Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT317

Pretesting of Printed Information, Education and

Communication Materials among Diabetic Patients (30
to 80) Years Old in a Selected Ward, South
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Dr. Rajdip Mandal1; Shri Subhojit Ghosh2
1st
Year Student M.Sc. Public Health (Health Promotion), Department of Health Promotion & Education1
Senior Statistical Officer Department of Statistics2
All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata, India1,2

Abstract:- behaviour.25%(5) target audience opined that brochures

regarding diabetic mellitus should be improved.
 Background:
In India, the (IEC) Information, Education &  Conclusion:
Communication strategy is designed to enhance public In this short study, we discovered that the use of
awareness and disseminate crucial information about the (Brochure)IEC materials was affected by a variety of
various benefits offered under the different schemes and factors. Therefore, essential to focus on these IEC materials
programs initiated by the Ministry. This strategy plays a and strive for enhancements in their quality. Improving the
pivotal role in guiding citizens on effectively accessing quality of brochures can lead to better comprehension and
these benefits, ensuring that the intended population is engagement among the target audience. By addressing the
well-informed and empowered to take advantage of the many specific qualitative variables that influence their
available resources. A brief study was conducted to pretest effectiveness, we can ensure that these materials serve their
the IEC material related to Diabetes Mellitus in a specific intended purpose more effectively. This will not only
ward in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Following this, we facilitate better communication but also promote a deeper
will evaluate and analyse the IEC material. understanding of the information being conveyed. This
brochure(IEC) material could be implemented after
 Methods: improving quality in a selected ward, South Kolkata, West
A locality‑based cross‑sectional mix method study Bengal.
was conducted in a selected ward, South Kolkata, West
Bengal from 10/05/2024 to 31/05/2024. A predesigned Keywords:- Pretesting, IEC Material, Health, Education,
pretested semi‑structured questionnaire was used to Promotion, Quality.
collect quantitative and qualitative variables. Data were
collected through personal face-to-face interviews using I. INTRODUCTION
Epi‑Collect 5 and analysed using EXCEL and SPSS.
Without testing their concepts, visuals, or narratives with
 Result: the target audience, communication planners cannot guarantee
Out of 20 study participants, Cent per cent(20) of that the materials they have carefully developed will be
study participants voted that the IEC material is effective. Pretesting serves as a cost-efficient strategy to avoid
attractive. The brochure is interesting enough to attract significant, costly failures down the line. Pretesting involves
and hold the attention of the target audience, participants assessing how a group of individuals responds to a
like it. several messages attract the most attention. communication or a series of communications before their
95%(19)clearly, understand, almost comprehensible. Cent broad distribution. The aim is to systematically evaluate which
per cent(20) of participants accepted that IEC material is of the different versions of a communication is the most
not offensive/inappropriate for the individuals or effective or to identify specific components of a single
community. The brochure is perceived by individuals in communication that could be adjusted to improve its
the target audience. They feel that the brochure is made effectiveness. (1)
for themselves or made for those who are suffering from
diabetic mellitus. Cent per cent(20) of the IEC material is Pretesting involves gathering members of the target
relevant. Cent per cent(20) target audience opined that call audience to provide feedback on the elements of a
to action regarding pretesting IEC material. The target communication campaign before they are finalized. This
audience is those suffering from diabetic mellitus and process assesses how the chosen group responds to the
complications. Cent per cent(20) of the brochure can materials, helping to ascertain if the priority audience finds the
convince the study participants to undertake the desired components—typically draft materials—clear, credible, and

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Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT317

engaging. By ensuring that the designed materials resonate catered to the different needs of rural and urban people through
with the audience, pretesting enhances the effectiveness of various tools used for communication. (5)
Social and Behavioral Change (SBC) materials. Ultimately,
this approach can save time, money, and effort, as it leads to So in this short study, with the help of semistructured
the creation of more impactful communication. (2) predesigned, pretested questionnaires and personal interviews.
We will pretest the IEC material regarding Diabetes Mellitus on
Sadly, the significance of pretesting is frequently a selected ward in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Then we will
overlooked because of limitations in time or budget, or the analyse the IEC material.
assumption that the information and materials are already fit
for their intended use. This tendency to skip pretesting can be II. OBJECTIVE
even more pronounced during emergencies, where there is a
pressing need to deliver crucial information swiftly and To assess the effectiveness of the diabetes IEC material in
punctually (3). Print materials like posters, brochures, flyers, increasing knowledge and awareness among diabetes patients.
and billboards designed to highlight information about
diseases or health risks are commonly referred to as To assess the improvement of diabetes IEC material.
"information, education, and communication" (IEC) materials.
Additionally, some electronic media can also serve this IEC To implement diabetes IEC material for specific
purpose. Public service announcements, along with radio, geographical areas.
television, and video programs that share information—
whether through direct explanations or storytelling are III. MATERIALS AND METHOD
included in the category of IEC materials. The primary goal of
most IEC materials is not merely to attract attention to an  Study Type: Locality-based, Observational Study.
issue but to deliver practical information that encourages the  Study Design: Mixed method design, Cross-Sectional.
reader or viewer to take action(4)  Study periods: From 10/05/ 2024 To 31/05/2024.
 Study Population: All Diabetic Mellitus Patients under (30-
In India. Ministry schemes and programs are supported 80) years old.
by the Information, Education & Communication (IEC)  Sampling Technique: Simple random sampling.
strategy, which is designed to raise awareness and disseminate  Study Sample: Randomly selected 20 Diabetic Mellitus
information about the benefits they offer it also serves to Patients under (30-80) years old in a selected ward, South
instruct citizens on how to effectively access these resources. Kolkata, West Bengal. And who gave verbal concern with
The objective is also to encourage the build-up of health- the help of their knowledge, attitude, practice and belief.
seeking behaviour among the people in keeping with the focus And who have a basic literacy level.
on promotive and preventive health. The IEC strategy has

IV. STUDY TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES

 Quantitative Variable-Age  Data analysis was done by Microsoft Excel and SPSS
 Qualitative Variable- Gender Attractiveness, software. Excel sheet downloaded from the Epicollect-
Comprehension, Acceptance, Relevance, Action, 5 application. Results are presented in the form of
Persuasion, and Improvement. tables.

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Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT317

Table 1: Age-Wise Distribution of Diabetes Participants

n Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation
20 33 75 58.85 14.199

Table 2: Average age-wise distribution of target audience

Average Age Percent(%) Total
(33-65) 65 13
(70-75) 35 7

Table 3: Gender-Wise Distribution of Diabetes Participants

Male Female Total
9(45%) 11(55%) 20(100%)

Table 4: Frequency Distribution of Qualitative Variables

Attractiveness Comprehension Acceptance Relevance Call of Action Persuasion Improvement
20(100%) 19(95%) 20(100%) 20(100%) 20(100%) 20(100%) 5(25%)

Table 5: Attractiveness Regarding IEC Material

Comment Frequency Percent(%)
Yes 20 100.0

Table 6: Comprehension Regarding IEC Material

Yes 19 95.0
Free from diabetics 1 5.0

Table 7: Acceptance Regarding IEC Material

Yes 20 100.0

Table 8: Relevance Regarding IEC Material

Of course 1 5.0
Yes 19 95.0

Table 9: Call of Action Regarding IEC Material

Yes 20 100.0

Table 10: Persuasion regarding IEC material

Yes 20 100.0

Table 11: Improvement Regarding IEC Material

Not to do 15 75.0
Yes to be improved 5 25.0

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Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT317

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Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT317

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Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT317

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Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
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Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
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Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
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Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
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Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
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Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT317

V. RESULT diabetes mellitus and its complications in a selected

ward, in South Kolkata, West Bengal.
Out of 20 diabetic patients, 65%(13) are under (33-65)
years old, and 35%(7) are (70-75) years old.45%(9)are By offering accessible information and practical guidance,
Male, and 55%(11) are Female.Out of 20 study participants, the brochure can empower these individuals to take control of
Cent per cent(20) of study participants voted that the IEC their health, make informed decisions, and engage in
material is attractive. The message is interesting enough to discussions about their condition with peers and healthcare
attract and hold the attention of the target audience, providers. Moreover, the positive feedback from participants
participants like it. several messages attract the most indicates that such IEC materials can play a crucial role in
attention. 95%(19)clearly understand, almost comprehensible. fostering a supportive community around diabetes management,
Cent per cent(20) of participants accepted that IEC material is ultimately leading to better health outcomes for those affected.
not offensive/inappropriate for the individuals or community.
The brochure is perceived by the individuals in the target VII. CONCLUSION
audience. They feel that the brochure is made for themselves
or made for those who are suffering from diabetic mellitus. In this short study, we discovered that the use of
Cent per cent(20) of the IEC material is relevant. Cent per (Brochure)IEC materials was affected by a variety of factors.
cent(20) target audience opined that call to action regarding Therefore, essential to focus on these IEC materials and strive for
pretesting IEC material. The target audience is those suffering enhancements in their quality. Improving the quality of
from diabetic mellitus and complications. Cent per cent(20) of brochures can lead to better comprehension and engagement
the brochure can convince the study participants to undertake among the target audience. By addressing the many specific
the desired behaviour.25%(5) target audience opined that qualitative variables that influence their effectiveness, we can
brochures regarding diabetic mellitus should be improved. ensure that these materials serve their intended purpose more
effectively. This will not only facilitate better communication
VI. DISCUSSION but also promote a deeper understanding of the information
being conveyed. This brochure(IEC) material could be
Overall, the participants expressed positive perceptions implemented after improving quality in a selected ward, South
of the Diabetes IEC material. The brochure proves to be a Kolkata, West Bengal.
valuable resource for diabetes self-management, raising
awareness, and providing health education. It can be utilized
effectively in various settings, whether on a one-on-one basis
or within community groups and local organizations.
Specifically, this material is particularly beneficial for
individuals aged 30 to 80 years old who are dealing with

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Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT317

REFERENCES

[1]. BERTRAND, JANE T. 1978. Communications

pretesting. Chicago: University of Chicago Community
and Family Study Center.
[2]. Compass. Helping you Implement Effective Social
and Behavior Change Study.
https://thecompassforsbc.org/how-to-guide/how-
conduct-pretest.
[3]. READY: GLOBAL READINESS FOR MAJOR
DISEASE OUTBREAK RESPONSE. Pretesting
Messages and Materials. https://www.ready-
initiative.org/wp- content/uploads/2020/06/Pretesting
Messages and Mate rials_SampleQuestions-1.pdf.
[4]. Pathfinder. International. A global leader in
reproductive health. Evaluation of IEC
Materials.
https://www.childrenandaids.org/sites/default/files/201
811/Straight%20to%20Point%20%20Evaluation%20of
%20IEC%20materials.pdf
[5]. Chapter 17. Information, Education & Communication
(I
EC).https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/17Chapte
r.pdf .

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Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT317

ANNEXURE
A predesigned pretested semi‑structured questionnaire

 Question Answer

 What is your name?

 What is your age?
 What is your sex?
 What is your location?

 Attractiveness

 What do you like about these messages/material?

 What do you not like about this message/material?
 What was the first thing that caught your eye?

 Comprehension

 What does the message/material say?

 What do you think the message/material is speaking to?
 What words /sentences/images are difficult for you to understand?

 Acceptance

 Is there anything about this message/material that you find offensive or inappropriate?
 Is there anything about this message/material that someone in your community may find offensive or inappropriate?

 Relevance

 In what way are those people different from you or the same as you?
 What type of people do you think should read /watch this message/material?

 Call to Action

 What does the message/material ask the audience to do?

 Persuasion

 What do you think you should do what the message /material asks you to do?
 How likely are you to do that and why?

 Improvement

 What would you change in this material/ message to make it more appealing to you?
 What information do you think is missing?
 What else, if anything, would you like to include in this message/material?

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Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT317

 Correspondence to Dr Rajdip Mandal- [email protected]

 ORCID iD - https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2528-9671

 Acknowledgements- We are very grateful to Dr. Chandrashekhar Shivaji Taklika, Professor & Head of the Department of Health
Promotion & Education, All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata, India, for helping us to conduct this research.

 Funding The study- No funding sources.

 Conflict of interests -None declared.

 Ethics approval -No

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