The impact of educational intervention on knowledge and awareness of thyroid disorders among university students

Introduction: Thyroid disorders are one of the most common endocrine problems. The prevalence of thyroid cancer is high in Oman, yet studies conducted in other countries show inadequate knowledge about thyroid disorders in medical students. This study aims to uncover students’ understanding and perspectives on thyroid disorders, and intends to enhance awareness among students through educational initiatives. Materials and Methods-It was a cross-sectional study with pre-and post-test designs, which was carried out among students at Sohar University. Educational intervention was given through a module designed for the purpose. Pre-validated questionnaires were used pre-and post the intervention for assessing their knowledge. Male and female participants from Sohar University in Oman participated in the study. Results-134 students participated in the study before the intervention (Pretest) and 114 participated post-training. For comparison purposes, only those who participated in both the sessions were included for the study. The majority of the participants were females, 93 (81.6%) and the mean age was 23.21±8.75. There was significant improvement in post-test knowledge scores in both undergraduate and postgraduate students in both male and female students (p<.05). Conclusion-The educational intervention was successful in improving the knowledge of participants on thyroid disorders, as shown by the pre-post method. Such sessions should be conducted in the community in Oman to improve awareness about thyroid disorders.