Impact of Outcome-based Health Education Package on Health Awareness of Secondary School Students
K. P. Sadhik Ali
*
Alagappa University College of Education, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, India.
J. E. Merlin Sasikala *
Alagappa University College of Education, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Health awareness is essential for developing healthy habits and preventing diseases among adolescents. Schools serve as an effective platform for promoting health awareness, as they reach a large population of young individuals in a structured learning environment. Despite growing awareness about adolescent health issues and the recognised importance of school-based health education, there is a lack of effective implementation of outcome-based, interactive health education programs in secondary schools that bridge the gap between knowledge and real-life health practices. The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of an outcome-based health education package on the health awareness of secondary school students. An experimental method with a pre-test and post-test control group design was adopted. The sample consisted of 50 students (25 in the experimental group and 25 in the control group). The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (t-test) to determine the significance of differences within and between groups. The experimental group was exposed to the outcome-based health education package, while the control group was taught through conventional methods. The results revealed a significant improvement in health awareness among students in the experimental group compared to the control group. The control group demonstrated a significant increase in post-test scores, suggesting that traditional teaching methods have a positive impact on students’ health awareness. In contrast, the experimental group exhibited a highly significant improvement, indicating a greater gain in health awareness due to the outcome-based health education package. Further analysis showed a significant difference between the post-test scores of the two groups, with the experimental group outperforming the control group. The study concludes that the outcome-based health education package is effective in enhancing health awareness.
Keywords: Health awareness, outcome-based education, health education, secondary students