Abstract
Objectives Infectious disease knowledge and behaviors are key elements that ensure student health and safety. This study explores the impact of health education on student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases and determines the factors affecting infectious diseases knowledge and behaviors among students in Gansu, China. Methods A cross-sectional study and three sampling methods were used in two counties, 12 schools, and 32 classes in Gansu, China, from 2012 to 2013. Collected data included the following: (1) sociodemographic characteristics of 2002 students (1001 participants in the intervention group and 1001 in the control group); (2) accuracy of student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases based on comparison of intervention and control groups through X2 test; and (3) mean scores on knowledge and behavior of students with different characteristics toward infectious diseases, as analyzed through analysis of variance (ANOVA). Multiple linear regression was conducted to analyze factors affecting student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases. Results Statistically significant differences were observed among eight items of infectious disease transmission and treatment knowledge between intervention and control groups (P < 0.001). Average accuracies of knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases reached 72.23% and 60.03%. Significant differences were observed in six items on student behavior in rural and urban areas (P < 0.001). Health education, household register, and county affected scores of student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases (P < 0.05). Gender and education level also affected scores of student behaviors toward infectious diseases (P < 0.001). Conclusions Health education contributes to student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases. Students in the control group need intensified health education on infectious diseases. Health education needs to pay particular attention to rural students, all male students, and students at senior high school level living on campus.
Highlights
Infectious diseases include many types, among which tuberculosis (TB), influenza, and mumps are relatively common [1]
Our study discovered that both accuracy and scores of the intervention group were higher than those of the control group, and the statistical difference between the groups was significant (P < 0.001)
Our study showed that the intervention program, namely, health education, was a positive factor that affected scores of infectious disease knowledge and prevention behavior among primary, junior, and high school students in Gansu, China, further affirming the value of health education
Summary
Infectious diseases include many types, among which tuberculosis (TB), influenza, and mumps are relatively common [1]. The worldwide incidence of TB slowly decreases, the global disease rate remains substantial with 9 million cases and 1.5 million deaths in 2013 [2]. In China, influenza is highly infectious and strongly epidemic or pandemic among young people [4]. Mumps is a common respiratory infectious disease in children and adolescents [5]. In China, the incidence of mumps continually and steadily rose over the past decade [6]. These three major infectious diseases cause serious impact and harm, leading to adoption of measures that control spread of imminent infectious diseases
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