Effect of health educational program about plastic use hazards on knowledge, attitude and practice of preparatory school teachers

Mahmoud, Nahla Said; Kabbash, Ebrahim Ali; El-kest, Hend Reda Ali

doi:10.21608/tsnj.2023.285655

Effect of health educational program about plastic use hazards on knowledge, attitude and practice of preparatory school teachers

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Lecturer of Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Tanta University.Egypt

² Professor of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University,Egypt.

10.21608/tsnj.2023.285655

Abstract

Plastic materials were initially designed to improve our quality of life
However, their unregulated usage has resulted in a variety of environmental and
health problems due to a lack of knowledge about their fate in living beings and the
ecosystem. This paper aimed to evaluate an effect of a health education program
about plastic use hazards on knowledge, attitude and practice of preparatory school
teachers. Methodology; quasi-experimental design was applied in the research; it was
done in four Preparatory governmental schools that affiliated to the Ministry of
Education in Egypt. A well-structured questionnaire was used in this study for data
collection. Results; there was a statistically significant improvement in all items of
knowledge, practice, and attitude regarding plastic usage and its hazards before and 3
months after educational intervention as p=0.001. Conclusion and recommendation;
the educational intervention was successful in enhancing knowledge, practice, and
attitude of the studied teachers toward the risks associated with plastic use. School
health nurse should provide educational intervention in different schools to improve
the information of teachers and students about the risks of plastic use. Imposing tax
on plastic products by the government, especially with fewer microns and non-
recyclable plastic products