• Pooja Borade
• Mrs.Kalpana Bansod
• Ms.Meghana Ganvir

I.Introduction Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common, highly contagious viral illness affecting predominantly children under five years of age, with frequent outbreaks reported across Asian countries. Mothers play a key role in early recognition, prevention, and home management of HFMD; therefore, improving their knowledge is essential to reduce disease transmission and complications. This study focuses on strengthening mother’s knowledge through structured educational strategies. Objectives: 1. To assess the knowledge regarding Hand-Foot-Mouth-Disease among mothers of under children in selected urban areas in both groups at baseline.2. To evaluate the effectiveness of an awareness programme on knowledge regarding Hand-Foot-Mouth-Disease among mothers of under five children in selected urban areas.3. To evaluate the effectiveness of self-instructional module on knowledge regarding Hand-Foot-Mouth-Disease among mothers of under five children in selected urban areas.4. To compare the knowledge score between awareness programme group and self-instructional module group regarding Hand-Foot-Mouth-Disease among mothers of under five children in selected urban areas. 5.To find association of study findings with selected demographic variables. Methodology: A quantitative approach with a two-arm parallel comparative research design was adopted. The study was conducted among mothers of under-five children residing in selected urban areas. Participants were divided into two groups: Group I received an awareness programme, and Group II received a self-instructional module knowledge regarding HFMD was assessed using a self-structured questionnaire before and after the interventions. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to evaluate within-group and between-group differences. Results: The analysis showed a marked improvement in knowledge scores in both groups following the interventions. In the awareness programme group (n = 30), the mean pre-test knowledge score was 11.2 ± 3.1, which increased to 21.6 ± 2.8 in the post-test, demonstrating a statistically significant improvement (p < 0.001). In the self-instructional module group (n = 30), the mean pre-test score of 10.9 ± 3.4 improved to 18.9 ± 3.0 in the post-test, which was also statistically significant (p < 0.001). Intergroup comparison of post-test scores revealed that mothers who received the awareness programme had significantly higher knowledge scores than those who received the self-instructional module (p < 0.05). A significant association was also observed between post-test knowledge scores and selected demographic variables such as educational status and occupation, indicating their influence on knowledge acquisition. Key words - Awareness programme, Self-instructional module, Knowledge, HFMD, Mothers of under- five. . I. Introduction Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common childhood illness widespread across East and Southeast Asia, primarily caused by a group of human enteroviruses belonging to the Picornaviridae family. More than 20 different enterovirus serotypes are known to cause HFMD, with the most frequently identified pathogens being Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71), Coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16), and Coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6). The disease is generally mild and self-limiting, presenting with clinical symptoms such as fever exceeding 38°C, vesicular rashes on the hands, feet, tongue, or buttocks, sore throat, and painful ulcers located at the front of the mouth. A related condition, herpangina (HA), which is also caused by the same group of enteroviruses, manifests differently—characterized by blisters on the roof of the mouth and at the back of the throat, without the appearance of skin rashes. Studies have shown that there are no notable differences between HFMD and HA cases in terms of patient age, gender, seasonal patterns, or viral genetic diversity. However, among all the causative viruses, EV-A71 has been particularly associated with more severe complications, including life-threatening conditions such as brainstem encephalitis and pulmonary edema. Several countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan, and China, have experienced fatal HFMD outbreaks, resulting in significant loss of life.1

Awareness programme,Self-instructional Module,Knowledge,HFMD,Mothers of under five children

"A Comparative Study To Evaluate The Effectiveness Awareness Programme Versus Self-Instructional Module On Knowledge Regarding Hand-Foot-Mouth-Disease (Hfmd) Among Mothers Of Under-Five Children In Selected Urban Areas", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 9, page no.a177-a183, September-2026, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2609019.pdf

"A Comparative Study To Evaluate The Effectiveness Awareness Programme Versus Self-Instructional Module On Knowledge Regarding Hand-Foot-Mouth-Disease (Hfmd) Among Mothers Of Under-Five Children In Selected Urban Areas", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 9, page no. ppa177-a183, September-2026, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2609019.pdf