31Dec 2016

PEER TO PEER EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR PROMOTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AMONG FEMALE ADOLESCENTS IN TAIF, SAUDI ARABIA.

  • consultant family physician ,M.B.B.S, Saudi Board in Family Medicine, Arab Board in Family Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh .
  • Medical intern ,Taif University, Taif, KSA.
  • M.R.C.G.P, London, Assistant consultant family physician, National Guard health care centre, Taif Region.
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Background: Peer education is an interactive method of teaching or learning which is widely used for educating school students. Regular physical activity is linked to enhanced health and to reduced risk for all-cause mortality and the development of many chronic diseases in adults. However, many Saudi adult females are either sedentary or less physically active than recommended. Objectives:To implement peer to peer education method in physical education among adolescent Saudi females and assess its effectiveness in changing their knowledge and bahaviours regarding physical activity. Subjects and Methods: A randomized controlled trial, using peer to peer educational method was adopted. Two female school secondary schools were randomly selected. Two classes from each grade from the first school representing the intervention group (with peer to peer education), while three classes from each grade from the second school representing the control group. Self administer pre-designed questionnaire was adapted. Physical activity was assessed using IPAQ short-version. The questionnaire was administered twice before start the education program and one month after to an intervention group of students. The questionnaire divided into 3 main sections (demographic data, knowledge assessment, practice assessment). Results: A total of 221 female students completed the questionnaire, representing 88.4% of the total female students invited to participate in the study (n=250). The age of the participants ranged between 16 and 18 years with a mean of 17.33±0.64. The general knowledge, regarding the importance of physical activity has been improved significantly after peer to peer education as it raised from 12±2.18 to 12.66±2.09 (P=0.048). The total physical activity score has been increased significantly after peer to peer education as it raised from 5558.4±5991.2 to 8046.8±7285.2 (P=0.012). While in the control group, without peer to peer education, there was no significant change in the total physical activity score. The majority of the participants recognized that physical activity is protective against diseases in general (88.2%) as well as it is protective against obesity (86.9%). Approximately 59.3% of them claimed that there were no any educational activities regarding physical activities at their schools while 10% reported that there were such activities either often or always. Conclusion: Peer to peer education is an effective approach to increase and encourage physical activity among young people. The general knowledge, regarding the importance of physical activity has been improved significantly after peer to peer education.The prevalence of physical inactivity among Saudis secondary school females is relatively high. Such high prevalence of inactivity represents a major public health concern.

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[Nora Saeed Al-Malki, Haifa Saeed Al-Malki and Elghali Imam Mohammed. (2016); PEER TO PEER EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR PROMOTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AMONG FEMALE ADOLESCENTS IN TAIF, SAUDI ARABIA. Int. J. of Adv. Res. 4 (Dec). 1713-1726] (ISSN 2320-5407). www.journalijar.com

Haifa Almalki
Taif University

DOI:

Article DOI: 10.21474/IJAR01/2574      
DOI URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/2574

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