A Randomized Controlled Trial Enhancing Non-Communicable Diseases Health Literacy of Indian Youth

Abstract

Background There is a theory-praxis gap related to health literacy interventions focused on non-communicable diseases (NCD) among young people. We designed a NCD curriculum and investigated its’ effect on health literacy in non-medical, non-nursing college students in India. We deliberately selected non-medical and non-nursing college students as we hypothesized they would have minimal baseline knowledge of NCDs. Methods We initially carried out a pilot study in 85 students in a four-day long workshop (12 teaching hours) using empirically developed health literacy instrument. We administered the curriculum to 120 randomly selected students in 4 colleges, while 50 students were controls. The curriculum was given over 4 days for a total of 32 hours. Each lecture comprised of didactic lecture followed by discussion and skills testing of measuring BP and blood sugar. Health literacy was measured using a specifically designed tool at baseline and endline. Difference in health literacy scores between the two time-points was analyzed using the t-test. Multiple linear and Poisson regression models were used for covariates. Results Study groups were comparable at baseline. The intervention group showed 20.6% higher health literacy score at endline versus control group (p<0.001). Participants scoring 40% or above on the health literacy measure in both groups were comparable at baseline. However, the proportion of participants scoring 40% or above was higher in the intervention group versus control group at endline (p<0.001). Conclusions We provide empirical data to support incorporation of NCDs as a credit course in college curricula in low and middle income countries. This is the first study in the Indian context that addressed NCD-related health literacy in a randomized trial.

Insights of literacy on preventive behaviors of non-communicable diseases in Bangladesh: descriptive types of cross-sectional study among female university students

“…In addition, they showed a significant increase of skill compared to the comparison group after the application of the intervention. 24 The study indicates a miserable scenario regarding health literacy as well as behavior on prevention of NCDs. Thus, further surveys are required for an efficient conclusion regarding such issue.…”