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

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