Empowering mothers through structured education to strengthen their role in preventing child malnutrition and promoting lifelong health for children under five

Background: Malnutrition among children under 5 is a critical public health concern in rural India and often associated with inadequate maternal knowledge about nutrition. Structured Teaching Programmes (STPs) can enhance understanding of the causes, signs, consequences, and prevention of malnutrition, thereby promoting healthier behaviours among mothers. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an STP on knowledge regarding malnutrition prevention among mothers in rural Gulbarga, Karnataka. Materials and Methods: A preexperimental, one-group pretest/posttest design was used, involving 100 mothers of children under 5, selected through purposive sampling from four rural villages in Gulbarga. A structured knowledge questionnaire (30 items) assessed knowledge before and after a 60-minute STP, which comprised lectures, visual aids, and interactive discussions on the causes, signs, and prevention of malnutrition. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, paired t -tests, and Chi-square tests to evaluate the efficacy of the STP and associations with demographic variables. Results: The mean pretest knowledge score was 12.45 ± 3.21, which increased to 22.67 ± 2.89 posttest ( p < .001), indicating a significant improvement. Posttest, 78% of mothers achieved an adequate knowledge (score ⩾ 70%) compared to 15% pretest. Significant associations were observed between knowledge gain, education level ( p = .002), and family income ( p = .015). Conclusion: The STP significantly improved mothers’ knowledge about malnutrition prevention. Such interventions can be integrated into community health programmes to address child malnutrition in rural settings.