The Effect of a School-based Intervention on Boys ear and Hearing-Related Health literacy in Iran

Aims: Teenagers experience hearing loss due to exposure to loud noises. This study aimed to explore the effect of educational intervention on hearing health literacy in boy students. Materials Methods: This research was conducted experimentally on high school boy students in Sanandaj, Iran, in 2021. Using multi-stage cluster sampling, eight schools with 40 students were randomly selected for each group. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire with 42 questions assessing hearing-related health literacy. The intervention group received six sessions of 50-65 minutes of virtual education. Measures were administered prior to the intervention and at a two-week follow-up. The educational content was designed based on reliable sources and according to general, specific, and behavioral goals. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. Findings: Before the intervention, there was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups in their average scores in the domains of ear and hearing-related health literacy. After the educational program, the ear and hearing-related health literacy scores of the intervention group significantly improved (p 0.05) as follows: mean comprehension and evaluation skills (from 43.8±18.6 to 81.3±10.6), communicating skills (from 49.8±8.9 to 66.3±6.9), and the ability to apply hearing health information (from 25.6±14.5 to 56.9±11.9). Conclusion: Virtual education is effective in increasing ear and hearing-related health literacy among school students.