Journal List > J Korean Acad Nurs > v.43(4) > 1002930

Lee and Park: Development and Effects of a Health Education Program for North Korean Preschool Defectors

Abstract

Purpose

This study was conducted to develop a health education program for preschoolers who have defected from North Korea with their mothers, and to evaluate the effects on health knowledge and behavior.

Methods

A non-equivalent control group pre-post test design was used with 58 preschoolers who were assigned to either the experimental or control group (29 for each group). The program was composed of five sessions in health education and contracts. To test the effectiveness of the intervention, health knowledge and behaviors, and total bacterial colony counts on hands were measured at one pretest and two post tests (1 week and 4 weeks after the intervention ended). Data were analyzed using the SAS program.

Results

Health knowledge and behavior in the experimental group increased significantly compared to the control group. The effects of the intervention were evident even at 4 weeks after the intervention ended. Total bacterial colony counts in the experimental group decreased significantly at the 1 and 4 week posttest intervention compared to the control group.

Conclusion

Results indicate that this program is effective in improving health knowledge and behavior in these children and therefore can be utilized to ensure efficient management their health care.

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Homogeneity Test for General Characteristics and Measurement Variables between Experimental and Control Groups
jkan-43-478-i001

Exp.=Experimental group; Cont.=Control group; CFU=Colony Forming Unit; *by Fisher's exact test; by Wilcoxon rank sum test.

Table 2
Effects of the Health Education Program on Variables
jkan-43-478-i002

Exp.=Experimental group (n=29); Cont.=Control group (n=29); CFU=Colony Forming Unit;

Posttest 1=1 week after intervention trials ended; Posttest 2=4 weeks after intervention trials ended;

*by t-test or by Wilcoxon signed rank test with Bonferroni's adjustment; by ANOVA; by repeated measures ANOVA; §by Wilcoxon rank sum test.

Notes

This manuscript is based on a part of the first author's doctoral dissertation from The Catholic University of Korea.

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