Catch them young: a study on knowledge regarding alcohol use and refusal skills among adolescents in selected schools of Delhi

Alcoholism is a chronic illness with an insidious onset which may occur at any age and adolescent’s drinking behaviour has been the vital social issues in several countries. A pre experimental one group pre-test post-test design was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of planned teaching program on knowledge regarding alcohol use and refusal skills among adolescents. Total 98 adolescents from selected schools of Delhi were enrolled. Planned teaching program (PTP) on knowledge regarding alcohol use and refusal skills was developed by focused group discussion. PTP was administered during pre-test and knowledge and refusal skills were assessed after one month of intervention. Data was collected from adolescents by using knowledge questionnaire and standardized drug refusal self efficacy-revised adolescent questionnaire. Data analysis was done using STATA 11.1 with the level of significance at p < 0.05. There was significant improvement in mean knowledge score of adolescents before (13.26) and after (20.58) administration of PTP and significant increase in mean refusal skill score was found before (96.83) and after (104.73) administration of PTP. Inverse correlation was found between age and subjects first learnt about alcohol with knowledge score. Knowledge level was significantly high in females, subjects studying in 11th standard, who denied any friend taking alcohol and who reported any neighbor taking alcohol. The refusal skills were significantly high in females, subjects who did not have any friend taking alcohol, who received information about alcohol through newspaper, radio or television. Study concluded that PTP on knowledge regarding alcohol use and refusal skills was very effective and viable method for improving adolescents’ knowledge on alcohol use and refusal skills.