Effects of Vector-Borne Diseases Prevention and Control Program on Knowledge and Behaviors Among Junior High School Student Leaders, Mueang District, Lampang Province

Abstract

Vector-borne diseases including Dengue, Zika fever, and Chikungunya, have been a continuously concerned in terms of public health. According to the vector- borne diseases statistics reported by Khelangnakorn Municipality, it was found that Sueksa Songkhro Jitaree School Under the Patronage of the Princess Mother, a boarding school in Lampang Province, had the highest number of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes-transmitted cases. This quasi- experimental research aimed to examine the effects of the vector borne diseases prevention and control program on knowledge and behaviors among thirty high school student leaders. The one- group pretest and posttest design was conducted. The research tools were 1) the vector-borne diseases prevention and control program which was developed documentary research to study relevant documents and literature in order to obtain guidelines in this study, the program was conducted for2 days. and 2) the questionnaires regarding to knowledge and preventive behavior for vector-borne disease.3) the aedes larvae indices form who researcher survey self-evaluation before and after the program was 2 days The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics including Wilcoxon- signed rank Test. Aedes larvae indices including house index (HI), Breteau index (BI) and container index (CI)were determined before and after delivering the program by researcher. The results revealed that the program was significantly increased the knowledge and behavior level of the students (p<0.001). The knowledge scores before and after participating in the program were 4.2±2.7 and 13.6±0.5, respectively. The behavior scores before and after participating in program were 1.8±0.2 and 2.6±0.1, respectively. Besides, before using the program, the Aedes larvae index value was at a highrisk level (HI = 100, BI = 850, and CI = 100). After using the program, the Aedes larvae index value decreased but also to the highrisk level at first time of investigation (HI = 50, BI = 200, and CI = 23.5), and at a low level for the second time (HI = 0, BI = 0, and CI = 0). In conclusion, this vector-borne diseases prevention and control program enabled increase the knowledge and preventive behavior level for high school student leaders which may result in vector-borne diseases prevention and control in the school and household.

Keywords: Vector-borne Diseases, Vector-borne Diseases Prevention and Control Program, Knowledge, Behaviors, Students