Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme on Knowledge and Techniques Regarding Metered Dose Inhalers (MDI) Among Bronchial Asthma Patients in Selected Hospitals of Mangalore Taluk

Objectives of the study:
The objectives of the study were to:

*assess the pre-test knowledge and techniques regarding metered dose inhalers among bronchial asthma patients.

*evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge and techniques regarding metered dose inhalers among bronchial asthma patients.

*find out the correlation between knowledge and techniques regarding metered dose inhalers among bronchial asthma patients.

*find out the association between the pre-test knowledge score and selected demographic variables among bronchial asthma patients.

*find out the association between pre-test techniques score and selected demographic variables among bronchial asthma patients.

Methods:
An evaluative approach was used for the study to test the effectiveness of structured teaching programme prepared for bronchial asthma patients. The conceptual framework adopted for the study was based on Wiedenbach’s helping art of clinical nursing theory (1964).

To obtain content validity of the tool, the prepared tool along with the problem statement, objectives, operational definition, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and structured interview schedule along with the demographic proforma, structured teaching programme were submitted to nine experts. Seven were from the field of medical surgical nursing speciality and two were doctors in the field of pulmonology and medicine.

To ensure the reliability, the tool was administered to 6 bronchial asthma patients in selected hospitals of Mangalore Taluk (annexure 1). Who fulfilled the sampling criteria. Split half technique was used to assess the internal consistency. The reliability was tested by applying Karl Pearson’s coefficient of Spearman Brown Prophecy formula. The reliability quotient was found to be 0.80 for structured interview schedule and 0.86 for observational checklist, which indicated that the tools are reliable.

Non probability purposive sampling was used to select the sample for the study. The sample size was 60. Pilot study was conducted to find out the feasibility of the study. Data collected from the sample were analysed by descriptive and inferential statistics.

Significant findings of the study:

*The findings of this study demonstrated that 48.3% belonged to age group of 41-50, majority of the subjects
(78.3%) were male, maximum subjects (36.7%) were Hindus, majority of them belonged to nuclear family, most of them (33.3%) had secondary education, maximum (48.35) were in the field of business, most (43.3%) of their family monthly income was 5,001-10,000 rupees, most (45%) of them had illness >5 years, most (23.3%) of them were using MDI since 4 years, many of them (51.7%) had the family history of bronchial asthma, and majority of them (73.3%) had the source of information. 

*The mean percentage of pre-test knowledge score was 37.5%, whereas post-test knowledge score was 91.4%.

*The mean percentage of pre-test technique score was 66.3% and post-test technique score was (91.8%).

*The ‘t’ value computed between mean pre-test and post-test knowledge score is statistically significant (t(cal) = 35.33, table value t(₅₉) = 1.67, p<0.05) and ‘t’ value computed between pre-test and post-test technique score is statistically significant(t(cal) =15.57 table value t(₅₉) = 1.67, p <0.05). this shows that there is significant difference between the mean pre-test and post-test knowledge score and mean pre-test and posttest score of bronchial asthma patients regarding MDI, it shows that Structured Teaching Programme (STP) was effective in increasing the knowledge and technique of bronchial asthma patients regarding MDI. Thus it showed that as the knowledge increased technique improved.

*There was negative correlation between pre-test knowledge and technique (r_(cal) = -0.180, table value r₍₅₈₎=0.236;p<0.05), whereas there was positive correlation between pre-test knowledge and technique (r_(cal)=0.839, table value r₍₅₈₎=0.236;p<0.05) of bronchial asthma patients regarding MDI.

*The findings of the study revealed that there was no association between pre-test knowledge score and selected demographic variables.

*The findings of the study revealed that there was no association between pre-test technique score and selected demographic variables.

Conclusion:
The findings of the study showed that the structured teaching programme was effective in all the areas in improving the knowledge and technique of bronchial asthma patients regarding MDI.