Knowledge and Practice of Personal Hygiene Among the Primary School-Going Children in a Rural District of Assam,...

Introduction Early education in proper hygiene practices is crucial for stopping the spread of infectious diseases in children. The present study aims to assess the knowledge and practices of personal hygiene among the primary school-going children in a rural area of northeast India. Methods This cross-sectional, descriptive, quantitative study was conducted among 120 primary school-going children from seven government schools in the Kamrup (Rural) District, Assam. A structured interview schedule was used to collect data on the knowledge and practices of personal hygiene among the participants. An observation checklist was used to assess the personal hygiene practices of primary school children. Results Parents (n = 88; 73.3%) and teachers (n = 17; 14.2%) were the primary sources of information on personal hygiene. A majority of 70 (58.30%) participants had moderately adequate knowledge, and 84 (70%) exhibited average practices of personal hygiene, with a significant positive correlation (r = 0.68; p < 0.001) between the knowledge and practice scores. Parents' occupations (p-value = 0.001), sources of information (p-value = 0.01), and religion (p-value < 0.001) were associated with personal hygiene practices. Conclusion The majority of participants were aware of and exercised personal hygiene to a moderate extent. Although knowledge and personal hygiene practices were positively correlated, a significant discrepancy existed between the children's stated knowledge and practice levels and the observed personal hygiene indicators.