STRENGTHENING PATHWAYS TO PREVENTION: ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE FOR NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASE SCREENING AMONG COMMUNITY HEALTH OFFICERS IN AGRA DISTRICT.

Non-communicable diseases present a major health challenge, including in India. According to the World Health Organization report of 2023, NCDs account for approximately 41 million deaths annually, which constitutes 74% of total global mortality. 1 This cross-sectional study conducted between January 2024 and March 2024, aimed to evaluate the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Community Health Officers regarding NCDs. A total of 208 CHOs were approached telephonically and 136 responded. Data collection was facilitated using a structured and pre-validated questionnaire distributed via Google forms. Analysis revealed 5.1% of CHOs exhibited high knowledge, 35,3 % moderate knowledge while 59.6% demonstrated low levels of understanding. Significant associations were observed between knowledge levels and training frequency ( 2=13.8: p= 0.032) and age (2= 6.61, p= 0.03). Although CHOs demonstrated positive attitude towards rising burden of NCDs in India, inconsistencies in screening practices were identified.