Peer-reviewed article
Effectiveness of a Structured Pharmaceutical Educational Intervention on Maternal Knowledge of Pediatric Vaccines, Immunization Schedules, and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: A Quasi-Experimental Study.
Selvaraj Hemalatha, Kandasamy Maheswari, Gaoudam Nadarajane, Panneerselvam Periasamy ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study tested whether a structured teaching program could improve mothers' knowledge about childhood vaccines and immunization schedules in India. Fifty mothers received educational training, and their knowledge was measured before and after the program. The program significantly increased mothers' understanding of vaccines, with average knowledge scores rising from 13.5 to 24.5 out of a possible score, representing a 36% improvement. The researchers concluded that this type of education is important for increasing vaccination rates in children.
Key points
- Mean knowledge score increased from 13.5 (SD = 4.05) pretest to 24.5 (SD = 5.03) posttest
- 36% increase in mean percentage score with statistically significant difference (t = 19.65, P < 0.05)
- Maternal age and education level were significantly associated with pretest knowledge scores
- Structured teaching program was effective in enhancing maternal knowledge of immunization schedules
Limitations
The study used only a pretest-posttest design without a comparison group, so we cannot know if the improvement would have occurred anyway or if other factors contributed. The sample size was small (50 mothers) and recruitment was purposive rather than random, limiting generalizability to other populations.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Immunization is a cornerstone of public health, preventing childhood morbidity and mortality. However, inadequate maternal knowledge often leads to incomplete immunization coverage. AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of a structured teaching program (STP) on knowledge regarding the immunization schedule among mothers of children under five. METHODOLOGY: A quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was employed, involving 50 mothers in Sanarpalayam, Namakkal District, selected via purposive sampling. A structured questionnaire with 30 multiple-choice questions assessed knowledge. Data were analyzed using descriptive (mean, standard deviation [SD]) and inferential statistics (paired t-test, Chi-square test). RESULTS: The mean knowledge score improved from 13.5 (SD = 4.05) in the pretest to 24.5 (SD = 5.03) in the posttest, with a 36% increase in the mean percentage score (t = 19.65, P < 0.05). Significant associations were observed between pretest knowledge and age (χ 2 =11.56, P = 0.012) and education (χ 2 =13.03, P = 0.025). CONCLUSION: The STP significantly enhanced maternal knowledge of immunization schedules, emphasizing the need for ongoing maternal education to improve vaccination coverage and child health outcomes.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Structured teaching program (STP) on immunization schedules and vaccines
- Population
- 50 mothers of children under five in Sanarpalayam, Namakkal District, India, selected via purposive sampling
Key finding
Mean knowledge score improved from 13.5 to 24.5 (36% increase)
Hemalatha et al. · PubMed (US National Library of Medicine) · 10 Jul 2026