A Pre-Experimental Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme on Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Prevention of Oral Cancer Among Tobacco Users in Slum Areas of Sunder Nagar, Distt. Mandi (H.P.), 2025

Introduction: Oral cancer is a major public health concern in India, particularly among tobacco users in low-income communities. Despite being preventable, lack of awareness and poor attitude toward prevention contribute to its high prevalence. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a Structured Teaching Programme (STP) on knowledge and attitude regarding oral cancer prevention among tobacco users in the slum areas of Sunder Nagar, Distt. Mandi (H.P.). Aim/ Objectives: The present study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a Structured Teaching Programme (STP) on knowledge and attitude regarding oral cancer prevention among tobacco users in the slum areas. Methodology: A pre-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design was used. The study was conducted in slum areas of Sunder Nagar in July 2025. A purposive sample of 60 tobacco users was selected. Data was collected using… • A self-structured questionnaire consist of 10 questions was used to assess the knowledge of participants. • 5 point Likert scale consist of 10 questions was used to assess the attitude of the participants • A Structured Teaching Programme using lectures, discussions, and visual aids. • Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics including paired t-test and chi-square test. Results: The mean post-test knowledge score increased significantly from 3.93 (SD =1.517) to 6.85 (SD= 1.549), with 68.3% of participants showing adequate knowledge after the intervention (up from only 1.7%). Attitude scores also improved, with 85% of participants demonstrating a positive attitude post- intervention (up from 6.7%). A strong positive correlation (r = 0.831) was found between knowledge and attitude scores. No significant association was observed in post-test outcomes with socio- demographic variables. Conclusion: The Structured Teaching Programme was highly effective in enhancing knowledge and improving attitudes regarding oral cancer prevention among tobacco users. These findings emphasize the value of community-based health education in reducing the burden of preventable diseases in vulnerable populations.