Hand Washing Practice and Its Determinants Among Primary School Children in Sodo Zuria District, Southern Ethiopial4

Abstract

Introduction: In Ethiopia, hand washing is still being practiced to a very low extent even in critical moments such as before eating and after using a toilet. Despite its ample health benefit, many people do not practice hand washing. Objective: This study aimed to assess the practice of handwashing and its determinants among primary school children in Sodo Zuria woreda, Southern Ethiopia, 2020. Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study was employed with a sample size of 673. A structured and pretested data collection tool was used to collect the data. Data were entered using Epi Data 3.2 exported to SPSS 20 for further analysis. Then bivariate analysis and multivariable analysis were employed. Statistical significance was declared at P-value < 0.05 with 95% CI. Result: The overall level of practice of handwashing among students was found to be 43.8%. And only 12.5% of students had reported washing their hands with soap before a meal. Knowledge of hand washing, attitude toward handwashing, required time to fetch water from water source, soap/ash & water present for handwashing at home, availability of hygiene and sanitation club in school and celebrating handwashing day in school have a positive association with handwashing practice. Conclusion: This finding showed that level of handwashing practice was low. Practice of the study participants was affected by attitude towards hand washing, availability of water, access to school clubs and mini - media working on hygiene and sanitation. Coordinated effort is expected from stakeholders to change the existing situation.