A Descriptive Study on Knowledge and Practices Regarding Prevention and Control of Anaemia among Adolescent Girls

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that anaemia among adolescent girls affects the general health status and diminishes the necessary strength to perform activities. The condition worsens due to the initiation of puberty, growth spurts, and increased demand for blood during menstruation. Objectives: To find out the knowledge and practices regarding prevention and control of anaemia, to find out the relationship between knowledge and practices, and the relationship between knowledge and practices with selected variables such as age, education of parents, family income, family type, area of residence, and source of information regarding prevention and control of anaemia among adolescent girls. Material and Methods: Quantitative non-experimental research approach was used. Sixty adolescent girls were selected with purposive sampling technique from Sardar Bahadur Ami Chand Senior Secondary School, Bajwara, district Hoshiarpur, and were asked to complete the questionnaire and checklist regarding prevention and control of anaemia. The relationship between knowledge and practice was also assessed and the relationship of knowledge and practice with selected variables was also assessed. Findings: More than half i.e. 65% of adolescent girls had average knowledge and 35% had poor practices regarding prevention and control of anaemia. There was a moderate positive correlation between knowledge and practices of adolescent girls i.e. 0.58 regarding prevention and control of anaemia and a significant association was seen between knowledge and practices, and source of information at the level p< 0.05. Conclusion: These data suggest that adolescent girls had average knowledge and poor practices regarding prevention and control of anaemia. Knowledge and practices of adolescent girls had a moderate positive correlation and source of information had an impact on the knowledge and practices of adolescent girls while age, education of parents, family income, type of family, and area of residence had no impact on the knowledge and practices of adolescent girls. Guidelines regarding prevention and control of anaemia were distributed among adolescent girls.