Volume 16 | Issue 3
Volume 16 | Issue 3
Volume 16 | Issue 2
Volume 16 | Issue 2
Volume 16 | Issue 2
The contemporary digital landscape, characterized by widespread access to smartphones, laptops, and tablets, has precipitated an increase in IDIOT Syndrome (Internet Derived Information Obstructing Treatment), also referred to as Cyberchondria. This phenomenon occurs when patients discontinue their treatment regimens due to an uncritical reliance on medical information sourced from the Internet. The present study aims to evaluate the efficacy of an educational intervention package designed to enhance knowledge regarding IDIOT Syndrome among youth enrolled in selected higher secondary schools in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The study's objectives include assessing the pre-intervention knowledge levels of these youths, evaluating the effectiveness of the educational intervention on their understanding of IDIOT Syndrome, and examining the relationship between pre-intervention knowledge scores and selected socio-demographic variables. A quasi-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design was employed, with a sample of 60 youths selected from Dr. Narendra SVN Inter-college in Kanpur using a non-probability convenience sampling method. Data were gathered through a self-structured knowledge questionnaire. Following the pre-test, the educational intervention was administered, and a post-test was conducted after a period of seven days. The results indicated that, prior to the intervention, 47 participants exhibited inadequate knowledge, while 13 demonstrated moderately adequate knowledge. In contrast, the post-test results revealed that the majority 33 participants achieved adequate knowledge, 27 had moderately adequate knowledge, and none were classified as having inadequate knowledge. The post-test mean score of 18.98 significantly surpassed the pre-test mean score of 8.01. The calculated t-value (29.99) exceeded the critical value at a significance level of p > 0.05. Furthermore, a significant association was identified between pre-test knowledge scores and selected socio-demographic variables, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis in favor of the alternative hypothesis. The study concludes that the educational intervention package was highly effective in enhancing the knowledge of youth regarding IDIOT Syndrome.