AUTHOR=Goni Mohammed Dauda , Naing Nyi Nyi , Hasan Habsah , Wan-Arfah Nadiah , Deris Zakuan Zainy , Arifin Wan Nor , Baaba Aisha Abubakar , Adam Babagana Mohammed , Arshad Muhammad Rafie 

TITLE=Effectiveness of a Novel Smartphone Health Education Intervention in Enhancing Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices for the Prevention of Respiratory Tract Infections Among Private Hajj Pilgrims From Malaysia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.594204

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2021.594204

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=<p>This study was aimed to develop and evaluate the efficacy of a health education program for increasing knowledge, changing attitudes, and promoting prevention practices to reduce the incidence of RTIs among Malaysian Hajj pilgrims. A quasi-experimental study was done among 130 Hajj pilgrims attending Hajj orientation course organized by a private Hajj tour companies. Hajj pilgrims assigned to intervention group (<italic>n</italic> = 65) and control group (<italic>n</italic> = 65). Data were collected baseline and after return from Hajj using a validated questionnaire. Mixed design repeated measure ANOVA was used to analyse the effect of group, time, and group-time interaction on the dependent variables. There was a significant improvement in knowledge, attitude and practice scores in the intervention group compared to the control group. Based on the findings of the interaction of time and group, there was a significant statistical difference for post intervention for knowledge (<italic>p</italic> = 0.005), attitude (<italic>p</italic> = 0.041), and practice (<italic>p</italic> = 0.002). The newly-established health education intervention smartphone application was effective in improving KAP toward RTIs prevention among pilgrims.</p>