Devangi Sharma, Puneet Gangawat, Anjali Jayram Miyotra, Bansi Manishbhai Galoriya, Kaushik Manubhai Labana, Nirmala Devjibhai Nazar, Priya Mohanbhai Ghosh, Sandhya Ramesh Varsani, Shivam Vishnubhai Labana | International journal of Nursing Science Practice and Research | Vol 12, Issue 01 | pp. 1-15 | ISSN: 2455-6351
Abstract
Hand hygiene is one of the most effective, low-cost measures for preventing infectious diseases among school-going children. Children are particularly vulnerable to hygiene-related illnesses due to frequent close contact, shared materials, and inadequate hand-washing practices. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a structured hand hygiene programme on the knowledge and practice of hand washing among school-going children in selected primary schools of Bhuj, Kutch, Gujarat. A hand hygiene intervention comprising health education, demonstration of proper hand-washing techniques, and reinforcement of critical moments for hand washing was implemented. The programme emphasized washing hands with soap before eating, after using the toilet, after blowing the nose, and after contact with dirt. Knowledge and practice related to hand hygiene were assessed before and after the intervention using structured tools. Findings from the study indicated a significant improvement in both knowledge and hand-washing practices among children following the intervention. Children demonstrated better understanding of the importance of hand hygiene and improved compliance with correct hand-washing steps. The programme also highlighted the potential role of schools in instilling lifelong hygienic habits and reducing infection-related absenteeism. The study concludes that hand hygiene education through practical demonstration is a simple, cost-effective, and impactful strategy for improving health behaviors among primary school children. Integrating such programmes into routine school health activities can contribute significantly to the prevention of communicable diseases and promotion of child health in resource-limited settings.
Keywords: Hand hygiene, School-going children, Hand washing with soap, Knowledge and practice, Health education
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Keerthana K, Subbulakshmi S, Ameer Suhail A, Varghese S, Sesan Raj S, Johnson S. Assessment of the level of knowledge and practices on hand hygiene among school going children at selected districts, Tamil Nadu, India. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International. 2021;33(55B):13-20. DOI:10.9734/jpri/2021/v33i55B33842.
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Keerthana K, Subbulakshmi S, Ameer Suhail A, Varghese S, Sesan Raj S, Johnson S. Assessment of the level of knowledge and practices on hand hygiene among school going children at selected districts, Tamil Nadu, India [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2026 Feb 4]. Available from: http://www.dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/bitstream/handle/123456789/1854/Hand%20hygiene%20KAPS.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
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Brahmbhatt KR, Lodhiya KK. Hand hygiene knowledge among undergraduate medical students in Junagadh, Gujarat, India. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health. 2019;6(5):1917-1922. DOI:10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20191449.
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(same as #1) Assessment of the level of knowledge and practices on hand hygiene among school-going children at selected districts, Tamil Nadu, India. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International. 2021 [duplicate entry of #1 and #2]. (Omit duplicates in final ref list)
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(same as #3) Hand hygiene knowledge among undergraduate medical students in Junagadh, Gujarat, India.International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health. 2019 [duplicate of #3 and #4].
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Keerthana K, Subbulakshmi S, Ameer Suhail A, Varghese S, Sesan Raj S, Johnson S. Assessment of the level of knowledge and practices on hand hygiene among school going children at selected districts, Tamil Nadu, India. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International. 2021;33(55B):13-20. Available from: https://journaljpri.com/index.php/JPRI/article/view/4614
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Keerthana K, Subbulakshmi S, Ameer Suhail A, Varghese S, Sesan Raj S, Johnson S. Assessment of the level of knowledge and practices on hand hygiene among school going children at selected districts, Tamil Nadu, India. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International. 2021;33(55B):13-20. Available from: https://journaljpri.com/index.php/JPRI/article/view/4614
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Assessment of the level of knowledge and practices on hand hygiene among school-going children at selected districts, Tamil Nadu, India. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International. 2021. Available from:https://journaljpri.com/index.php/JPRI/article/view/4614
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How to cite this article
@article{SharmaD2026,
author = {Devangi Sharma and Puneet Gangawat and Anjali Jayram Miyotra and Bansi Manishbhai Galoriya and Kaushik Manubhai Labana and Nirmala Devjibhai Nazar and Priya Mohanbhai Ghosh and Sandhya Ramesh Varsani and Shivam Vishnubhai Labana},
title = {Effectiveness of a Hand Hygiene Programme on Knowledge and Practice among School-Going Children in Selected Primary Schools of Bhuj, Kutch, Gujarat},
journal = {International journal of Nursing Science Practice and Research},
year = {2026},
volume = {12},
number = {01},
pages = {1--15},
issn = {2455-6351},
url = {https://journalspub.com/publication/ijnspr/article=23453}
}