Assessing the Impact of a Structured Teaching Program on Universal Immunization Awareness and Utilization Among Mothers with Under-Five Children in a Rural Community, Bangalore District, India

Abstract

This research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of a structured teaching program (STP) aimed at enhancing awareness and utilization of services related to the Universal Immunization Program among mothers with children under the age of five in a rural community within Bangalore District, India. Children can be protected against illnesses that can be prevented by vaccination by immunization, which is a cost-effective method of lowering morbidity and mortality in children. The Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) of the World Health Organization was established in 1974. The study's goals included determining the level of mothers' existing knowledge about vaccination services, implementing the structured training program, assessing its success, and examining correlations between post-test knowledge scores and certain demographic factors. The study used a one-group pretest and post-test design with a quantitative strategy and a quasi-experimental technique. The study was conducted in Mallasandra, T. Dasarahalli, Bangalore, and included a sample of 60 mothers with children under five, selected through convenience sampling. The results showed a considerable improvement in awareness ratings, with the mean percentage awareness score after the test rising from 31.35% to 72.24%. With 13.34% of women earning a 13 on the post-test compared to just 7% on the pre-test, there was also a noticeable improvement in the usage of services for the Universal Immunization Program. Additionally, a statistically significant correlation between post-test awareness and a few demographic factors, most notably married status, was found by the study. In conclusion, the structured teaching program had a significant positive impact on the awareness and utilization of services related to the Universal Immunization Program among mothers with children under five. These findings underscore the effectiveness of educational interventions in improving immunization knowledge and practices among this population.

Keywords: Awareness; Utilization; Knowledge; Structured Teaching; Universal; Immunization.