SMARTPHONE-BASED HEALTH EDUCATION TO IMPROVE KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES IN FILARIASIS PREVENTION

Aims: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a smartphone-based health education application, Edu Fila, in improving community knowledge and attitudes toward filariasis prevention in an endemic area. Methods: A pre-experimental, one-group pretest–posttest design was used, involving ۵۰ purposively selected participants from Muaro Jambi District, Indonesia. Participants received three educational sessions via the Edu Fila mobile application, covering key aspects of filariasis including transmission, symptoms, impact, and prevention. Knowledge and attitudes were measured before and after the intervention using validated questionnaires. Paired t-tests were applied to analyze the statistical significance of changes. Fundings: The results showed a significant increase in both knowledge and attitude scores following the intervention. The mean knowledge score improved from ۴۰.۳۸ to ۵۳.۶۲ (p = ۰.۰۰۰), and the mean attitude score increased from ۳۲.۹۲ to ۴۰.۵۲ (p = ۰.۰۰۰). These findings indicate that the smartphone-based education model was effective in enhancing participants’ understanding and attitudes related to filariasis prevention. Conclusion: The Edu Fila application demonstrated significant potential as an innovative digital tool for community-based health education. Its interactive and accessible format effectively improved knowledge and fostered positive behavioral attitudes, supporting broader public health strategies for filariasis prevention.

کلیدواژه ها:

Filariasis ، Health Education ، Smartphone Application ، Digital Health ، Knowledge ، Attitude