Table 1 Questionnaire findings on KAP of schoolchildren and water quality results in schools in Dolakha and Ramechhap districts of Nepal between March and May 2015
Children | Overall (N = 708) | Dolakha (n = 555) | Ramechhap (n = 153) | P-valuea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
KAP indicators | N (%) | n (%) | n (%) | |
Knowledge on handwashing | ||||
Before eating | 525 (74.2) | 427 (76.9) | 98 (64.1) | 0.01 |
After eating | 434 (61.3) | 357 (64.3) | 77 (50.3) | 0.01 |
After playing | 422 (59.6) | 345 (62.2) | 77 (50.3) | 0.01 |
After defaecation | 534 (75.4) | 427 (76.9) | 107 (69.9) | 0.08 |
Handwashing practices | ||||
Before eating | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | – |
After eating | 473 (66.8) | 387(69.7) | 86 (56.2) | 0.01 |
After playing | 428 (60.6) | 345 (62.2) | 83 (54.3) | 0.08 |
After defaecation | 641 (90.5) | 505 (91.0) | 136 (88.9) | 0.43 |
Handwashing with | ||||
Water | 687 (97.0) | 540 (97.3) | 147 (96.1) | 0.43 |
Ash | 17 (2.4) | 12 (2.2) | 5 (3.3) | 0.43 |
Mud, soil | 4 (0.6) | 4 (0.7) | 0 (0) | 0.29 |
Soap | 689 (97.3) | 539 (97.1) | 150 (98.0) | 0.53 |
Why wash hands with soap? | ||||
Remove germs | 196 (27.7) | 137 (24.7) | 59 (38.6) | – |
Prevent illness | 365 (51.5) | 306 (55.1) | 59 (38.6) | |
Clean hands | 94 (13.3) | 61 (11.0) | 33 (21.6) | |
Don’t know | 78 (11.0) | 65 (11.7) | 13 (8.5) | |
Hygiene | ||||
Better category | 261 (36.9) | 225 (40.5) | 36 (23.5) | 0.01 |
Middle category | 211 (29.8) | 165 (29.7) | 46 (30.1) | |
Poor category | 236 (33.3) | 165 (29.7) | 71 (46.4) | |
Sanitary practices at school | ||||
Use latrine at school | 679 (95.9) | 543 (97.8) | 136 (88.9) | <0.001 |
No latrine use | 29 (4.1) | 12 (2.2) | 17 (11.1) | |
Reasons for not using latrine (n = 17) | ||||
Dirty | 12 (70.6) | 1 (50.0) | 11 (73.3) | 0.09 |
No soap | 1 (5.9) | 0 (0) | 1 (6.7) | |
Not functional | 2 (11.8) | 0 (0) | 2 (13.3) | |
Other | 1 (5.9) | 0 (0) | 1 (6.7) | |
No response | 1 (5.9) | 1 (50.0) | 0 (0) | |
Defaecation location if not using latrine (n = 17) | ||||
Bush | 13 (76.5) | 2 (100) | 11 (73.3) | 0.40 |
Behind the latrine | 4 (23.5) | 0 (0) | 4 (26.7) | |
Opinion on whether dirty water causes illness | ||||
Yes | 694 (98.0) | 544 (98.0) | 150 (98.0) | 0.99 |
No | 14 (2.0) | 11 (2.0) | 3 (2.0) | |
Knowledge on illnesses caused by dirty water | ||||
Diarrhoea | 458 (64.7) | 377 (67.9) | 81 (52.9) | <0.001 |
Cholera | 138 (19.5) | 108 (19.5) | 30 (19.6) | 0.97 |
Skin irritation | 47 (6.6) | 31 (5.6) | 16 (10.5) | 0.03 |
Icterus | 12 (1.7) | 11 (2.0) | 1 (0.7) | 0.26 |
Typhus | 41 (5.8) | 38 (6.9) | 3 (2.0) | 0.02 |
Malaria | 14 (2.0) | 12 (2.2) | 2 (1.3) | 0.50 |
Eye irritation/disease | 9 (1.3) | 9 (1.6) | 0 (0) | 0.11 |
Worms, parasites | 72 (10.2) | 58 (10.5) | 14 (9.2) | 0.64 |
Perception on becoming sick by not washing hands by schoolchildren | ||||
Yes | 696 (98.3) | 543 (97.8) | 153 (100) | 0.50 |
No | 5 (0.7) | 5 (0.9) | 0 (0) | |
Not sure | 7 (1.0) | 7 (1.3) | 0 (0) | |
Drinking water | ||||
Drinking water from school | 637 (90.0) | 535 (96.4) | 102 (66.7) | <0.001 |
Bringing water from home | 102 (14.4) | 67 (12.1) | 35 (22.9) | 0.01 |