A Study to Assess the Effect of Health Teaching Program on Knowledge Regarding the Prevention of Computer Vision Syndrome among Engineering Students in Selected Pcmc Area”.

Abstract

Background: Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) has emerged as a common health concern among engineering students due to prolonged use of digital devices for academic and recreational purposes. Symptoms such as eye strain, dryness, blurred vision, and headaches can negatively impact students’ productivity and well-being. Despite its growing prevalence, awareness regarding preventive measures remains limited. Therefore, a structured health teaching program is essential to improve knowledge and promote healthy practices, helping to reduce the risk and impact of CVS among engineering students in the selected area. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a health teaching program on improving the knowledge and awareness regarding the prevention of computer vision syndrome. Methods: A quantitative research approach was adopted for the study as it helped to measure the knowledge level of students and to evaluate the effectiveness of the health teaching program. A pre-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test research design was used to assess the effectiveness of the health teaching program on knowledge regarding the prevention of Computer Vision Syndrome among engineering students. The study was conducted in a selected engineering college located in the PCMC area. The sample size consisted of 100 engineering students. A convenient sampling technique was used to select the participants for the study. The tool consisted of two sections. Section I included demographic variables such as age, gender, year of study, branch of engineering, type of residence, daily screen time, use of spectacles, and previous knowledge regarding Computer Vision Syndrome. Section II consisted of structured knowledge questions related to Computer Vision Syndrome and its prevention, including causes, symptoms, risk factors, complications, and preventive measures. Prior to data collection, permission was obtained from the concerned authorities. A pre-test was conducted to assess the baseline knowledge of students regarding Computer Vision Syndrome. After the pre-test, a health teaching program regarding the prevention of Computer Vision Syndrome was conducted using appropriate teaching methods such as lecture and audiovisual aids. A post-test was conducted using the same questionnaire to evaluate the effectiveness of the health teaching program. Result: The study suggested that the comparison of pre-test and post-test knowledge scores showed that the mean post-test knowledge score (17.8) was higher than the mean pre-test knowledge score (7.9), with a mean difference of 9.9. The calculated t-value (18.6) was found to be statistically significant at p < 0.05 level. Conclusion: The study concluded that the health teaching program was effective in improving the knowledge of engineering students regarding the prevention of Computer Vision Syndrome and research hypothesis was accepted.