INTRODUCTION:

Acute Respiratory problems are most common cause of illness requiring hospitalization in infants and children between 1-5 years of age. Respiratory problems in children are a life threatening conditions among children. In each year children have 4-6 episodes of acute respiratory tract infection.

Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries among under-five children. Every year in the world, 13 million under five children dies of ARI and among them 95% from developing countries.¹Global Burden of Disease estimates 2010, stated that acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) is the leading cause of death among children aged under five years in developing countries^.2 About 13 Million children under five years of age die every year in the world, out of which 95% of them are in developing nations, one third of total deaths are due to acute respiratory tract infections^.3

Another study has reported a lower incidence of ARI in children who are completely immunized than those with incomplete immunization.⁴Many of the deaths are preventable with simple interventions and can be treated with low cost technologies and care. In one study lower socioeconomic status is significantly associated with occurrence of pneumonia. Lower income is cited as a risk factor for acute respiratory tract infection.⁵

Community-based studies have reported poor socioeconomic factors such as poor literacy, lack of breast feeding, malnutrition, un-immunization coverage, cooking fuel used other than liquefied petroleum gas as risk factors leading to increasing burden of ARI among children⁶. Quantitative systematic review of studies from developed countries reported hand washing reduces the incidence of respiratory infections by 24%.⁷ The various interventions against ARI has shown the high impact on breast feeding, zinc prophylaxis, access to clean fuel for cooking and community/facility-based case management. These interventions are applicable to combat the burden of ARI drastically.⁸

Effective community based interventions like health education will generate awareness among mothers of under five children. Thus reduce the prevalence and risk factors of acute respiratory tract infections in children.

Statement of Problem:

A Study to Assess the Knowledge and Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme Regarding Acute Respiratory Tract Infection among Mothers of Underfive Children in A Selected Hospital at Kollam District

OBJCTIVES:

1 To assess the pretest knowledge regarding acute respiratory tract infections among mothers of under five children.

2 To find out the effectiveness of structured teaching programme regarding acute respiratory tract infection among mothers of under five children.

3 To find out the association between pretest knowledge of mothers of under five children regarding acute respiratory tract infection with selected socio demographic variables.

Hypotheses:

Hypotheses will be tested at 0.05 level of significance

H₁: There will be significant difference between the mean pretest and posttest knowledge regarding acute respiratory tract infection among mothers of under five children.

H2: There will be significant association between pretest knowledge score regarding acute respiratory tract infection among mothers of under five children with selected socio demographic variables.

METHODOLOGY:

Research Approach:

Quantitative research approach was adopted for this study.

Research Design:

Pre experimental one group pretest posttest design.

Population:

All the Mothers of under- five children.

Sample:

30 Mothers of under- five children who were admitted in the Holy Cross Hospital, kottiyam.

Sampling technique:

Purposive sampling technique.

Variables:

Independent variable:

Structured teaching programme regarding acute respiratory tract infection.

Dependent Variable:

Knowledge of under-five mothers regarding acute respiratory tract infection.

Data Collection Method:

Tools used were:

1. Socio demographic Performa

2. Structured knowledge questionnaire regarding Respiratory Tract Infection

Method of data collection:

1. Written permission was obtained from the parents.

2. The sample 30 was selected based on the sampling criteria using convenience sampling method

3. Pre-test was conducted and structured teaching programme regarding prevention of acute respiratory tract infection was given and then posttest done after a week

Data Analysis:

1. Descriptive: Frequency, percentage, means. and standard deviation were used.

2. Inferential: Chi-square paired t test were used for the analysis and interpretation of data.

RESULT:

Figure 1: Represents 93.3% of samples had good knowledge score in the post test, whereas 80% of sample had poor knowledge score in the pretest

Table 1: Shows the effectiveness of structured teaching programme regarding prevention of Acute respiratory tract infection was effective

Scores	Mean	SD	t value	P
Pretest	8.76	2.98	19*	0.000
Post test	21.5	2.51	19*	0.000

*t₍₂₉₎=2.05, p<0.05

DISCUSSION:

Data from 30 samples was tabulated, analyzed and interpreted considering the objectives and hypothesis of the study by using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study findings revealed that in the pretest 20% had average knowledge and 80% had poor knowledge. After the structured teaching programme in the posttest 93.33% had good knowledge, 6.67% had average knowledge. The calculated paired “test value was 19 and the table”t” value was 2.05. Thus the calculated “t value is higher than the table value. Hence the null hypothesis was rejected and research hypothesis was accepted. There was no significant association between the pretest knowledge score and selected demographic variables (χ2 >0.05). Thus it was concluded that there was a significant improvement in posttest score when compared to pre-test score. so the structured teaching programme on prevention of Acute respiratory tract infection among mothers of under five children was effective

NURSING IMPLICATIONS:

Nursing Education:

The study brought forth the call for health professionals specially nursing students and staff nurses, to undertake a special role of motivator in the healthcare team, as educator and health care provider through various interventions of health awareness among the public specially among caregivers of children.

Nursing Administration:

The Nurse administrators can enable the nursing personnel to develop newer skills through in-service education and continuing education programme regarding prevention of acute respiratory tract infections among the mothers of under five children.

Nursing Research:

The incidents of acute respiratory tract infections among children are more prevalent now days than other age group. So there is need for extended and intensive research in this area. The health professionals specially staff nurses and nursing students should encourage in expanding the body of knowledge among children and caregivers at home.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY:

1. The study was restricted to small sample size, which limited the generalization of the result.

2. The study was focused only on the knowledge of mothers of under five children.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Similar study can be conducted with large samples to assess the attitude and practice of mothers of under five children. Regarding the prevention of acute respiratory tract infections

2. A study can be conducted using other teaching strategies like video, film, skits, and follow up done to evaluate the mothers knowledge and practice.

3. The study can be done in different settings like private hospitals and government hospitals and other community settings.

CONCLUSION:

Acute respiratory tract infection is a lifetime diseases and the highest priority risk group is between 1-5 years of age. The primary care givers in health care settings such as physicians and nurses play important role in giving awareness on hazards owing to exposure to passive smoke, proper hygiene practices that needs emphasis and reinforcement through Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities. Health care providers have a major role to create awareness to sustain optimal breast feeding practices, appropriate immunization, Vitamin A administration, proper maternal, and child nutrition to prevent the incidence of ARI because they serve as the first contact person for management at community level. Creating awareness among the public about ARI reduces the incidence of morbidity and mortality among under five children.

REFERENCE:

1. Taksande A, Yeole M. Risk factors of acute respiratory infection (ARI) in underfives in a rural hospital of Central India. J Pediatric Neonatal Individual Med. 2016;5(1): e050105.

2. IHME. Global Burden of Disease Compare. University of Washington; 2013 [cited 2013 3.11]; Available from: http://viz.healthmetricsandevaluation.org/gbdcompare/.

3. Rudan I, Boschi-Pinto C, Biloglav Z, Mulholland K, Campbell H. Epidemiology and etiology of childhood pneumonia. Bull World Health Org. 2008; 86: 408– 416.

4. Sharma D, Kuppusamy K, Bhoorasamy A. Prevalence of acute respiratory infections (ari) and their determinants in under five children in urban and rural areas of Kancheepuram district, South India. Ann Trop Med Public Health. 2013;513–518.

5. Mitra NK. A longitudinal study on ARI among rural under five. Ind J Commun Med. 2001; XXVI

6. Acharya D, Prasanna KS, Nair S, Rao RS. Acute respiratory infections in children: A community based longitudinal study in south India. Indian J Public Health. 2003; 47: 7–13.

7. Wiley Online Library; [Last accessed on 2013 Mar 11]. Handwashing and risk of respiratory infections: A quantitative systematic review-Rabie-2006-Tropical Medicine and International Health. Available from: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j. 1365-3156.2006.01568.x/pdf .

8. Niessen LW, ten Hove A, Hilderink H, Weber M, Mulholland K, Ezzati M. Comparative impact assessment of child pneumonia interventions. Bull World Health Organ. 2009; 87:472–80.

Received on 27.07.2020 Modified on 19.11.2020

Int. J. of Advances in Nur. Management. 2021; 9(2):127-130.

DOI: 10.5958/2454-2652.2021.00031.7