Efficacy of the two educational methods: Traditional and electronic techniques in training of nutritional aspect to healthy life style in elderly

Health of old people is one of the critical issues in many societies that needs to accurate health policy making and adjust planning in health issues of elderly. The present study designed to compare the efficacy of the two traditional and electronic training methods in nutritional issues in order to life style modification in old people to develop of healthy elderly. This survey was a quasi-experimental method via applying the Pre-test and Post-test among 65+ years old people in a retirement association of Sari province, Mazandaran state. By simple random sampling method, 60 old people were selected, and then trained in two separated classes to 15 persons as women and men (30 persons) via film technique. The other method was a traditional which applied in the two separated classes of 15 persons as women and men (30 persons) by book technique. The questionnaire applied to measure of nutritional knowledge made up by the health center. Data were described by using SPSS software in accordance to descriptive statistics indexes (mean and standard deviation), and inferential statistics indexes (independent T and dependent T) were used in order to generalize results. The mean score of increasing knowledge in training group by film was 18/57 and the mean score in training group by book was 16/90 (T =5/299, df= 58). To satisfaction evaluating, the mean score in training group by film was 59 and the mean score in training group by book was 35/73 (T =1/96, df=58). Based on results training of old people by electronic method as a film is more effective than traditional method to increasing of nutritional knowledge in elderly. On the other hand, they had more satisfaction to life style modification by using film method in comparison with traditional method as book reading technique. Also, the training cost of the elderly via educational film is lower than training by book. So, should be suggested to consider in training by film rather than book as an efficient and effective method to improve of elderly health.