title: Personal hygiene practice and school-based health education of children in Anambra State, Nigeria.
abstract: This study assessed the effect of school-based health education on the practice of personal hygiene by children in primary schools in Anambra State, Nigeria. Three hundred and ninety-five (395) and three hundred and ninety-eight (398) primary school pupils randomly recruited as intervention and control groups were rated on five key personal hygiene practices before, immediately after and three months after school-based hygiene health education. Less than 45% were rated clean before health education in both groups. Immediately after health education, more than 65% in the intervention group were rated clean. There was no change in the control group. The difference was statistically significant. However, there was a statistically insignificant decline in those rated clean three months after cessation of health education. The school-based health education improved the personal hygiene practice of the pupils. There is a need for regular reinforcement to sustain the gains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Ilika
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Obionu
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene / Q000193:education*; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011897:Random Allocation; D012572:School Health Services; D013997:Time Factors