The Effect of Education-Based Intervention Using Small Group Discussion in Empowering Adolescent Girls to Prevent Iron Deficiency Anemia

Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional disorders worldwide. Regarding that fact, the aim of this study was to study the effectiveness of education-based intervention using small group discussions in empowering adolescent girls to prevent Iron deficiency anemia.

The present semi-experimental practical research was performed by choosing 60 female high-schoolers through random cluster sampling (n=30 test group and n=30 control group). The research tools included one questionnaire of demographic information & an assessment questionnaire for subjects’ empowerment in preventing iron deficiency anemia. After collecting pre-test data, the educational intervention was implemented for adolescent girls in the test group & the post-test was carried out one week after the intervention ended. The data were analyzed using SPSS software and applying appropriate statistical tests.

At baseline, independent T-test showed no significant difference between the two groups in the perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and self efficacy, all of which could be regarded as empowerment process components (P>0.05). However, significant differences were observed after intervention. Also, the paired T-test showed a significant difference before and after the intervention in the test group in means of the perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, self efficacy and, in the grand scheme, adolescent girls'' empowerment (P<0.05). No significant differences were evident in the control group.

Our findings showed that the education-based intervention using small groupdiscussions was effective in empowering adolescent girls to prevent Iron deficiency anemia.