Knowledge and Practice of Handwashing by School Students in Kamrup Metropolitan, Assam, India: A Cross Sectional Survey

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to understand the level of handwashing knowledge, and handwashing practices as well as to determine the availability of handwashing facilities in the schools.

Materials and Methods A survey was conducted on 17th October 2019 to determine the availability of handwashing facilities along with the level of handwashing knowledge and practices among school students of Borsojai High School situated in Kamrup Metropolitan City, Guwahati, Assam. The study population consisted of randomly selected students of 9th and 10th classes during the academic year 2019 to 2020. The quantitative data were analysed using the IBM-SPSS, version 20.0.

Result Fifty-six school students from classes 9 to 10th of mean age 15.53 years participated in the current study. It is evident that school-aged students have sufficient knowledge of handwashing, and they widely recognise the importance of handwashing (94.6%) to prevent diseases (39.3%) and to remove germs (48.2%).

Conclusion To encourage hand hygiene in school students, parents can also be sensitised through the parents teacher meeting. This will improve the health and reduce the absenteeism from school due to infectious diseases.

Keywords

handwashing - knowledge - practice - school students - disease prevention - Kamrup - Assam

Publication History

Article published online:
31 March 2023

• References

• 1 United State Agency for International Development. Tippy- Tap: A simple low-cost technology for hand washing when water isscarce. End of Project Report. Hygiene Improvement Project (HIP). September 2004–November 2010
• 2 India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative Child Mortality Collaborators. Subnational mapping of under-5 and neonatal mortality trends in India: the Global Burden of Disease Study 2000–2017. Lancet 2020; 12
• 3 Ryan MA, Christian RS, Wohlrabe J. Handwashing and respiratory illness among young adults in military training. Am J Prev Med 2001; 21 (02) 79-83
• 4 Eseoghene DI, Igbudu U. Availability and Utilization of Hand washing Facilities among Primary school Pupils in Ughelli North L.G.A of Delta state. Academic Research International. . 2013. Accessed November 2, 2022, at: www.savap.org.pk
• 5 SamyAhmar, et al. Fighting for breath: a call to action on childhood pneumonia. Save the Children International, Save the Children UK; 2017
• 6 Lakshminarayanan S, Jayalakshmy R. Diarrheal diseases among children in India: current scenario and future perspectives. J Nat Sci Biol Med 2015; 6 (01) 24-28
• 7 Majorin F, Freeman MC, Barnard S, Routray P, Boisson S, Clasen T. Child feces disposal practices in rural Orissa: a cross sectional study. PLoS One 2014; 9 (02) e89551
• 8 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hand washing a family activity. Handwashing at home and in the community. Hand washing in community setting. Handwashing in community: Clean hands save lives. Page last reviewed: September 10, 2020. Accessed November 2, 2022, at: https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/handwashing-family.html
• 9 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When and How to Wash Your Hands. Hand washing in community setting. Handwashing in community: Clean hands save lives. Page last reviewed: March 14, 2022. Accessed November 2, 2022, at: https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing
• 10 WHO News release. Handwashing an effective tool to prevent COVID-19, other diseases. WHO South-East Asia Regional Office. 15 October 2020. Accessed November 2, 2022, at: https://www.who.int/southeastasia/news/detail/15-10-2020-handwashing-an-effective-tool-to-prevent-covid-19-other-diseases
• 11 WHO. Hand hygiene – Why, How and When. Save lives clean your hands. Patient safety – a world alliance for safer health care. WHO Brochure. Revised August 2009;1–7. Accessed November 2, 2022 https://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/Hand_Hygiene_Why_How_and_When_Brochure.pdf
• 12 Behailu B, Hailu G, Dawit C. et al. Assessment of hand washing practice and its associated factors among FirstCycle primary school children in Arba Minch Town, Ethiopia. Int J Community Med Public Health 2016; 3 (10) 2958-2966
• 13 Mohammed G, Nihar D, Bashayer A, Hiba I, Rasha A, Zaid A. Knowledge and practice of personal hygiene among primary school students in Sharjah-UAE. J Health Sci. 2016; 6 (05) 67-73
• 14 Vivas AP, Gelaye B, Aboset N, Kumie A, Berhane Y, Williams MA. Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of hygiene among school children in Angolela, Ethiopia. J Prev Med Hyg 2010; 51 (02) 73-79
• 15 MyriamSidibe and Val Curtis. Can hygiene be cool and fun: Insights from School Children in Senegal. Water and Sanitation Program. The soul beat Africa Network. March 2007. Accessed November 2, 2022, at: http://www.comminit.com/en/node/264152/38. Accessed 27–06–2021
• 16 Rana R, Singhal R. Chi-square test and its application in hypothesis testing. J Pract Cardiovasc Sci 2015; 1: 69-71 Accessed August 14, 2021 from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277935900_Chi-square_test_and_its_application_in_hypothesis_testing
• 17 Xuan TT, Hoat LN. Handwashing among schoolchildren in an ethnically diverse population in northern rural Vietnam. Glob Health Action 2013; 6: 1-8
• 18 Pati S, Kadam SS, Chauhan AS. Hand hygiene behavior among urban slum children and their care takers in Odisha, India. J Prev Med Hyg 2014; 55 (02) 65-68
• 19 Steiner-Asiedu M, Van-Ess SE, Papoe M, Setorglo J, Asiedu DK, Anderson AK. Hand washing practices among school children in Ghana. Current Research Journal of Social Sciences 2011; 3 (04) 293-300
• 20 Huang C, Ma W, Stack S. The hygienic efficacy of different hand-drying methods: a review of the evidence. Mayo Clin Proc 2012; 87 (08) 791-798
• 21 Gawai PP, Taware SA, Chatterjee SA, Thakur HP. A cross sectional descriptive study of hand washing knowledge and practices among primary school children in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Int J Community Med Public Health 2016; 3 (10) 2958-2966
• 22 Bloomfield SF, Nath KJ. Use of ash and mud for handwashing in low income communities. An International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH) expert review. 2009. published on http://www.ifh-homehygiene.org