Katsuyuki Tsukamoto. Preventive behaviors among health promoting primary school children under soil-transmitted helminthiasis control program in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand. Master's Degree(Primary Health Care Management). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2004.
Preventive behaviors among health promoting primary school children under soil-transmitted helminthiasis control program in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand
Abstract:
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess preventive behaviors
against soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) among school children under STH
control program and to identify factors concerning preventive behaviors of school
children. Preventive behaviors against STH consist of using latrine, washing hands,
washing vegetables, wearing shoes, cutting fingernail, accepting stool examination
and keeping sanitary facilities clean.
The target group was 5th and 6th grade primary school children in approved
schools and not approved schools, categorized by the Ministry of Public Health, in
high a prevalence district in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. Data was collected in
January 2004. Self-administered questionnaire was conducted to 314 cases of school
children for socio-demographic factors, knowledge, attitudes and preventive
behaviors (KAP). Health personnel conducted home interview questionnaires to
collect the data of sanitary facilities. Self-administered questionnaires for health
personnel and teachers collected information regarding activities of health education
in both schools. KAP questionnaires were analyzed and categorized as good and poor,
positive and negative, and proper and improper. This study was analyzed with Chisquare
test.
The study found that socio-demographic factors, including grade, sex.
Caretaker, family size, siblings, parents’ occupation, religion, income didn’t have a
relationship to preventive behaviors in both schools. Activities of health education by
health personnel provided a demonstration of preventive behaviors for a greater
number of school children in approved schools. Regarding sanitary facilities, proper
preventive behaviors had a relationship to sanitary condition involved in food
preparation (p=0.001) and restriction in fecal fertilizer use (p=0.041) in approved
schools only. Toilet, water disposal, water resource tended to have a relationship to
preventive behaviors in approved schools.
Demonstration of preventive behaviors by health personnel was conducted
more in approved schools and proper preventive behaviors were related to sanitary
facilities in approved school. This study concluded that demonstrations by health
personnel reinforced the use of sanitary facilities at home in approved schools under
STH control program