Effect of Health Teaching on Knowledge Regarding the Prevention of Zika Virus Infection among Patients Admitted in...

Zika virus (ZIKV), a single-stranded RNA virus discovered in 1947, is primarily transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, but also via mother-to-fetus, sexual contact, and blood transfusions. While often asymptomatic (80%), symptomatic infections resemble mild dengue fever. However, ZIKV poses significant risks, particularly to pregnant women, due to its potential to cause severe neurological defects like microcephaly in newborns. Its presence in bodily fluids contributes to its high invasiveness and public health concern. The objectives of the study were (1) to identify the existing knowledge related to the prevention of ZIKV infection among patients admitted in the selected hospital; (2) to determine effect of health teaching on knowledge regarding the prevention of ZIKV infection among patients admitted in the selected hospital; and (3) to find an association of selected demographic variables with knowledge regarding the prevention of ZIKV infection.

A pre experimental pretest-post-test one group design was used. One hundred samples were selected for the study by nonprobability purposive sampling technique. Data collection was done using questionnaires. Pretest was conducted, then health teaching was given to samples, and post-test was conducted after 7 days. The data was analysed by descriptive and inferential statistics. The reliability was assessed using test-retest method. Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.95. Hence, the tool of the study was found to be reliable.

Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the analysis. Researcher applied paired t test to determine the effect of health teaching on knowledge regarding the prevention of ZIKV among patients admitted in the selected hospital. The average knowledge score among patients in the pretest was 11.4, which increased to 20.7 in the posttest. The t-value for this test was 18.8, with 99 degrees of freedom. The corresponding P value was small (<0.05); the null hypothesis was rejected. The average knowledge score in the posttest was significantly higher than that in the pretest. It was evident that health teaching was significantly effective in improving the knowledge regarding the prevention of ZIKV among patients admitted in hospital.

Health teaching was effective to improve knowledge regarding the prevention of ZIKV infection. Hence, the corresponding P value was small (<0.05); the null hypothesis was rejected. It is evident that the average knowledge score in the posttest was significantly higher than that in the pretest.