talk on chronic diseases of lifestyle in the control school. ln addition, the study also determined the prevalence of risk factors for chronic diseases of lifestyles among high school learners in the Amajuba District, Northern Kwa Zulu Natal. The survey tool used in this study was two self-administered questionnaires. The first being the Youth risk behavioural survey which assessed the learners' diet information, tobacco use, alcohol use and physical activity of which was used to collect information on the health risk behaviours of the learners. This was a validated and reliable questionnaire (chronbachs alpha of 0,897). The second, a knowledge questionnaire for risk factors which assessed the knowledge of learners, regarding chronic diseases of lifestyle. Demographic data and data regarding diabetes, hypertension, stroke, diet information, tobacco use information, alcohol use information and physical activity were initially coded and entered into the Excel program, where upon the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 13 was used to analyse the data. The pre-test scores collected from the knowledge questionnaire showed that the mean for the intervention school was 12.8 (SD=4.3) and for the control school was 14.2 (SD=4.5). The post-test score for the intervention school (24.65) was significantly higher (p<0.005) than the post-test score for control group (18.40)' Thus, the implementation of the health education programme at the intervention school made much more significant difference to the knowledge of the pupils regarding chronic diseases of lifestyle than the 45-minute talk at the control school. Based on the Youth risk behavioural survey, it was found that 60% of the total number of participants smoked,67 % drank alcohol, 33% were physically inactive. In addition, 35% were classified as overweight and 60% hypertensive. The outcome of this study thus suggests that the high prevalence of risk factors for chronic diseases of lifestyle in the Amajuba District, Northern Kwa Zulu Natal should be of great concern as it places learners at a high risk for developing chronic diseases of lifestyle, as they grow older. Therefore preventive, promotive strategies and programs like the health education programme must be put in place and implemented in the communities within the Amajuba District, Northern Kwa Zulu Natal.
Description
Masters of Science
Keywords
Knowledge, High School learners, lntervention, Schools, Chronic diseases