Avoiding school toilets in the Netherlands; should we worry?

Abstract

Abstract Background one can assume that toilet use by young people is not a problem in the Netherlands because there are sufficient toilets available at all schools. However, international research shows that a substantial number of young people avoid school toilets. It is unknown to what extent Dutch young people avoid school toilets. Methods from spring 2023 we recruited young people between the ages of 16 and 25 (all school levels) throughout the Netherlands. Young people who agreed to participate in the study were asked to complete an online questionnaire with questions about their toilet visits during their secondary school period (did they avoid school toilets or not), reasons for avoiding school toilets and the absence/presence of physical, mental and concentration problems during their secondary school period. We analysed our findings. Data will be analysed descriptively by means of a regression analysis. Results results are not yet available, but we expect - based on previous study - that at least one in four young people avoid using the toilet at their secondary school period, that girls avoid school toilets more than boys and that older teenagers avoid school toilets more than younger teenagers. We expect the following reasons for avoiding school toilets: feeling unsafe in the school toilets, lack of toilet hygiene, lack of privacy, limited access to the toilet during classes and shame. We also expect that young people that avoid school toilets have more physical, mental and concentration problems than young people that don’t avoid school toilets. Discussion We will give insight into the extent to which avoiding school toilets is also relevant in the Netherlands. We will advise schools on how they can adapt schools so that young people use school toilets more often. In addition, this study may show the need for general practitioners, paediatricians, and youth health care physicians to be aware of health problems related to this public health problem.