“A PRE- EXPERIMENTAL STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INFORMATION BOOKLET REGARDING SELECTED GENETIC DISORDERS AMONG PEOPLE IN SELECTED AREAS OF PUNE CITY”

Abstract

Introduction: A genetic disorder is a health problem caused by one or more abnormalities in the genome. It can be caused by a mutation in a single gene (monogenic) or multiple genes (polygenic) or by a chromosome abnormality. The mutation responsible can occur spontaneously before embryonic development, or it can be inherited from two parents who are carriers of a faulty gene (autosomal recessive inheritance) or from a parent with the disorder (autosomal dominant inheritance).

Aims of the Study: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an information booklet in improving knowledge about selected genetic disorders among people in selected areas of Pune city. It sought to compare pre- and post-intervention knowledge levels. The study also aimed to assess associations between knowledge and selected demographic variables.

Methodology: In this study, we used a quantitative approach method; where a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was used. The study consisted of 60 participants, who were selected using a non-probability purposive sampling technique. The reliability of the tool was tested on 6 participants and it was found to be reliable.

Results: The majority of participants (38.33%) were aged 26–30 years, with 65% males and 35% females. Most had secondary education (28.33%), and 40% were employed in the private sector. Around 21.67% had an annual income between ₹1,06,850 and ₹2,13,813. In the pre-test, 71.67% had poor knowledge of genetic disorders, while post-test results showed 81.67% had excellent knowledge. The information booklet significantly improved knowledge (p = 0.00001), and no significant association was found between knowledge and demographic variables.

Conclusion: Though most participants had poor initial knowledge of genetic disorders, post-intervention results showed significant improvement. This highlights the effectiveness of educational tools like information booklets in increasing awareness and the need for continued health education efforts.