scholarly journals Local Perceptions of an Integrated School Health and Nutrition Programme involving WASH, school feeding and deworming in Southwest Ethiopia

Author(s):  
Emily Keating ◽  
Gemechu Tadesse ◽  
Nigussie Geletu Dejene ◽  
Elodie Yard ◽  
Laura Jane Appleby ◽  
...  

Introduction. The ‘Enhanced School Health Initiative’ (ESHI) targeted 30 primary schools in southern Ethiopia and aimed to improve the health and educational outcomes of school children through an integrated package of school feeding, deworming and the provision of improved water sanitation and hygiene (WASH). This study investigated parental perceptions of this integrated school health and nutrition programme. Methods. The data was collected through group interviews with parents of children at schools targeted by the programme. Ten schools were purposively selected to represent geographical diversity. A team of two trained facilitators led the group interview in each school. All interviews were conducted in local dialects and then directly translated into English and transcribed. The transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings are structured around key themes identified from the discussions.Results and Discussion. Three main themes are identified from the interviews. The first relates to the perceptions of equity and opportunity generated for the children and the parents as a result of the programme. The second theme identifies the dissemination of learning throughout the community reported by parents. This includes the use of children as messengers, particularly for good hygiene practices and importance of deworming. The final theme explores concerns about ownership and sustainability of the programme within the communities. When probed on the topic of sustainability, parents raised conflicts surrounding ownership, and their ability to sustain the programme without further external input. Conclusions. The findings highlight the parent’s perceptions of this integrated school health and nutrition programme, and the multiple mechanisms through which it has an impact on the wider community. They also highlight what aspects of the programme are felt to be sustainable without further input, particularly behaviour change.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alseny Bah ◽  
Alhassanel Diallo ◽  
Alhassane Bah ◽  
Feihu Li

Abstract Background: In Guinea, the incidence and prevalence of children in public primary schools to common disease, e.g., diarrhoeal, malaria, fever, etc. remained pretty high mainly because of the poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions and practices. We aimed to evaluate the impacts of WASH conditions in and out of school, health education programs, and the behavioral determinants of pupils on the incidence and prevalence of children. Methods: A questionnaire was designed to collect necessary information on current hygiene conditions of all the studied primary schools, the WASH practices in and out of schools, and the incidence and prevalence of these pupils. The data were collected via a survey of the pupils (n = 1048) from five public primary schools in the center of the city of N’Zerekore, Guinea between December 2018 and May 2019. Using a social survey (questionnaire survey), face-to-face interviews with the headmasters and the teachers of several selected schools, data collection was based on students' knowledge of hygiene practices associated with WASH, hand washing situations in and out of school.Results: It reveals that the WASH conditions in all five schools are inadequate. The water access and quality in four schools over all the five schools are greatly limited by the boreholes or unprotected dug wells. The scarcity of essential hygiene kits, especially in the latrines, disinclined the pupils to use the toilets in schools. The WASH and health educations are also invalid in all schools, and therefore the pupils were ineffectively influenced to change their unhealthy WASH behaviors. Our data indicated that 100% (n = 1048) of pupils don’t wash their hands with soap after defecation in school, and over 87.9% (n = 922) of students don’t wash hands before eating. All the above determinants result in a high incidence and prevalence of children among these pupils, including malaria, typhoid, diarrhea, etc.Conclusion: To improve the WASH conditions and to change the pupils’ unhealthy behaviors in the long term, some effective interventions including the provision of clean water and sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, as well as widespread and effective health education should be implemented.


Author(s):  
Anna P. K. Shilunga ◽  
Hans J. Amukugo ◽  
Kabwebwe H. Mitonga

Background: Water, sanitation and hygiene played a significant role in schools by reducing water and sanitation related diseases; subsequently improving the health and learning performance of school-aged children. However, ppeople’s knowledge and attitudes on sanitation and hygiene determine the actual practice towards it. This study aimed at assessing and describing the knowledge, attitudes and practices of primary school learners towards sanitation and hygiene.Methods: A quantitative, descriptive design was used. A questionnaire was used to collect data among 450 learners in 10 selected primary schools in Ohangwena region. The study population was grade five, six and seven primary school learners. A three staged probability sampling method was employed. Statistical analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23.Results: The result indicated that younger learners in lower school grades, has poorer knowledge, attitudes and practices towards hygiene and sanitation than older learners irrespective of their gender, school circuits or location. This is a logical conclusion because, as learners become older, they become more aware and take precautions about hygiene and sanitation issues.Conclusions: Younger learners in lower school grades, has poorer knowledge, attitudes and practices towards hygiene and sanitation irrespective of their gender, school circuits or location. The older learners become more aware, and cautious about hygiene and sanitation issues comparing to younger learners. The practice and knowledge of sanitation and hygiene are implicated by the reality of the conditions of the sanitation facilities available to them. 


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Job Wasonga ◽  
Charles Omondi Olang’o ◽  
Felix Kioli

The global problem of access to improved sanitation and water management practices has been compounded by the gap existing between knowledge and practice as well as attitude. The aim of this study was to assess households' knowledge and attitude on water, sanitation, and hygiene practices through a school health programme. Semistructured questionnaires, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and observation checklist were used to obtain information from 95 households which were systematically sampled. It was found that a school programme may not improve the gap between knowledge, attitude, and practice but may be good for future generations. This was found to be due to sociocultural issues which impede hygiene transformation. The implication is that health programmes must find innovative ways of bridging this gap in order to bring change in households through culture sensitive interventions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-42
Author(s):  
Paul N. Munje ◽  
Loyiso C. Jita

In this paper the authors use the collaboration framework to explore the implementation of the School Feeding Scheme (SFS) in two primary schools within South Africa. The authors use a qualitative approach to gather data through individual and focus group interviews with two principals and eight teachers respectively. The feeding process was also observed. The authors found that despite recorded achievements, smooth implementation of the scheme was stifled by varied challenges. However, the current situation can be improved if principals initiate strategies that promote collaboration, while caterers and teachers are trained on collaboration and professional ethics. Monitoring and evaluation is encouraged to identify and resolve impending challenges.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Styvers Kathuni ◽  
Daniel Akunga ◽  
Esther Kitur ◽  
Sammy Letema

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine hygiene promotion approaches that were being employed by public primary schools in Dagoretti North and South Sub Counties in Nairobi City County and whether the approaches influenced hygiene behaviors that were practiced by pupils. Methodology: The study applied a descriptive cross-sectional design. Questionnaires were administered to 384 pupils with the aim of collecting data on hygiene knowledge and practices. A questionnaire was also used to collect data on hygiene promotion approaches from 32 school health teachers. Pupils’ demographic data was collected from school head teachers. Five key informant interviews were conducted with Nairobi City County public health and education officers and a staff from a non-governmental organization that was implementing school hygiene activities in Dagoretti South and North Sub Counties. Observation checklists were used to triangulate information on hygiene practices by pupils. Analysis was done using SPSS software. Findings: Results indicate that 95.6% of the pupils practiced hand washing at critical times, 98.7% used the toilet while 85.4% safely disposed solid waste. The study reveals that water, sanitation and hygiene in schools approach is implemented by 31.3% of the school health teachers. There was a significant relationship between school health clubs approach and hand washing at critical times (p=0.04) and proper solid waste disposal (p=0.02). One way analysis of variance established that there is a significant difference among hygiene promotion approaches and pupils hygiene knowledge, F(5, 162) = 6.41, p <.05 ƞ²p = 0.076. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study establishes that different hygiene promotion approaches have the potential to influence hygiene practices and in particular, hand washing at critical times and proper solid waste disposal amongst pupils. The study recommends the use of school health clubs approach for hygiene promotion at public primary schools


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
V Lastrucci ◽  
M Spinicci ◽  
F Macchioni ◽  
S Gabrielli ◽  
A L Villagran ◽  
...  

Abstract Backgrounds Intestinal parasitic infections (IPI) are a major health issue for children of low- and middle-income countries. Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) practices are crucial for preventing IPI. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a school-based health education intervention on handwashing behavior and IPI prevalence in children Methods This is a randomized intervention trial in 8 primary schools in rural communities over the course of 3 school years; preliminary results from the first two years of the trial are here presented. Schools were randomly selected and assigned in a 1:1 ratio to intervention or control (no intervention) groups. For each school year, the intervention included 14 school-based educational sessions and 2 skit events, involving children aged 8-12 years. Knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire and handwashing at key events was assessed at the beginning and end of each school year. IPI prevalence was assessed with repeated cross-sectional parasitology surveys 12 months apart, involving a minimum of 50 children for each school Results At baseline, no significant differences between intervention and control schools were present in the proportion of children who washed their hands at key events (7.2% vs 9.3%, p = 0.28), in IPI (79.4% vs 75.3%, p = 0.3) and multiple parasitic infections (MPI) prevalences (47.6 vs. 38.6; p = 0.051). At the end of the second year, the percentage of children who washed their hands at key events was significantly higher in the intervention schools (75.4% vs 12.1%, p &lt; 0.001), and the prevalence of IPI and MPI in the intervention schools were respectively about 25% and 15% lower than in the control schools (respectively, 42.9% vs 67.8%, p &lt; 0.001; 16.1% vs 31.6%, p &lt; 0.001) Conclusions A school-based health education intervention could achieve significant changes in hand-washing behaviors and reduction in the prevalence of IPI in children. The third year survey results are needed to confirm these findings Key messages An health education intervention on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) practices can reduce the risk of IPI infection in children. An health education intervention on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) practices could be configured as a sustainable long-term approach to intestinal parasitic infections control in children.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 117863022199963
Author(s):  
Negasa Eshete Soboksa ◽  
Sirak Robele Gari ◽  
Abebe Beyene Hailu ◽  
Bezatu Mengistie Alemu

Background: Inadequate water supply, sanitation, hygiene practices, and diarrhea are related to malnutrition, but there is limited evidence in Ethiopia about their association. Thus, the objective of this study was to describe childhood malnutrition and the association with diarrhea, water supply, sanitation and hygiene practices. Methods: A case-control study design was performed from December 2018 to January 2019 in Kersa and Omo Nada districts of the Jimma Zone, Ethiopia. Both children aged 6 to 59 months were chosen randomly from malnourished and well-nourished children in 128 cases and 256 controls, respectively. Bodyweight, length/height, mid-upper arm circumference, and presence of edema of the children were measured according to the WHO references. Then, the nutritional status of the children was identified as a case or control using the cutoff points recommended by the WHO. To see the association-dependent and independent variables, logistic regression analysis was used. Results: A total of 378 children were included in this study (98.44%). Malnutrition was significantly increased among children who delayed breastfeeding initiation(AOR = 3.12; 95% CI: 1.62-6.00), had diarrhea (AOR = 9.22; 95% CI: 5.25-16.20), were living in households indexed as the poorest (AOR = 2.50; 95% CI: 1.12-5.62), defecated in a pit latrine without slab/open pit (AOR = 2.49; 95% CI: 1.17-5.30), collecting drinking water from less than/equal to 1 km distance (AOR = 4.77; 95% CI: 1.01-22.71) and sometimes practiced hand washing at the critical times (AOR = 2.58; 95% CI: 1.16-5.74) compared with their counterparts. However, lactating during the survey (AOR = 0.35; 95% CI: 0.18-0.67), water collection from unprotected sources (AOR = 0.22; 95% CI: 0.05-0.95) and collection and disposal of under-5 children feces elsewhere (AOR = 0.06; 95% CI: 0.01-0.49) significantly reduced the likelihood of malnutrition. Conclusions: Early initiation of exclusive breastfeeding, diarrhea prevention, and the use of improved latrine and handwashing practices at critical times could be important variables to improve the nutritional status of children.


Author(s):  
Lorna Kwai Ping Suen ◽  
Janet Pui Lee Cheung

Early childhood is a formative period during which healthy habits are developed, including proper hand hygiene practices. The aim of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the effectiveness of a 4-week series of educational sessions that consider the cognitive developmental stage of children on increasing their knowledge and promoting hand hygiene practices. The intervention group (n = 33) observed the hand hygiene program, whereas another group served as the waitlist control (n = 20). Creative activities were planned for the illustration of hand hygiene concepts in terms of “right moments”, “right steps”, and “right duration”. Hand sanitizer coverage was evaluated using a hand scanner. After the intervention, the experimental group had higher knowledge level toward hand hygiene than the control group (p < 0.001). Significant improvements in hand hygiene performance at the left palm and dorsum (p < 0.05), right palm (p < 0.05), and overall hand coverage (p < 0.05) were observed in the experimental group. The study demonstrated that the knowledge and proper hand hygiene (HH) practice of children can be positively influenced by the use of an age-appropriate education program. The results of this study have implications for school health educators and parents for promoting HH practices among children at home and at the school level.


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