Effect of an Educational Program on Stakeholders' Awareness About Risks of Cannabis Use in Sudan: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background: This study assesses stakeholders’ awareness level of Cannabis use and the effect of an educational program on their awareness in Kabkabiya city of Sudan.Methods: This quasi-experimental research was conducted using a pre- and posttest design between July and November 2018. A total of 203 stakeholders were recruited in the study using a convenience sampling technique. First, using a self-reported questionnaire, the pretest data were collected before the intervention. Then, the participants underwent an educational program intervention in the form of lectures and group discussions. At the end of the program, the participants were subjected to the posttest using the same questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: The results showed a poor to moderate level of awareness about Cannabis use among stakeholders. A statistically significant increase in the stakeholders’ awareness levels was found after the educational program intervention with a large effect size in awareness (z = –12.299, P = 0.001, r = 0.91). The results also showed that the participants who graduated from university had a significantly higher level of awareness than others at pre- and posttests stages (P =< 0.001).Conclusion: The educational program intervention effectively improved stakeholders’ awareness about the risks of Cannabis use. This study suggests providing ongoing health education for the public and focusing on individuals with lower educational levels to increase awareness of the risks of Cannabis use.