A Study on Personal Hygiene Practices among Children in a Selected Schools of Singur block, Hooghly District
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47203/IJCH.2025.v37i05.018Keywords:
Personal Hygiene, School Children, Hand Washing, Acute IllnessAbstract
Context: Personal hygiene practices play a crucial role in preventing the spread of infectious diseases among school children. Poor hygiene can lead to increased morbidity, absenteeism, and decreased educational productivity.
Aims: To find out Personal Hygiene Practices and associated factors among Children in a Selected Schools of Singur block, Hooghly District.
Settings and Design: An institutional based observational study was conducted among 156 Middle School children of age group of 11 to 15 years in a Selected Schools of Singur block, Hooghly District, West Bengal from March 2024 to August 2024.
Methods and Material: 156 study participants were selected by stratified random sampling and Pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic characteristics, handwashing frequency, and other hygiene practices
Statistical analysis used: Descriptive statistics, univariate and multivariable logistic regression was done using MS Excel 2021 and SPSS 16.
Results: The median age of study participants was 13 years (IQR-12-14). The study finding showed that 32% of participants reported acute morbidity in the past fortnight. Hand washing frequency was satisfactory, with 71% of children washing their hands at least 3-4 times a day. Statistically Significant association was found with Overcrowding, Mother’s Educational level and acute illness.
Conclusion: While hand washing frequency was relatively high, overall personal hygiene practices among school children were suboptimal.
Keywords: Personal hygiene, School Children, Hand washing, Acute illness
Downloads
References
Mangal N, Kumar LD, Varghese KA, Chauhan M. A cross-sectional study on personal hygiene among rural school students in southern Rajasthan. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2019;6(6):2646–50.
World Health Organization - Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean [Internet]. [cited 2024 Feb 4]. WHO EMRO | Infectious diseases | Health topics. Available from: http://www.emro.who.int/health-topics/infectious-diseases/index.html (Last accessed on July 2025).
Haradanhalli RS, Prashanth RM, Kumari N, Siddhareddy I, DPP, Surendran J. Personal hygiene practices and related skin diseases among primary school children of urban poor locality. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2019;6(6):2526–30.
Sarkar M. Personal hygiene among primary school children living in a slum of Kolkata, India. J Prev Med Hyg. 2013;54(3):153–8.
Oyibo PG. Basic personal hygiene: knowledge and practices among school children aged 6–14 years in Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria. Continental J Trop Med. 2012;6(1):5–11.
Odigwe O. Good personal hygiene: a fight against the spread of infectious diseases. MOJ Public Health. 2015;2(2):65–8.
World Health Organization. Improved sanitation facilities and drinking water sources [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2025 [cited 20/02/2025].Available from: https://www.who.int/data/nutrition/nlis/info/improved-sanitation-facilities-and-drinking-water-sources
(Last accessed on July 2025).
World Health Organization. Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and SDG baselines [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2017 [cited 20/02/2025]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241512893 (Last accessed on July 2025).
Javalkar SR, Naveen H, Davalgi S, Vidya GS. B.?G. Prasad’s SES scale updated for year?2024 [Internet]. 2024 [cited 27/07/2025]. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/B-G-Prasads-SES-scale-updated-for-year-2024_tbl1_378613577 (Last accessed on July 2025)
Maji B, Samanta S. Assessment of personal hygiene and morbidity pattern among primary schoolchildren in a rural coal-field area of West Bengal, India. J Sci Soc. 2021;48(2):68–72.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Rivu Basu
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
