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Empowering Mothers through Structured Education to Strengthen Their Role in Preventing Child Malnutrition and Promoting Lifelong Health for Children under Five

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Title: Empowering Mothers through Structured Education to Strengthen Their Role in Preventing Child Malnutrition and Promoting Lifelong Health for Children under Five
Language: English
Authors: Sudhakar M. (ORCID 0009-0004-6777-9183), Sarita Telma Fernandes (ORCID 0000-0001-6750-1908), Harish Deyannavar (ORCID 0000-0003-4285-5165)
Source: Health Education Journal. 2026 85(3):252-259.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 8
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Nutrition, Young Children, Foreign Countries, Mothers, Empowerment, Prevention, Child Health, Program Effectiveness, Health Promotion, Health Behavior, Knowledge Level, Intervention, Rural Areas, Community Programs
Geographic Terms: India
DOI: 10.1177/00178969251404359
ISSN: 0017-8969
1748-8176
Abstract: Background: Malnutrition among children under 5 is a critical public health concern in rural India and often associated with inadequate maternal knowledge about nutrition. Structured Teaching Programmes (STPs) can enhance understanding of the causes, signs, consequences, and prevention of malnutrition, thereby promoting healthier behaviours among mothers. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an STP on knowledge regarding malnutrition prevention among mothers in rural Gulbarga, Karnataka. Materials and Methods: A preexperimental, one-group pretest/posttest design was used, involving 100 mothers of children under 5, selected through purposive sampling from four rural villages in Gulbarga. A structured knowledge questionnaire (30 items) assessed knowledge before and after a 60-minute STP, which comprised lectures, visual aids, and interactive discussions on the causes, signs, and prevention of malnutrition. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and Chi-square tests to evaluate the efficacy of the STP and associations with demographic variables. Results: The mean pretest knowledge score was 12.45 ± 3.21, which increased to 22.67 ± 2.89 posttest (p < 0.001), indicating a significant improvement. Posttest, 78% of mothers achieved an adequate knowledge (score ⩾ 70%) compared to 15% pretest. Significant associations were observed between knowledge gain, education level (p = 0.002), and family income (p = 0.015). Conclusion: The STP significantly improved mothers' knowledge about malnutrition prevention. Such interventions can be integrated into community health programmes to address child malnutrition in rural settings.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1501805
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Empowering Mothers through Structured Education to Strengthen Their Role in Preventing Child Malnutrition and Promoting Lifelong Health for Children under Five
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Sudhakar+M%2E%22&quot;&gt;Sudhakar M.&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6777-9183&quot;&gt;0009-0004-6777-9183&lt;/externalLink&gt;)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Sarita+Telma+Fernandes%22&quot;&gt;Sarita Telma Fernandes&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6750-1908&quot;&gt;0000-0001-6750-1908&lt;/externalLink&gt;)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Harish+Deyannavar%22&quot;&gt;Harish Deyannavar&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4285-5165&quot;&gt;0000-0003-4285-5165&lt;/externalLink&gt;)
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Nutrition%22&quot;&gt;Nutrition&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Young+Children%22&quot;&gt;Young Children&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Foreign+Countries%22&quot;&gt;Foreign Countries&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Mothers%22&quot;&gt;Mothers&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Empowerment%22&quot;&gt;Empowerment&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Prevention%22&quot;&gt;Prevention&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Child+Health%22&quot;&gt;Child Health&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Program+Effectiveness%22&quot;&gt;Program Effectiveness&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Health+Promotion%22&quot;&gt;Health Promotion&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Health+Behavior%22&quot;&gt;Health Behavior&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Knowledge+Level%22&quot;&gt;Knowledge Level&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Intervention%22&quot;&gt;Intervention&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Rural+Areas%22&quot;&gt;Rural Areas&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Community+Programs%22&quot;&gt;Community Programs&lt;/searchLink&gt;
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22India%22&quot;&gt;India&lt;/searchLink&gt;
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  Data: 10.1177/00178969251404359
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  Data: 0017-8969&lt;br /&gt;1748-8176
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Background: Malnutrition among children under 5 is a critical public health concern in rural India and often associated with inadequate maternal knowledge about nutrition. Structured Teaching Programmes (STPs) can enhance understanding of the causes, signs, consequences, and prevention of malnutrition, thereby promoting healthier behaviours among mothers. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an STP on knowledge regarding malnutrition prevention among mothers in rural Gulbarga, Karnataka. Materials and Methods: A preexperimental, one-group pretest/posttest design was used, involving 100 mothers of children under 5, selected through purposive sampling from four rural villages in Gulbarga. A structured knowledge questionnaire (30 items) assessed knowledge before and after a 60-minute STP, which comprised lectures, visual aids, and interactive discussions on the causes, signs, and prevention of malnutrition. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and Chi-square tests to evaluate the efficacy of the STP and associations with demographic variables. Results: The mean pretest knowledge score was 12.45 &#177; 3.21, which increased to 22.67 &#177; 2.89 posttest (p &lt; 0.001), indicating a significant improvement. Posttest, 78% of mothers achieved an adequate knowledge (score ⩾ 70%) compared to 15% pretest. Significant associations were observed between knowledge gain, education level (p = 0.002), and family income (p = 0.015). Conclusion: The STP significantly improved mothers&#39; knowledge about malnutrition prevention. Such interventions can be integrated into community health programmes to address child malnutrition in rural settings.
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  Data: 2026
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/00178969251404359
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 8
        StartPage: 252
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Nutrition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Young Children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mothers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Empowerment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Prevention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
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      – SubjectFull: Health Promotion
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Knowledge Level
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intervention
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      – SubjectFull: Rural Areas
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      – SubjectFull: Community Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: India
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Empowering Mothers through Structured Education to Strengthen Their Role in Preventing Child Malnutrition and Promoting Lifelong Health for Children under Five
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            NameFull: Sudhakar M.
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            NameFull: Sarita Telma Fernandes
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            NameFull: Harish Deyannavar
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              Y: 2026
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            – TitleFull: Health Education Journal
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