Student-Led Health Education Intervention Package Enhanced Tuberculosis Prevention in Colleges: A Quasi-Experimental One-Group Pre-Test/Post-Test Study.

OBJECTIVE

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health threat, and colleges are crucial yet challenging settings for sustainable TB control. This study evaluated a standardized, student-led, multi-component intervention package designed to improve TB-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among college students in Zhejiang Province, China.

METHODS

Conducted across 20 colleges from March 2022 to June 2023, this quasi-experimental one-group pre-test/post-test design study implemented a novel health education intervention package that integrated five activities. KAP data were collected using an electronic questionnaire at baseline and post-intervention. Data on TB patients and delays were collected through the Tuberculosis Information Management System. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used for delay time analysis.

RESULTS

Valid responses included 4414 pre- and 4133 post-intervention. Overall, core knowledge of TB increased from 81.6% to 83.4% (P < 0.001). Significant improvements were seen in symptom recognition and care-seeking intent (P < 0.05). Regarding beliefs, the proportion who considered TB health education in schools "very necessary" increased from 53.5% to 57.8% (P = 0.001), while the proportion willing to proactively share knowledge with others rose from 90.9% to 92.5% (P = 0.007). Regarding behaviors, the proportion of current smokers decreased from 3.3% to 2.2% (P = 0.002), and the proportion of students frequently resting after 11 p.m. decreased from 70.2% to 64.3% (P < 0.001). Voluntary care-seeking among TB patients increased from 69.1% to 76.6%, while median patient delay decreased from 3 days to 0 (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This report adds to the literature by demonstrating the effectiveness of a participatory, multi-faceted health education model within the college population. The findings provide a replicable example for campus-based health promotion and offer clear implications for strengthening institutional public health strategies.