Patient
Education
Elsevier Scientific
and Counseling,
Publishers
19 (1992)
Ireland
281
281-286
Ltd.
Pupil’s Knowledge About Hea .Ith and I llness Uzi Brook, “Pediatric (Both
Department,
departments
(Received (Accepted
MD” and Michael
Heim, MDb
E. Wolfson Medical Center, Holon and hRehabilitation Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer (Israel) with the Sackler School of Medicine. Tel Aviv University, Israel)
are affiliated
January 18th. 1991) March 3rd. 1992)
Abstract Three hundred twenty high school pupils were evaluated concerning their knowledge about health and disease. The knowledge of 170 students in the first school in which they received lectures and had regular talks about health topics was higher in comparison with the knowledge of 150 students in the second high school who did not receive these lectures. We recommended that health topics be integrated in the school program starting at the first grade and continuing until graduation from high school.
Key words: High school pupils’ knowledge;
Regular body functioning; Common diseases and health hazards; Sources of knowledge Introduction
parents have been studied as to their knowledge about the specific disease. The results demonstrate that these populations have relatively poor understanding of the various processes and their implications and in some cases outright confusion and unrealistic beliefs about the disease, its long-term effects and the rationale for treatment [ 1,2]. Previous studies have focused mainly on sick youngsters and their knowledge of their specific illness. This study was designed to explore how much healthy youngsters actually know of important issues pertinent to health and illness after having attended lectures on these topics. The first investigative issue addresses the extent of the youngsters’ knowledge in two areas: (a) regular body functioning and (b) common diseases and major health hazards such as smoking and drug abuse. The second issue addresses the sources of their knowledge. That is, to what extent parents, school, friends or the media provide information regarding health issues.
Knowledge of illness and health is a key element in comprehensive health care and may be important for effective prevention. Providing information is, therefore, the primary purpose of health education. The basic assumption is that knowledge will encourage the compliance of pharmacological treatment in chronic disease. In the sick population, the assumption is that understanding of disease increases treatment compliance, disease control, efficient family functioning and attainment of a realistic and appropriate life style.
One hundred seventy pupils who were randomly chosen from 6 classes at the Holon New High School (Tichon Hadash) and 150 pupils from 5 classes in a second high school (Yavneh) served as control group.
Children suffering from chronic diseases such as asthma and cystic fibrosis and their
Holon is the fourth largest city in Israel. Its population is 160 000 out of which 5000 at-
Patients and Methods
282
Table 1. Background information regarding the children and their families. First School (N = 170) M Parents’ education (years) Father Mother Income Average (100 US$) (%) Above average (%) Below average (%) Ratio of persons/room Ethnic origin European (Ashkenazi) (%) Non-European (Sefardi) (%) Ratio of male/female School Marks Grades 9 (14-15 years) (%) 10 (15-16 years) (%) 11 (16-17 years) (%)
12.7 12.8 48.3 24.6 27.1 1.1 58.3 41.7 35165 70.3
Second School (N = 159) SD.
3.0 2.7
0.2
13.9
38.8 32.9 28.2
tend 5 high schools. These children comprised the sample for this study. Background information regarding the adolescents and their families are presented in Table 1. Measures and Procedures
Three hundred twenty children were asked to till out a questionnaire whose first part included personal and family data. Its second part included 12 questions on pathophysiology of body processes. Finally, the pupils were asked 32 questions about their sources of information regarding medicine and preventive medicine. The questionnaire was composed by two pediatricians and two psychologists. Five additional specialists were asked to answer its questions and judge its validity: does it measure health knowledge? Only questions upon which the three pediatricians and the two teachers agreed about their representa-
Rangee
M
7-20 S-20
S.D.
Range
11.6 11.9
2.4 2.6
8-17 5-18
0.5-1.6
45.6 25.3 29.1 1.3
0.3
OS-l.5
10-97
49.4 50.6 39161 69.7
12.8
25-94
39.5 38.8 21.7
tion of the subjects were finally included in the final version of the questionnaire. An example of the 12 questions on pathophysiology of the diseases is shown in the following table (the answers require proof of information in both biology and in medicine relating to vital body symptoms): 1. An explanation of the visual system (How do we see?) 2. An explanation of the audile system (How do we hear?) 3. What is the function of red blood cells in our body? 4. What is the function of white blood cells in our body? 5. What is the function of the thrombocytes? 6. What may cause coughing in a child? 7. What causes sore throats? 8. Why does one get diarrhea? 9. What is gonorrhea?
283
Table 2. Knowledge of body functioning, common diseases, sex, smoking and drugs among pupils in 2 schools First School
Knowledge of body functioning Eye sight Hearing Blood Knowledge of common diseases Coughing Sore throat Diarrhea Knowledge of environmental medicint Sex and birth control Venereal diseases Effects of smoking Effects of drugs
Second
N= 170 positive answers
Total positive knowledge
(W
W)
School
Control group N= 150 positive answers (“!)
27.67 20.2 13.1 48.2 12.53
67.03
The rating was determined on a scale of -1 to +l. If the child answered incorrectly, he was rated - 1. No answer was rated 0. All answers were scored by one pediatrician in a pediatric ward. The statistical data were processed by computer, while the analysis was done according to unpaired t-test, x2 and Correlation tests.
19.73
< 0.05
8.27
< 0.001
53.3
Education
Elsevier Scientific
and Counseling,
Publishers
19 (1992)
Ireland
281
281-286
Ltd.
Pupil’s Knowledge About Hea .Ith and I llness Uzi Brook, “Pediatric (Both
Department,
departments
(Received (Accepted
MD” and Michael
Heim, MDb
E. Wolfson Medical Center, Holon and hRehabilitation Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer (Israel) with the Sackler School of Medicine. Tel Aviv University, Israel)
are affiliated
January 18th. 1991) March 3rd. 1992)
Abstract Three hundred twenty high school pupils were evaluated concerning their knowledge about health and disease. The knowledge of 170 students in the first school in which they received lectures and had regular talks about health topics was higher in comparison with the knowledge of 150 students in the second high school who did not receive these lectures. We recommended that health topics be integrated in the school program starting at the first grade and continuing until graduation from high school.
Key words: High school pupils’ knowledge;
Regular body functioning; Common diseases and health hazards; Sources of knowledge Introduction
parents have been studied as to their knowledge about the specific disease. The results demonstrate that these populations have relatively poor understanding of the various processes and their implications and in some cases outright confusion and unrealistic beliefs about the disease, its long-term effects and the rationale for treatment [ 1,2]. Previous studies have focused mainly on sick youngsters and their knowledge of their specific illness. This study was designed to explore how much healthy youngsters actually know of important issues pertinent to health and illness after having attended lectures on these topics. The first investigative issue addresses the extent of the youngsters’ knowledge in two areas: (a) regular body functioning and (b) common diseases and major health hazards such as smoking and drug abuse. The second issue addresses the sources of their knowledge. That is, to what extent parents, school, friends or the media provide information regarding health issues.
Knowledge of illness and health is a key element in comprehensive health care and may be important for effective prevention. Providing information is, therefore, the primary purpose of health education. The basic assumption is that knowledge will encourage the compliance of pharmacological treatment in chronic disease. In the sick population, the assumption is that understanding of disease increases treatment compliance, disease control, efficient family functioning and attainment of a realistic and appropriate life style.
One hundred seventy pupils who were randomly chosen from 6 classes at the Holon New High School (Tichon Hadash) and 150 pupils from 5 classes in a second high school (Yavneh) served as control group.
Children suffering from chronic diseases such as asthma and cystic fibrosis and their
Holon is the fourth largest city in Israel. Its population is 160 000 out of which 5000 at-
Patients and Methods
282
Table 1. Background information regarding the children and their families. First School (N = 170) M Parents’ education (years) Father Mother Income Average (100 US$) (%) Above average (%) Below average (%) Ratio of persons/room Ethnic origin European (Ashkenazi) (%) Non-European (Sefardi) (%) Ratio of male/female School Marks Grades 9 (14-15 years) (%) 10 (15-16 years) (%) 11 (16-17 years) (%)
12.7 12.8 48.3 24.6 27.1 1.1 58.3 41.7 35165 70.3
Second School (N = 159) SD.
3.0 2.7
0.2
13.9
38.8 32.9 28.2
tend 5 high schools. These children comprised the sample for this study. Background information regarding the adolescents and their families are presented in Table 1. Measures and Procedures
Three hundred twenty children were asked to till out a questionnaire whose first part included personal and family data. Its second part included 12 questions on pathophysiology of body processes. Finally, the pupils were asked 32 questions about their sources of information regarding medicine and preventive medicine. The questionnaire was composed by two pediatricians and two psychologists. Five additional specialists were asked to answer its questions and judge its validity: does it measure health knowledge? Only questions upon which the three pediatricians and the two teachers agreed about their representa-
Rangee
M
7-20 S-20
S.D.
Range
11.6 11.9
2.4 2.6
8-17 5-18
0.5-1.6
45.6 25.3 29.1 1.3
0.3
OS-l.5
10-97
49.4 50.6 39161 69.7
12.8
25-94
39.5 38.8 21.7
tion of the subjects were finally included in the final version of the questionnaire. An example of the 12 questions on pathophysiology of the diseases is shown in the following table (the answers require proof of information in both biology and in medicine relating to vital body symptoms): 1. An explanation of the visual system (How do we see?) 2. An explanation of the audile system (How do we hear?) 3. What is the function of red blood cells in our body? 4. What is the function of white blood cells in our body? 5. What is the function of the thrombocytes? 6. What may cause coughing in a child? 7. What causes sore throats? 8. Why does one get diarrhea? 9. What is gonorrhea?
283
Table 2. Knowledge of body functioning, common diseases, sex, smoking and drugs among pupils in 2 schools First School
Knowledge of body functioning Eye sight Hearing Blood Knowledge of common diseases Coughing Sore throat Diarrhea Knowledge of environmental medicint Sex and birth control Venereal diseases Effects of smoking Effects of drugs
Second
N= 170 positive answers
Total positive knowledge
(W
W)
School
Control group N= 150 positive answers (“!)
27.67 20.2 13.1 48.2 12.53
67.03
The rating was determined on a scale of -1 to +l. If the child answered incorrectly, he was rated - 1. No answer was rated 0. All answers were scored by one pediatrician in a pediatric ward. The statistical data were processed by computer, while the analysis was done according to unpaired t-test, x2 and Correlation tests.
19.73
< 0.05
8.27
< 0.001
53.3
