The Effectiveness of Education Based on BASNEF Model on Promoting Preventive Behavior of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Students

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis(CL) is considered as one of the issues and problems of public health in most tropicalparts of Iran. The CL is a very important disease, because of its dermal lesions on patient’s bodies. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of education based on BASNEF model on promoting preventive behavior of CL among students. Materials and Methods This study was a quasi-experimental study which was performed on 192 middle school students that resident in endemic areas of Qom province- Iran based on BASNEF model. Students were divided into several groups then they were selected as experimental and control groups using cluster sampling method; Data collection was done by researchers made Questionnaire before and two months after intervention. After two months of students training, the data were collected again and analyzed via Chi- square, t- independent, and generalized linear model (GLM) statistics. Results: The findings showed that 46.95% and 46.1% of students were males in experimental and control groups, respectively. The mean age in experimental and control groups were 13.8±1 and 13.9±9 years old, respectively.There was no significant difference in term of demographic data in experimental group in comparison of control group (P>0.05). Mean scores of knowledge, attitude, enabling factors, behavioral intentions and behavior as components of BASNEF Model increase significantly two months after the educational intervention among experimental group comparing to control group (P<0.05). Mean scores in subjective norms among students has increased, but there was no significant relationship between subjective norms in experimental group in comparison of control group (P >0.05). Conclusion: According to the finding, educational intervention based on BAZNEF model can elevate knowledge, attitude, enabling factors, behavioral intentions and behavior of students for prevention and control of CL.