Personal Hygiene; An Assessment Of Married Women Knowledge And Practice In Kwara State

Project and Seminar Material for Public Health

Personal Hygiene; An Assessment Of Married Women Knowledge And Practice In Kwara State (Charles)

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess the knowledge and practice of personal hygiene among married women in Kwara State. The study was specifically set to assess the knowledge of personal hygiene among married women in Kwara state; ascertain the sources of information on personal hygiene among married women in Kwara state; and assess the practices of personal hygiene among married women in Kwara state. The survey design was adopted and the simple random sampling techniques were employed in this study. The population size comprised of married women in Ilorin, Kwara State. In determining the sample size, the researcher conveniently selected 147 respondents and 141 were validated. Self-constructed and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency tables and mean scores. The hypotheses was tested using Chi-square Statistical tool. The result of the findings reveals that the majority of the married women in Kwara state are knowledgeable of personal hygiene. Their sources of information on personal hygiene includes; Radio/ TV, health educator, billboard, partner, and friends. Likewise, the level of completed immunization among mothers in Ofagbe Community is low. Furthermore, the study revealed married women does effectively practice personal hygiene in Kwara state. Therefore, it is recommended that the mass media can play an important role in dissemination of hygienic education women. There should be extensive health education program for the women about the personal hygiene and sanitation. Both Government and Non-governmental organization should strengthen the ongoing program and pay sustainable attention for the construction of sanitary latrine in this underprivileged community. To mention but few.

Table of Content

Title Page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Table of Content
List of Tables
Abstract

Chapter One:

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objective of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Limitation of the Study
1.9 Definition of Terms
1.10 Organisations of the Study

Chapter Two:

Review of Literature

2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review

Chapter Three:

Research Methodology

3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of the Study
3.3 Sample Size Determination
3.4 Sample Size Selection Technique and Procedure
3.5 Research Instrument and Administration
3.6 Method of Data Collection
3.7 Method of Data Analysis
3.8 Validity of the Study
3.9 Reliability of the Study
3.10 Ethical Consideration

Chapter Four:

Data Presentation and Analysis

4.1 Data Presentation
4.2 Analysis of Data
4.3 Answering Research Questions
4.4 Test of Hypotheses

Chapter Five:

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
References
APPENDIX
QUESTIONNAIRE

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background to the Study

Personal hygiene is particularly important among married women because they spend most of their time in public places, such as markets, business place, in proximity with others. The transmission of infections to married women may contribute to their place of business, which in turn may affect their health wellbeing (White, Kolble, Carlson, Lipson, Dolan & Ali, 2018). Therefore, health knowledge and promotion are essential for married women, their families, and communities at large. Indeed, a meta-analysis of the hand hygiene of 30 married womwn showed that improvement in hand washing minimized the occurrence of upper respiratory tract infections by 21% and gastrointestinal illness by 31% (Aiello, Coulborn, Perez & Larson, 2016). Furthermore, Sarkar, (2019) in his study reported the health knowledge of mareried women significantly improved after education.

The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies the transmission of healthcare associated infections by healthcare providers to be a major concern and apprehension for patient safety and care. WHO recommends surveillance and prevention of healthcare associated infections to be a priority in healthcare settings worldwide (Uneke&Ijeoma, 2019; Health care-associated infections Fact Sheet, 2018; WHO, 2018; Allegranzi, 2017), Nurses constitute the largest proportion of the health care workers and they are the “nucleus of the health care system”. They spend more time with patients than any other health care workers, their compliance with hygiene practices guidelines seems to be more vital and imperative in preventing the disease transmission among patients (Sharif, 2016).

Health education on personal hygiene should be offered married women to provide them with the knowledge in health, making them aware of the reduction of risk associated with poor hygiene practices, such as disease transmission. Health education would make the capable to pass personal hygiene information to their families and community. Thus, leads to a better lifestyle, which can potentially increase their social hygiene profile. The development of policies, services, and research on such issues is integral to maintaining and raising the quality of health education.

Good hygienic care as well as practices in terms of personal hygiene i.e. its utilization contributes to a large extent on factors relating to healthful living, prevention of hazards from diseases and transmission of diseases. These health risk factors are directly related to some important daily activities implicated with worthy operational actions and obligatory responsibilities, such as washing hands before meals and after defecation with soap, brushing teeth at least twice a day specially after breakfast and after meals, taking bath with soap regularly, keeping nails short and taking regular exercise (Ali, Rahman, Siddiqui, 2018). Inadequate sanitary conditions and poor hygiene practices play major roles in the increased burden of communicable disease within these developing countries. In Nigeria, infectious diseases constitute one of the major health problems with its prevalence being particularly high among women and the occurrence closely related (Akpata, 2016). Adegbembo and El-Nadeef (2015) reported caries experience as high as 30 and 43% among Nigerians married women. There are many studies about the knowledge and practices of personal hygiene which were done on different groups (Tan, Cheng, Soon, Ghazali, &Mahyudin, 2017; Miko, Cohen, Conway, Gilman, Seward & Larson 2018; Suchitra & Devi, 2017). There are limited research findings to determine the knowledge and practice of personal hygiene among married women and this study aims to fill of the gap, therefore, this study will investigate knowledge and practice of personal hygiene among married women in kwara State.

1.2 Statement of Problem

The increased burden of communicable diseases and its transmission due to poor personal hygiene practices and inadequate sanitary conditions remains a concern on the public health agenda in developing countries. Invalids are particularly vulnerable to the transmission of communicable disease due to neglect of basic personal hygiene, due lack of knowledge and practice by married women and this is an area that’s should be emphasized to married women via public sensitization. Poor knowledge, practice of and attitudes to personal hygiene such as hand washing play major roles in the high incidence of communicable diseases and therefore has negative consequences. There is a direct correlation between the lack of personal hygiene and illness, the latter of which proper hand washing has been shown to reduce the risk of disease transmission. Lack of hand hygiene is linked with outbreaks of viral gastroenteritis, upper respiratory tract infections, and Group B streptococcal colonization. In the majority of developing countries, roughly 80% of diseases are associated with poor domestic and personal hygiene (Ali 2018).

Several studies have shown that poor personal hygiene contribute to cross transmission of microorganisms, gum infections, increased rate of infectious illnesses, incidence of food borne outbreaks and reproductive tract infections (Unek Ijeoma2019). These have been attributed to inadequate knowledge of personal hygiene and its practices. Personal hygiene deficiency diseases have been found to continue to be a serious public health problem in developing countries like Nigeria and people often at risk to transmission are invalids in hospitals. Therefore, this study focuses on the knowledge and practice of personal hygiene among married women in kwara State.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The purpose of the study is to assess knowledge and practice of personal hygiene among married women in Kwara State. Specifically, the objectives of the study are as follows:

Assess the knowledge of personal hygiene among married women in Kwara state
Ascertain the sources of information on personal hygiene among married women in Kwara state.
Assess the practices of personal hygiene among married women in Kwara state.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions were formulated to guide the study based on the research objectives;

What is the knowledge of personal hygiene among married women in Kwara state?
What are the sources of information on personal hygiene among married women in Kwara state?
What are the practices of personal hygiene among married women in Kwara state?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

Ho: Married women does not effectively practice personal hygiene in Kwara state.
Ha: Married women does effectively practice personal hygiene in Kwara state.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study is important to explore the knowledge and practice of personal hygiene among married women. The findings of this study will facilitate sound knowledge, appropriate attitude and right practice toward personal hygiene and promote adequate educational and literacy programmes to achieve healthy outcome among married women. In addition, the findings from this study can also provide basic and useful information for policy formulation and strategic interventions on personal hygiene to women. Lastly, the findings of this study will contribute to existing body of knowledge on needle stick injuries in the healthcare sector as well as provide empirical literature for future studies in related areas.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study focuses to assess the knowledge and practice of personal hygiene among married women in kwara State. Hence the study will be delimited married women residents in kwara State.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

Like in every human endeavour, the researcher encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. Insufficient funds tend to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size. More so, the researcher simultaneously engaged in this study with other academic work. As a result, the amount of time spent on research will be reduced.

Moreover, the case study method utilized in the study posed some challenges to the investigator including the possibility of biases and poor judgment of issues. However, the investigator relied on respect for the general principles of procedures, justice, fairness, objectivity in observation and recording, and weighing of evidence to overcome the challenges.

1.9 Definition of Terms

Hygiene:

Refers to practices associated with ensuring good health and cleanliness.

Personal Hygiene:

This is the action, habit or practice of keeping oneself clean, especially as a means of maintaining good health. The practice of personal hygiene can also protect the health of others.

1.10 Organization of the Studies

The study is categorized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions and hypothesis, the significance of the study, scope/limitations of the study, and definition of terms. The chapter two covers the review of literature with emphasis on conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and empirical review. Likewise, the chapter three which is the research methodology, specifically covers the research design, population of the study, sample size determination, sample size, and selection technique and procedure, research instrument and administration, method of data collection, method of data analysis, validity and reliability of the study, and ethical consideration. The second to last chapter being the chapter four presents the data presentation and analysis, while the last chapter(chapter five) contains the summary, conclusion and recommendation.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations:

5.1 Introduction

This chapter summarizes the findings on the knowledge and practice of personal hygiene among married women in Kwara State. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.

5.2 Summary of the Study

In this study, our focus was to assess the knowledge and practice of personal hygiene among married women in Kwara State. The study was specifically set to assess the knowledge of personal hygiene among married women in Kwara state; ascertain the sources of information on personal hygiene among married women in Kwara state; and assess the practices of personal hygiene among married women in Kwara state.

The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 141 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are married women in Ilorin, Kwara State.

5.3 Conclusions

The current study shows that majority of the married women in Kwara state are knowledgeable of personal hygiene. Their sources of information on personal hygiene includes; Radio/ TV, health educator, billboard, partner, and friends.

The practices of personal hygiene among married women in Kwara state includes; brushing teeth daily, bathing daily or after being exposed to sweat or dusty areas, cutting nails, washing hands before and after meal, menstrual cleanliness, covering the nose with handkerchief when sneezing, trimming pubic hairs, and ensuring food hygiene among others.

5.4 Recommendations

Women should be more receptive to learning and are very likely to adopt attitudes at a younger age. It can be inferred that enhancement of comprehensive knowledge about these personal hygiene issues should be used to improve highly effective programs that will significantly attenuate the burden of dirtiness among women.
Mass media can play an important role in dissemination of hygienic education women. There should be extensive health education program for the women about the personal hygiene and sanitation. Both Government and Non-governmental organization should strengthen the ongoing program and pay sustainable attention for the construction of sanitary latrine in this underprivileged community.