A pre-experimental study to assess the effectiveness of nursing intervention on the Knowledge regarding Pubertal changes among secondary school girls in GGHS Sumbal, Jammu and Kashmir

Abstract

Introduction-The future health status of an individual is determined by the safe and secure transition from childhood to adulthood. This transition is always association with some change in physical, mental, sexual, psychological and social changes that one should be knowledgeable of; particularly the person undergoing change. This period of utmost importance in one's life and it is the base on which the rest of life will depend. The attitude towards these changes should be positive and there is a strong role of parents, guardians and tutors to play. We are well aware of the fact that health, growth and development are interwoven with each other and are inseparable parts of one another. Aim and Objectives:The primary objective of this study was to enhance the knowledge of adolescent girls regarding pubertal changes, promote their health, and encourage the establishment of healthy behaviour patterns that can influence their well-being. This accomplishment was attained by implementing a structured instructional teaching program. Additionally the study aimed to determine the association between the pre-interventional level of knowledge regarding pubertal changes and selected demographic variables, including age, mother's education, mother's occupation, birth order, family income, and type of family.Material and Methods:To evaluate the effectiveness of the nursing intervention in the form of Planned Teaching Program in enhancing knowledge about pubertal changes among adolescent girls at Government Girls High School Sumbal, Kashmir, a pre-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design was utilized. A Stratified Random Sampling technique was employed to select a sample of 60 students from the accessible population. The validity of the structured knowledge questionnaire and the intervention (Planned Teaching Program) was confirmed by a panel of experts. Prior to the main study, the tool and intervention underwent pre-testing to ensure clarity and feasibility. Additionally, a pilot study was conducted on adolescent girls not included in the study sample to assess feasibility. The main study was carried out from 6th March to 10th April 2020. Pre-tests using the structured questionnaire were administered on the same day as the Planned Teaching Program, followed by a post-test on the 7th day using the same questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the collected data.Results:The pre-test knowledge level of the study subjects regarding pubertal changes indicated that 73.3% of the total sample (n=60) had average knowledge, while 13.3% had good or below-average knowledge. None of the study subjects demonstrated excellent knowledge. In the post-test, the majority (93.3%) of the study subjects exhibited excellent knowledge, while 6.7% had good knowledge. None of the study subjects had average or below-average knowledge concerning pubertal changes. The average knowledge level of the study participants, as measured by the post-test (33.88±2.799), was notably higher compared to the average knowledge level observed in the pre-test (14.53±3.717), demonstrating the effectiveness of the nursing intervention in the form of Planned Teaching Program in enhancing the knowledge of adolescent girls regarding pubertal changes. No statistically significant association was found between the pretest knowledge level of the study subjects and their selected demographic variables, including age, mother's education, mother's occupation, birth order, family income, and type of family (p<0.05).Conclusion:The study concluded that adolescent girls lack adequate knowledge regarding pubertal changes. The study subjects demonstrated a significant improvement in their knowledge level following the nursing intervention in the form of Planned Teaching Program, emphasizing the critical importance of educating them about pubertal changes.