Pokhara

This research aims to understand the views of teachers, parents, and students on preventing substance abuse among adolescents and to develop a school-based prevention program. The study evaluates the effectiveness of a bilingual, multicomponent training called the School-based Substance abuse Prevention Programme SSPP designed to improve awareness, attitudes, resistance to peer pressure, and life skills related to substance abuse prevention among adolescents aged 13 to 15 years in selected public schools of Pokhara, Nepal. The SSPP intervention includes four modules delivered to the experimental group psychoeducation with video-assisted teaching and informational booklets to raise awareness role play and case-based scenarios to foster positive attitudes and peer pressure resistance storytelling on life skills like problem solving and emotion management and demonstrations on communication, decision making, creative thinking, and stress management. The control group does not receive the intervention during the study but is given information booklets and video teaching after the posttest. Participants will be assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months for changes in awareness, attitudes, peer pressure resistance, and life skills related to substance abuse prevention. Data collection involves focus group discussions for initial qualitative insights and cluster randomization of schools for the trial. The study includes 210 adolescents and tracks demographic factors and family history potentially related to substance abuse. The total study duration extends through these follow-up points to measure the programs impact.

This research aims to evaluate whether a new modular training package improves the competencies of skilled birth attendants in Nepal. The study focuses on whether enhanced skills relate to better maternal and newborn health outcomes and if this training is cost-effective. Researchers will compare the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of birth attendants trained with the new modules against those trained with the standard curriculum. Participants include maternal and child health service providers, specifically auxiliary nurse midwives and nurses working in birthing centers. Those in the experimental group receive modular training covering theory and practical midwifery skills, with auxiliary nurse midwives completing modules 1, 2, and 3, and nurses completing modules 1 through 4. The standard training group follows Nepals existing two-month integrated skilled birth attendant program. Training takes place at accredited National Health Training Center sites or hospitals. During the study, researchers assess the midwifery competencies of all participants and conduct a cost-benefit analysis over two years. Evaluations include measuring knowledge, attitudes, and practical skills after one year. The study is randomized and double-blinded to ensure unbiased comparison. Participants are monitored for up to two years to assess the trainings effectiveness and economic impact on maternal and newborn health services.