Effect of Educational Intervention on Pubertal Changes among Adolescent School Girls in the Rural Areas of Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Aim: The aim is to study the understanding on pubertal changes among adolescent school girls using educational intervention. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study among adolescent girls aged 12-18 years in the rural areas of Varanasi district. It was conducted among 240 adolescent school girls across 5 selected villages following consent and assent in Varanasi district in Uttar Pradesh over a period of two years. A self-structured questionnaire was administered to the sample subjects. Awareness creation was done using individual information dissemination over the period of 3 months. Data was collected into excel sheet and analysis done using paired t test. Results: Respondents showed lack of knowledge regarding meaning of menstruation, male and female reproductive organs, growth of primary and secondary sex characteristics during adolescence and external and internal changes in body during adolescence. Significant differences were seen in awareness regarding aspects of pubertal changes during adolescence among respondents due to intervention among respondents of experimental group. Conclusion: Educational intervention through information dissemination in the schools is an effective way in improving their developmental phase.