The effectiveness of a design thinking-based program in developing health awareness among science students at the Faculty of Education, Taiz University

Abstract

This study aimed to develop health awareness among female science students at the College of Education, University of Taiz. To achieve this, the researcher developed a program based on design thinking, focusing on topics such as food health, personal health, preventive health, and environmental health. The researcher employed the descriptive-analytical method and the experimental method using a quasi-experimental design with one group, employing pre- and post-assessments. The sample consisted of 30 fourth-year female science students at the College of Education, University of Taiz, Yemen, during the first semester of the 2023–2024 academic year. The sample was selected purposefully. To measure the program's effectiveness, a health awareness scale was developed, which was based on positive behaviors and attitudes. The scale consisted of 35 items distributed across four dimensions: nutritional awareness, personal awareness, preventive awareness, and environmental awareness. After ensuring the psychometric properties of the scale, it was applied both before and after the program to the study sample. The results indicated statistically significant differences at a significance level of  between the pre- and post-assessment scores in favor of the post-assessment, both for the overall health awareness scale and for each individual dimension.  In light of the results, the researcher recommended enhancing health awareness among female students to better equip them to face future challenges. It was also suggested that those responsible for planning, describing, designing, and implementing science courses should develop these courses in line with the design thinking methodology by incorporating health-related activities and issues.