Hand Hygiene: Knowledge and Practice among Pre-School Students

Abstract

Human health has been jeopardize d due to a lack of understanding about proper hand washing techniques. Because of their underdeveloped immune systems, preschool children are more vulnerable to infectious infections. Hand hygiene inhibits the spread of infectious illnesses. The purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding of pre-school children’s hand hygiene knowledge and behavior on the current situation of COVID-19. A total of 232 children aged 5 and 6 years old from 10 pre-schools in the Sepang region of Selangor, Malaysia, were chosen for this study. A questionnaire containing socio-demographic information, knowledge, and hand hygiene behavior was distributed. A completed hand hygiene education programme, including a video on correct hand washing technique, was presented to the test group. The results were statistically examined using descriptive analysis and an independent t-test. More than 90% of the participants displayed effective hand washing technique. Hand hygiene routine practice was much superior ( p < 0.05) in the test group. Indeed, further progress should be made through targeted health education initiatives emphasizing the importance of hand hygiene in health.