Effect of audio educational sessions versus self-instructional module on knowledge, practice and behavior for...

Visually impaired adolescent females (either completely blind or with partial vision loss) are a vulnerable group who require special attention and care, particularly when they begin menstruation during adolescence.

Evaluate the effect of audio educational sessions versus self-instructional module on knowledge, practice and behavior for visually impaired adolescent females regarding menstruation.

A randomized controlled trial design was conducted at El-Nor Schools in Port-Said City. Sixty visually impaired adolescent girls who had begun menstruating were randomly assigned to two groups using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a Structured Interview Questionnaire, a Health Practices during Menstruation scale, and a Females' Behaviors and Restrictions during Menstruation scale.

The SIM group's mean score for overall knowledge of menstruation at the post-test and follow-up educational sessions was higher than that of the Audio group, with the differences being statistically significant (P = 0.000). In contrast, the Audio group's mean score for overall menstrual health practices at the post-test and follow-up sessions was higher than that of the SIM group with a statistically significant difference (P = 0.000). Furthermore, Audio group's mean score for overall menstruation-related behaviors at the post-test and follow-up sessions was higher than that of the SIM group with a statistically significant difference (P = 0.000). In addition, a positive correlation was observed between the pre- and post-test total scores of knowledge, health practices, and behaviors in both study groups, with the differences being statistically significant (P ≤ 0.001).

Audio educational sessions, when combined with a Braille-based self-learning module, are both essential and highly effective in improving menstruation-related knowledge, practices, and behaviors among visually impaired adolescent girls.

The study protocol was registered with the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Nursing, Port Said University, under code number NUR13, on 7/4/2022.