International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume IX, Issue VIII, August 2022 | ISSN 2321–2705

Personal Hygiene Practices Among Selected Secondary Schools at South Eastern Nigeria

David Chinaecherem Innocent¹*; Sophia Ifechidere Obani²; Cosmas Nnadozie Ezejindu³; Angelica Chinecherem Uwaezuoke⁴; Advait Vasavada^5
1Department of Public Health, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State Nigeria
²Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
³Department of Public Health, Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria
⁴Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
⁵MP Shah Medical College, Jamnagar, India
Corresponding

Abstract:
Background: Personal hygiene is the process of keeping one’s own body clean, and it is considered a global concern among schoolchildren. Every year, it is estimated that diarrhoea kills more than 1.5 million school-aged children due to unclean water, a lack of sanitation, and a lack of cleanliness. Poor hygienic habits among schoolchildren raise a huge concern in underdeveloped nations. The purpose of this study was to analyse personal hygiene practises among students in secondary schools in Southeastern Nigeria.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was utilised in this study. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The study population consisted of secondary school students at Okigwe LGA, Owerri, Imo State. A multistage sampling technique was utilised to select 404 respondents. Ethical approval was obtained from the Department of Public Health, Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Results: Of the respondents, 44% (176) were within the age group of 10–12 years. 98.5% (394) were aware of personal hygiene practices, with 67.2% (269) of the respondents obliged to knowledge that personal hygiene includes bathing, washing your hands, brushing your teeth, etc. The study showed that the majority of 83.3% (333) of secondary school students in Okigwe always brush their teeth daily and 78.7% (315) also affirmed they always cut their nails as a mark of hygiene practice. 89.0% (356) indicated lack of adequate water supply as a challenge to the practise of hygiene, which means that the Okigwe community service lacks water provision at school and in the community at large.
Conclusion: The study concluded that there is a need for regular reinforcement to sustain the gains particularly with areas of assessment in the study showing that sanitary provisions of water is lacking.

Keywords: Hygiene, Sanitation, Practices, Personal Hygiene, Secondary School

I. INTRODUCTION

Among school-aged children, personal hygiene is a serious and pervasive public health problem (1). Hygiene is a term that refers to habits that promote good health and cleanliness (1, 2). The practice of keeping one’s own body clean is known as personal hygiene (2). Good sanitary care, as