Effect of educational intervention on e-waste management among adults in Imphal West District, Manipur: A quasi-experimental study

ABSTRACT Background: E-waste management is a great challenge to public health. India is presently the world’s third-largest producer of e-waste. The volume of e-waste in India has witnessed a significant surge to 1.6 million tons in 2021–2022. This study aimed to assess the effect of an educational intervention on knowledge and to evaluate the practice of e-waste management among adults in Manipur. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted among adults in the Imphal West District, Manipur. A total of 91 participants were recruited using the convenience sampling method. A pretested structured questionnaire was used. Data were entered into MS Excel 2019 and analyzed using SPSS V.26. Knowledge of e-waste management was assessed before and after the intervention. The chi-square test and Cochran’s Q test were used. Results: Of the 91 participants, 49 were females. Among them, 59% were aware that e-waste poses a serious threat to the environment, and 50% knew that e-waste causes health hazards. The knowledge level improved significantly from a baseline of 33% to 63.7% after the first post-test and further to 67% after two weeks during post-test 2. There was no significant association between socio-demographic variables and knowledge scores before and after the intervention. Conclusion: There was a significant increase in the knowledge of e-waste management among the study participants by educational intervention. Sensitization messages regarding e-waste handling practices, such as reuse, repair, and recycling, should be promoted to ensure proper disposal.