The Impact of Educational Package of Prevention of Metabolic Syndrome on the Knowledge and Attitudes of Primary School Teachers of Dezful Cityin2016

Objectives: This study has been conducted with the objective of investigating the impact of educational packages of prevention of metabolic syndrome on knowledge and attitude of primary school teachers.Methods: The study is in kind of quasi experimental research. In this study, according to the Cochran formula, sampling was done using easy non-random sampling method from the selected schools of Dezful city. The participants were randomly divided into two experimental (n = 72) and control (n = 72) groups. Division of selected individuals to each studied group was done using block random method and using 6-member blocks. Then, both groups fulfilled the researcher-made questionnaire (knowledge and attitude associated with metabolic syndrome) with previously proved validity and reliability. The experimental group was exposed to educations related to prevention of metabolic syndrome (intervention) through educational package. After that, the intervention group was allowed for 1 month to use new skills. Then, the obtained data were analyzed statistically in SPSS-22.Results: According to the obtained results, the mean age range of participants in the intervention group is 39.5 and it is equal to 37.5 years old in the control group. A majority of participants were female (intervention: 61.1 and control: 87.5%). In terms of education level, a majority of participants had a post-diploma and BA degree (intervention: 84.7 and control: 74.6%). A majority of sample individuals were married (intervention: 61.1 and control: 69.4%). In terms of job status, a majority of participants were teachers (intervention: 65.3 and control: 61.1%) and a majority of students in this study were in grade 6 of primary school (intervention: 44.4 and control: 48.6%). According to obtained results, the mean value of knowledge of intervention group was significantly higher than their values before the intervention (P < 0.0001); although the values showed no significant difference in the control group ( P = 0.083). Moreover, mean values of the attitude of the intervention group was significantly higher than values before intervention (P < 0.0001) and no significant difference was observed in the control group (P = 0.093). Moreover, the mean values of knowledge and attitudes between two intervention and control groups showed significant difference (P < 0.0001). It means that the values of attitude and knowledge in the intervention group increased higher than the control group (P < 0.098).Conclusions: Teachers and other educational employees facing a wide range of students and their health and promotion of knowledge and attitude towards the health of students through various methods such as educational packages could help modification of behaviors associated with health of students in all dimensions, especially physical dimension.

Keywords:

Teachers , Educational Package , Knowledge , Attitude , Metabolic Syndrome