Assessment of factors influencing Hygiene Behaviour among School Children in Mereb-Leke District, Tigray Region, Ethiopia
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Date
2013-07
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Addis Abeba Universty
Abstract
Background: Children are “agents of change” in pacing the behaviour and practice of their family
and community at large. Hygiene and sanitation in schools is important, as it allows children to learn
about hygiene at a receptive age, as well as having immediate and long term health benefits. Poor
hygiene behaviour remains high risk behaviour increasingly responsible for high water and sanitation
related diseases among primary school going children. Many outbreaks of gastrointestinal infections
have been associated with primary schools
Objectives: assessing the factors influencing hygiene behaviour among school children.
Methods: A school children based descriptive cross sectional study was conducted. Five Primary
schools was recruited from the list of primary schools with second cycle in the Woreda Education
Office and a total of 528 School children were selected randomly selected from the list of every
school based on the proportion to the size of grade six to eight of each school. Fifty percent of
students‟ house hold was assessed for availability of hygiene enabling facilities.
All questionnaires and records were checked by the data collectors and supervisors before leaving the
data collection area. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS Version 17.0 after the data has been
entered using Epi-Info version 3.5.3. Logistic regression employed to identify factors influencing
hygiene behaviour via crude and adjusted odds ratio.
Result: the study found that knowledge and awareness on water handling, and hand washing was
significantly associated to hygiene behaviour. The likelihood that the child‟s knowledge on water
handling issues and hand washing matters was 2.24 times (AOR, 2.24; 95%CI 1.54, 3.26) and 1.7
times (AOR, 1.70; 95%CI 1.12, 2.57) likely to have positive hygiene behaviour compared to those
was not knowledgeable, respectively. Predictably, school children who had proper awareness on water
handling matters 2 (AOR, 2.0; 95%CI 1.37, 2.90), hand washing practice 2.36(AOR, 2.36; 95%CI
1.62, 3.45) times more likely to have positive hygiene behaviour compare to those school children not
aware.
Being a member of hygiene and sanitation club, parent‟s health package status, have ever
trained on hygiene and sanitation and have ever visit model school had observed a significance
difference in hygiene behaviour. The peer pressure measured by „what you think children are washing
their hands‟ was observed a difference in handwashing behaviour. This was statistically significant
with diseases avoidance P <0.05.
Conclusion: we conclude that this study has shown that knowledge, awareness, ever training, being a
member, visit model school, and parent‟s health package are factors to influence hygiene behaviour.
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Assessment of factors influencing