A study of handwashing training effects on awareness, attitude, and handwashing skills of third grade elementary school students

Maryam Mohammadi; Asghar Dalvandi; Azin Chakeri

doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_948_19

A study of handwashing training effects on awareness, attitude, and handwashing skills of third grade elementary school students

J Family Med Prim Care. 2020 Feb 28;9(2):1149-1153. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_948_19. eCollection 2020 Feb.

Authors

Maryam Mohammadi¹, Asghar Dalvandi², Azin Chakeri³

Affiliations

¹ Msc in Pediatric Nursing, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran, Faculty Member of Department of Nursing Islamic Azad University, Garmsar Branch, Garmsar, Iran.
² Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
³ Msc in Psychiatric Nursing Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Branch, Tehran Iran, Faculty Member and Head of Department of Nursing Islamic Azad University, Garmsar Branch, Garmsar, Iran.

Abstract

Background and aims: Hands are the first way of which many infectious diseases are transmitted. Hand hygiene is a means of infection control in schools. Close consideration of handwashing in educational units is important to control and prevent infection transmission. The present study aimed to determine the effect of handwashing education on awareness, attitude and handwashing skills of third-grade elementary school students in Tehran.

Methods: In this study, 76 third grade students of elementary schools located at district 1 of Tehran with the mean age of 9 years were randomly divided into intervention and control groups using pre-test and post-test. Data collection for intervention and control groups was done using a researcher-made awareness- and attitude-gauging questionnaire, along with a checklist of handwashing performance which was completed in cooperation with the health instructor.

Results: The results of this study showed that there was a significant difference between the awareness of 3^rd-grade students in intervention (69.79 ± 1.61) and control (49.03 ± 1.18) groups (P < 0.05). Moreover, students' attitude toward handwashing improved as a result of education, and the intervention group (62.37 ± 0.65) had a more positive attitude toward hygiene and handwashing compared to the control group (48.45 ± 0.73) (P < 0.05). In the case of handwashing performance, the intervention group (56.76 ± 1.33) had better health performance compared to the control group (40.08 ± 0.67) (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Practical training, preparation of educational posters and videos can enhance awareness, attitude and handwashing performance.

Keywords: Attitude; awareness; children; handwashing; health; performance.