Effect of iec activity on health literacy of hypertension among school going adolescents in Delhi

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the health literacy of school going adolescents regarding Hypertension, and to assess the improvement in knowledge after Information Education and Communication (IEC) activity. Methodology: It was a school based-interventional study conducted in the year 2016. A list of all schools located in Najafgarh area which is the field practice area of VMMC and SJH was prepared and the two schools were selected by simple random method of sampling. A pre-tested, semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire was used given to a total of 120 students of classes 6th, 7th and 8th from each school for baseline and post – intervention data. Intervention was given in the form of posters and pamphlets in school 1 and by didactic lectures in school 2. Post – intervention data were collected at 2 weeks and at 3 months after the intervention. Data were analysed using licensed SPSS 21.0 software and Chi Square test was used to find the association between the dependent and independent variables. Results: Before the intervention, from school 1, 81.7% of the students had heard of hypertension and from school 2, 83.0% students had heard of hypertension. A total of 6.7% students in school 1 and 2.5% students in school 2 knew normal blood pressure value. A total of 22.5% students in school 1 and 39.2% students in school 2 knew blood pressure increases in hypertension. Similarly a total of 67.3% students in school 1and 63.3% students in school 2 knew hypertension is preventable. There was a significantly higher proportion of students with satisfactory level of knowledge of hypertension after 2 weeks and 3 months of intervention in both the schools.