Year: 2026 | Month: November | Volume: 13 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 162-167
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20261114
Effect of a Single Structured Educational Session on Cardiovascular Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices among Non-Medical College Students in Pune, India: A One-Group Pre-Post Quasi-Experimental Study
Onkar Raut1, Dr Rajkiran Tiku (PT)2, Dr Seemi Retharekar (PT)3
1Intern Suryadatta Institute of Health Sciences, College of Physiotherapy, Pune,
2Professor Suryadatta Institute of Health Sciences, College of Physiotherapy, Pune,
3Principal Suryadatta Institute of Health Sciences, College of Physiotherapy, Pune
Corresponding Author: Dr Rajkiran Tiku (PT)
ABSTRACT
Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide, and risk factors increasingly emerge in young adulthood in India. College students from non-medical streams often lack formal exposure to cardiovascular health education.
Methods: A one-group pre-post quasi-experimental study was conducted among non-medical college students aged 18–25 years, recruited by convenience sampling from three colleges in Pune. A structured questionnaire validated by expert review assessed knowledge (12 items), attitudes (6 items) and practices (5 items) at baseline and again two weeks after one interactive 45–60 minute session on CVD prevention. Analysis used paired t-tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, Cohen's dz and McNemar's test.
Results: 89 enrolled participants (62.9% male), 85 (95.5%) completed both assessments. Mean knowledge score rose from 9.62 ± 2.25 to 11.78 ± 1.00 (t = 9.45, p < 0.001, dz = 1.02) and mean attitude score from 24.33 ± 6.61 to 28.26 ± 2.23 (t = 5.22, p < 0.001, dz = 0.57). Nine of 12 knowledge items improved significantly, with the largest gains in the multiple-select risk-factor item (20.0% to 92.9%) and ideal blood pressure (60.0% to 97.6%). Self-reported physical activity, fast-food frequency and fruit and vegetable intake shifted favourably (p = 0.027, 0.016 and < 0.001). Tobacco or vaping use fell from 12.2% to 3.7% (p = 0.065).
Conclusion: A single structured session was associated with a large improvement in CVD knowledge and a moderate improvement in attitudes, with smaller self-reported practice changes. Without a control group, and with the same questionnaire used twice, these gains cannot be attributed to the intervention alone, and practice changes should be regarded as preliminary. Controlled studies with longer follow-up are needed.
Keywords: cardiovascular disease; health literacy, health promotion; primary prevention, young adults
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