Hand Hygiene Intervention Program on Primary School Students' Health Outcomes and Absenteeism in School

Summary

The most common infections in schools are acute respiratory infections (colds, pharyngitis, influenza and others) and diarrheal diseases. The incidence of these infections may also be an important cause of school absenteeism, leading to negative outcomes in both education and health.

WHO states that handwashing a well-known primary infection control measure, is the most important hygiene measure to prevent the spread of infection when handwashing is done with soap and water. Since behavioral choices that determine lifestyle are made in childhood, it is important that health education in hand hygiene be implemented as early as possible to improve healthy behaviors. In this context, schools are important structures for information and behavior change about water, sanitation and hygiene interventions.

Planned Behavior Theory (PBT) states that intention is the main precursor of behavior. According to the theory, intention is guided by three independent variables (perceived behavior control, attitudes and subjective norms), and intention formation leads to the development of behavior. The theory has been used in a study to improve hand hygiene behavior in health workers, but it has not been used in the literature to improve hygiene behaviors in children.

Researches indicate that students who do not attend school frequently or for a long time have difficulty in mastering the subject described in the lesson and that school absenteeism is an issue that should be emphasized in education. Therefore, hand hygiene has a simultaneous effect that improves both education and health and contributes to a safe and healthy learning environment. The aim of this research is; To test the effect of hand hygiene intervention program based on Planned Behavior Theory on students' health outcomes and school absenteeism.

Conditions

• Respiratory Tract; Infection, Upper (Acute)
• Hand Hygiene
• Absenteeism

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Hand hygiene intervention program developed according to planned behavior theory

The perception of the importance of hand hygiene with expression of damages of microorganisms (stories about illnesses etc.). Visually assisted hand hygiene training experiments to ensure the visibility of microorganisms in the environment. Demonstration and application of the correct hand washing technique with music. All applications will take place in three lessons (120-minute).

BEHAVIORAL

Classical hand hygiene education

expression of hand hygiene with verbal presentation method in a 40-minute lecture

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Izmir Katip Celebi University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Şafak Dağhan · Ege University, Nursing Faculty

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

7 Years

Max Age

11 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-09-09

Primary Completion

2020-06-29

Completion

2020-06-29

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations