Effect of Planned Teaching Programme on Knowledge Regarding Ill-Effects of Passive Smoking on Children among Parents of Under Five Years Children of a Selected Rural Community of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal

Abstract

This study is entitled to assess the effect of planned teaching programme on knowledge regarding ill-effects of passive smoking on children among parents of under five years children of a selected rural community of south 24 parganas, West Bengal. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of planned teaching programme on knowledge regarding ill-effects of passive smoking on children. The investigator adapted pre-experimental research approach with one group pretest post test research design. She selected 60 parents ( fathers ) by non probability purposive sampling technique. Data was collected with valid and reliable structured interview schedule. The findings of the study revealed that mean post test knowledge score of parents ( fathers ) is significantly higher than the pretest knowledge score with a mean difference of 5.27 from ‘t’ value 9.06 at 0.05 level of significance after their exposure to planned teaching programme regarding ill-effects of passive smoking on children and there was no significant association with pretest knowledge score and selected variables. Therefore planned teaching programme was an effective method of imparting knowledge of parents ( fathers ). Study has implications on nursing service, nursing education and nursing research. This study can be repeated with a larger sample in another setting with other teaching strategies.

Introduction

The text presents a comprehensive overview of the dangers of passive smoking (second-hand smoke), especially on children under the age of five, and highlights the need for educational interventions for parents who smoke. It combines findings from multiple studies, health organization reports, and expert opinions to underline the severe health risks caused by tobacco smoke exposure to non-smokers, particularly children.

???? Key Points:

1. Health Impact of Passive Smoking on Children:

• Passive smoking occurs when non-smokers inhale tobacco smoke from others, also known as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).

• Children of smoking parents, especially those aged 0–5 years, are highly vulnerable due to:

  • Faster respiration rates

  • Smaller, developing organs

• Associated health issues include:

  • Asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia

  • Ear infections, reduced lung function

  • Brain tumors, neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma

  • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

  • Low birth weight and stillbirths

2. Smoking as a Public Health Concern:

• Smoking and passive smoking are leading preventable causes of death.

• The WHO estimates millions of deaths annually due to tobacco use, with passive smoking contributing significantly.

• Smokers expose not just themselves, but their families and communities to over 400 toxic chemicals, including nicotine, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and benzene.

3. Sociological Findings and Parental Awareness:

• Many parents, especially in low-education or rural settings, lack adequate knowledge about the dangers of passive smoking.

• Some studies found that only 25% of parents strongly believed smoking harms children.

• Children often indirectly express discomfort and harm—“Papa don’t smoke, it hurts us” symbolizes this.

4. Economic and Global Burden:

• Passive smoking imposes substantial health care costs, including:

  • Hospital admissions

  • Asthma medications

  • Lost productivity due to smoking breaks

• Global statistics highlight passive smoking as a global epidemic, affecting both high- and low-income countries.

???? Need for the Study:

• The study recognizes that parents of under-five children in rural areas often lack awareness of the ill-effects of passive smoking.

• Planned teaching programmes are proposed to bridge this knowledge gap and help protect children.

???? Research Problem & Objectives:

Problem Statement:

“Effect of planned teaching programme on knowledge regarding ill-effects of passive smoking on children among parents of under five years children of a selected rural community of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal.”

General Objective:

To evaluate the effectiveness of a teaching program in increasing parents’ knowledge about the harmful effects of passive smoking on children.

Specific Objectives:

1. Develop and validate a teaching program.

2. Assess knowledge before and after program.

3. Measure the knowledge improvement.

4. Examine the relationship between knowledge and demographic factors.

???? Hypotheses:

1. There will be a significant difference between pre- and post-test knowledge scores after the teaching program.

2. There will be a significant association between pre-test scores and selected demographic variables.

Conclusion

The following conclusion was drawn on the basis of the study : 1) the planned teaching programme can be developed easily by the nursing personnel . 2) It is effective to enhance knowledge of the parents and also easily accessible to them. 3) This planned teaching programme is a good reference to develop understanding of the parents to retain memory for learning easily. 4) The parents have accepted the planned teaching programme.

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Sreeparna Ghosh, Kuntal Mondal. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.