title: Effectiveness of planned teaching program on knowledge regarding Alzheimer's disease among the family members of elderly in a selected urban community at Mangalore.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alzheimer's disease is one of the debilitating chronic diseases among older persons. It is an irreversible condition that leads to progressive deterioration of cognitive, intellectual, physical, and psychosocial functions. The study was aimed to assess the knowledge of the family members of elderly regarding Alzheimer's disease in a selected urban community at Mangalore.
  
  
  METHODS
  A preexperimental research design of one group pretest and posttest with an evaluative approach was adopted for the study. A total of 50 family members of elderly who met the inclusion criteria were selected through purposive sampling technique. The researcher developed a planned teaching program on Alzheimer's disease, and structured knowledge questionnaire on Alzheimer's disease was used to collect the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyze the data. Analysis revealed that the mean posttest knowledge (20.78 ± 3.31) was higher than mean pretest knowledge scores (12.90 ± 2.43). Significance of difference between pretest and posttest was statistically tested using paired "t" test and it was found very highly significant (t = 40.85, P < 0.05). Majority of the variables showed no significant association between pretest and posttest knowledge score and with demographic variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings revealed that the planned teaching program is an effective strategy for improving the knowledge of the subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Yenepoya Nursing College, Yenepoya University, Deralakatte, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Lavina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Yenepoya Nursing College, Yenepoya University, Deralakatte, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Thereza
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mathias
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; effectiveness; family members of elderly; knowledge; structured knowledge questionnaire