Effectiveness of health education on arboviral diseases in urban Bengaluru: A quasi-experimental study

Background and Aims Arboviral diseases such as dengue and malaria remain significant public health concerns in urban Bengaluru, primarily due to urbanization, poor vector control, and inadequate community awareness. Despite being preventable, gaps in knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) hinder effective disease prevention. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured health education intervention in improving KAP related to arboviral diseases among parents of adolescents in urban Bengaluru. Methods A quasi-experimental study design was employed in 2025, involving 60 participants (30 in the intervention group and 30 in the comparator group). Participants were selected based on scoring below 75% on a baseline KAP assessment. The intervention group received two structured in-person educational sessions over three weeks, covering causes, transmission, symptoms, and prevention strategies for dengue and malaria. Data were collected using validated KAP and EQ-5D-5L tools, administered pre- and post-intervention. Statistical analyses were conducted using Wilcoxon Signed-Rank and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results Post-intervention, the intervention group showed a significant increase in KAP scores (pre: 20.9 ± 2.23; post: 26.6 ± 2.08; Z = 4.70, p < 0.001; r = 0.873), while no improvement was seen in the comparator group. Between-group analysis also indicated a significant difference (U = 18, p < 0.001; r = 0.828). However, no significant changes were observed in quality of life (QoL) scores in either group (p = 1.000). Conclusions The structured health education intervention effectively improved participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to arboviral disease prevention. However, short-term changes in QoL were not observed. These findings support integrating targeted health education into urban public health programs to reduce the burden of mosquito-borne diseases.