Hussein Mansour Ali Al-Tameemi

ABSTRACT The aim: 1. To assess the existing knowledge of high-school students regarding drug addiction. 2.To measure the effectiveness of planned teaching program upon study groups knowledge on drug addiction. 3. To assess and compare the knowledge levels among participants (post-test) for both groups (study and control). 4. To find the association between studies group post-test levels of knowledge with participants socio-demographic variables. Materials and methods: The present study carried out by using quasi-experimental design with two groups and over three assessment phases, in period from September 2019 to July 2021, with objective of assessing educational program effectiveness in improving knowledge of drug addiction among students at high-school in Al Najaf city. Total of 70 high-school students divided into two groups, which were included by non-probability purposive sampling methods. Results: After conducting program the (post-tests) revealed significant improvement in knowledge of students from study group in comparing to control group, which remained at same level of knowledge toward drug addiction with mild decline. Conclusions: Furthermore, the study concluded that the education program was effective in enhancing knowledge of students concerning drug addiction. Besides, it is beneficial to conduct such programs in order to protect students from addiction risk. The study recommended for further modification and application of current program in future besides the need to educate teachers and as well as families toward drug addiction issue.

Drug addiction and substance abuse are among most preventable and treatable health problems during adolescence period if proper health programs are available. Attitudes among student adolescents considered as important framework side by side with knowledge for gaining successful addiction prevention programs. The present study done by means of quasi-experimental design over three tests using control and study groups, in period from September 2019 to July 2021. The study aimed to assess educational program effectiveness in improving attitudes toward drug addiction and substance abuse among high-school students in Al-Najaf city. Through non-probability purposive sampling methods (70) high-school students selected and divided into two groups. The results revealed that students from both groups in pre-test had positive attitude toward topic of drug addiction. However, after conducting program the (post-tests) revealed significant improvement in attitudes of students from study group in comparing to control group, which remained positive but without improvement in control group attitudes. Furthermore, the study concluded that the education program was effective in enhancing attitudes of students concerning substance abuse and drug addiction. Besides, it is useful to conduct such programs in order to guard students from addiction hazard..

الخلاصـــــة المنهجية: أجريت دراسة وصفية مقطعية على أولياء أمور الأطفال المصابين بالربو في مدينة النجف. للفترة الممتدة من 1 تشرين الأول 2016 إلى 4 أيار 2017، بهدف تقييم معارف المشاركين نحو الربو، وكذلك، من أجل العثور على أي علاقة ذات دلالة بين الخصائص الاجتماعية والديموغرافية للوالدين مع معارفهم فيما يتعلق بالربو. وباستخدام اسلوب المعاينة الغير عشوائية، تم اختيار عينة غرضية مكونة من 201 من الآباء من ثلاثة مستشفيات وخمسة مراكز للرعاية الصحية الأولية وثلاثة عيادات طبية خاصة. تم استخدام استمارة استبيان تتكون من ثلاثة أجزاء، وتضمن الجزء الأول منها الاستعلام عن الخصائص الاجتماعية والديموغرافية للمشاركين، فيما تضمن الجزء الثاني الأسئلة المتعلقة بالمعارف حول الربو والتي كانت مقسمة إلى ستة أقسام. النتائج: وأظهرت النتائج أن من مجموع 201 من أولياء الأمور الذين شملتهم الدراسة، 187 (93٪) كان لهم معرفة عامة ضعيفة وفقط 14 (7٪) من الآباء المشاركين كانت معلوماتهم متوسطة، بالإضافة الى عدم امتلاك أي منهم للمعرفة الجيدة. وعلاوة على ذلك، أظهرت النتيجة أن الخصائص الاجتماعية و الديموغرافية للآباء والأمهات لم يكن لها علاقة ذات دلالة احصائية بمستوى معرفتهم بالربو. الاستنتاجات والتوصيات: اظهر الاستنتاج النهائي والإجمالي للدراسة، بأن معرفة والدي الأطفال المصابين بالربو حول الربو كانت جدا غير مرضية. لذلك، أوصى الباحثون بإقامة اجتماعات إرشادية للآباء والمجتمع المحلي وتطبيق المزيد من الدراسات حول هذا الموضوع.

Abstract: The current descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to assess participants' knowledge and their attitudes toward first aid, as well as, to find any significant relation for teachers socio-demographic characteristic with their knowledge and attitudes regarding first aid. Therefore, by using SPSS a simple random sample of thirty governmental primary schools were selected, and then 302 primary school teachers were selected randomly. The result showed that 287 (95%) of participants had total fair knowledge and only 15 (5%) of participant teachers had poor knowledge, besides no one of them had good knowledge. With regard to teachers' attitudes towards first aid, the results showed that 282 (93.4%) of the teachers commonly had a positive attitude toward first aid. With respect to the relation of participants� socio-demographic data with their knowledge levels no significant association was determined but for monthly income. The final conclusion and summary of the study showed unsatisfactory knowledge about first aid in spite of teacher retaining a good general knowledge about the goals and benefits of first aid, thus the establishment of mandatory training sessions for teachers at the beginning of each academic year is intensely recommended. It is worth mentioning, that despite the teachers' positive attitudes towards first aid, an observed weakness in their responses about attitude for medical conditions that obligates providing first aid noted, which seems due to lack of knowledge and awareness about these situations where it can be improved through first aid programs and educational sessions or at least through health bulletins. Keywords: Knowledge, Attitudes,Primary School Teachers,First Aid.