Effectiveness Of A Structured Teaching Program On Knowledge And Practice Regarding Selected Child-To-Child Care Activities Among School Children In Selected School Of The City

Background: Children play a crucial role in shaping the future of a nation, and equipping them with essential health knowledge and practices can promote well-being at both the individual and community levels. The child-to-child care approach leverages peer influence to instil health-promoting behaviours in school settings. Objectives: To assess the knowledge and practice of selected child-to-child care activities among school children and to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured teaching program in improving these parameters. Methods: A pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was conducted in an urban school with 60 students aged 12 years and above, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a structured interview schedule comprising demographic details, a 21-item knowledge questionnaire, and a 15-item practice checklist. A video-assisted structured teaching program served as the intervention. Reliability coefficients were 0.97 (knowledge) and 0.96 (practice). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test. Results: Post-intervention results revealed a statistically significant improvement in both knowledge and practice scores. The mean knowledge score increased from 10.98 ± 2.84 to 13.31 ± 2.65, and the mean practice score improved from 7.76 ± 2.12 to 11.38 ± 1.43. The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test showed highly significant results (p < 0.001) for both knowledge (t = 6.741) and practice (t = 6.864). Associations were found between knowledge and variables such as age, sibling status, residence, and prior training, while practice was significantly associated with age. Conclusion: The structured teaching program was effective in enhancing school children's knowledge and practice of child-to-child care activities. The findings highlight the potential of peer-led, structured educational interventions to foster sustainable health behaviors in school environments.