Effect of structured teaching programme on knowledge of substance abuse among adolescents

Substance abuse is one of the major health challenges across the world. Adolescence is the transitional stage of physical and mental human development with substantial risk for initiating substance abuse. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of structured teaching programme on knowledge of substance abuse among adolescents. Methods: Evaluative research approach and pre-experimental one group pre- test and post- test research design was adopted for the study. One hundred twenty adolescents in the age group of 12 to 17 years studying in VII , VIII and IX were selected through proportionate stratified random sampling technique by using lottery method .Structured self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the pre-test knowledge . A structured teaching programme was prepared on substance abuse and administered followed by a post-test after seven days. Results: Out of 120 adolescents in pre-test knowledge, majority 94(78.3 %) had moderately adequate knowledge, 20(16.7%) had inadequate knowledge and 6(5%) had adequate knowledge. After administration of structured teaching programme during post-test only 7(5.8%) had moderately adequate knowledge, none of them had inadequate knowledge and majority 113(94.2%) had adequate knowledge. The mean post –test knowledge scores 22.51 was significantly higher than the mean pre-test score 11.6 as evident from ‘t’ value 31.054 for df 119 at 0.05 level of significant. Conclusion: The structured teaching programme was effective in improving the knowledge on substance abuse among adolescents.