Assessing the awareness and extent of handwashing among Senior High School Students In Kumasi Senior High and Technical School-Patase, Kumasi-Ghana
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Date
FEBRUARY, 2019
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Abstract
Background: Correct handwashing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of
communicable diseases. However, most students are not aware of the essence of hand washing.
Objective: The aim is to assess the awareness and extent of handwashing among senior high school
students in Kumasi Senior High and Technical School-Patase, Kumasi-Ghana.
Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey involving interviewing S.H.S
students between that ages of 14-19 years of age. The study used quantitative research tool and
semi-structured questionnaire conducted over two months, from April, 2018 to May, 2018.
Convenient sampling was used to select the school and the students for the study. A sample size
of 300 students were selected. The data was processed and analysed with SPSS (25.0) and exported
to Microsoft excel 2016 for better presentation.
Results: A 100% (n=300) response rate with female predominance (61.7%) and majority being
above 16 years (76.3%). Almost all the students (99%) knew of handwashing with most (43.3%)
gaining their information from parents and 65.33% thinks that hygiene should be incorporated in
their curriculum. Regarding student's practice, 95.0% indicated that hand washing should be
practiced by washing hand with anti- bacterial soap (75.7%) and running water (73.7%) with
69.7% drying their hand after washing. Concerning frequency of handwashing, majority indicated
that they always wash their hand after eating (80.0%), after using the toilet (75.3) and before meal
(60.0%). Among the factors that limit handwashing practice are lack of facility, no cleansing agent,
water shortage, no time for washing and forgetfulness.
Conclusions: Although, students had good knowledge of hand washing practice, but inadequate
provision and inaccessibility of hand washing facilities at school may not allow them to practice
the hand washing knowledge they had acquired.
Description
A dissertation presented to the Department of Community Health, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the final MBChB degree.
Keywords
Awareness, Knowledge, Practice, Cleansing agents, Handwashing and Students