Impact of ‘Child-to-Family’ Strategy for Health Awareness Improvement at Rural Sectors of Paschim Medinipur District, West Bengal

Abstract

The present study was carried out to assess the impact of health awareness package through ‘Child-to-Family' strategy for empowerment of knowledge, change in the attitude and practice regarding communicable diseases and nutritional deficiency diseases among rural sectors of Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal from April 2009 to October 2009. School children of 523 from VII to IX standard and their family members (25%) were included in the study. Health awareness level was monitored by self-administered peer reviewed questionnaire method. The study showed that majority of the participants had poor knowledge regarding the concerned diseases at pre-awareness stage. But after imparting the awareness package, knowledge about the said diseases improved markedly in both children and their family members. Therefore, school children have the potential for transmitting their newly acquired knowledge to their family members. The present study enlighted that ‘Child-to-Family' Strategy is powerful tool for community health improvement at rural sectors.

Keywords

• Health awareness
• Child-to-family strategy
• School children