Knowledge, Perception and Practicesof Personal Hygiene among Students of Adamawa State College of Agriculture, Ganye

Abstract

This study sought to describe students' knowledge, perceptions and practices, of personal hygiene in Adamawa state college of Agriculture Ganye. Data were collected using questionnaire consisting of 12 questions used as the instrument. Some questions and discussions were hold orally; Fifty (50) questionnaires were completed assessing demographics, personal hygiene behaviors, perceptions and knowledge about hygiene. The results shows washing hands after using the toilet and before meals were more frequent than after returning home, or visiting public places. The main and predominant reason for which students don’t wash their hands was because they always forget. The situations when students consider it important to wash hands were after using the toilet and before the meals. Students were unable to name at least 1 illness transmitted by dirty hands but, less than 50% of students knows that illnesses were transmitted by dirty hands. Students who are not fully satisfied, with the toilet and bath room for the main reasons were: unpleasant smell in toilet rooms (52%), absence of hand hygiene equipment (49%) and lack of cleanliness (38%). only 50% of respondents mention washing their hands always or often using school toilet. Waste bins in girls’ toilets for safe disposal of sanitary towels were not provided in the schools at all times. Conclusion the hygiene habits of college students may be motivated by perceptions of socially acceptable behavior rather than scientific knowledge. Interventions targeting the social norms of incoming and continuing students may be effective in improving hygiene behaviors and ultimately hygiene practices.