Pre-Experimental Study to Assess Effectiveness of Awareness Program on Knowledge Regarding Substance Abuse and Its Consequences among Adolescents of Selected Community Area of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

Background: Substance use has become the most serious problem of country today. Previously substance abuse is mostly seen in working children, street children as well as in trafficked children but now it has covered every segment of generation. In India approximately 5500 of children are using substance like tobacco products daily and mostly are at age of 10. But the discomfiting fact is that the age of initiation in substance abuse is progressively falling. Objective: to assess knowledge and effectiveness of awareness program regarding substance abuse and its consequences among adolescents. Methodology: A pre-experimental study was conducted in 2021 in selected community area of Shimla, H. P. Sample of 60 adolescent were selected using purposive sampling technique. Pre-test was conducted using self-structured questionnaire. Results: the result showed that mean pre-test knowledge score was 17.45 and post-test mean knowledge score was 29.65 with the mean difference of 12.200. Paired ?t? test was applied and the value of ?t? was-8.929, p is less than0.001 which was found to be significant and effectiveness is seen in knowledge level, which interpreted that majority of adolescents has gained knowledge to adequate level about substance abuse and its consequences.