Knowledge and practices of personal hygiene among high school students in Kabul, Afghanistan: A cross-sectional study

Personal hygiene (PH) is a fundamental practice crucial for preventing communicable diseases and promoting overall health, especially among school-aged children. Despite global recognition of its importance, data on hygiene-related knowledge and behaviors among students in Afghanistan are scarce. This appears to be the first study in Afghanistan to specifically examine knowledge and practices of PH in this population. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge and practices of PH among school students in Kabul, Afghanistan. A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2025, involving 211 male students from Habibia High School, selected via systematic random sampling. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Significance was set at P < .05. Of 211 distributed questionnaires, 202 were fully completed (response rate: 95.7%). The mean age of the participants was 16.66 years, with a standard deviation of 1.38. Based on predefined scoring criteria, 56.4% of students demonstrated good knowledge, while 87.6% demonstrated good PH practices. Handwashing, toothbrushing, and nail trimming were widely practiced; however, only 29.2% reported using soap during handwashing, despite high awareness of its importance. Although 97% reported bathing regularly, daily bathing was limited to 30.7% in summer and only 5% in winter. Chi-square analysis showed no significant associations between hygiene knowledge/practices and sociodemographic factors, except for a significant difference in hygiene practices among 10th-grade students (P = .006). Overall, most sociodemographic characteristics were not significantly associated with students' hygiene knowledge and practices. Although overall levels of hygiene knowledge and practice were satisfactory, gaps such as limited soap use, inconsistent bathing, and partial adherence to handwashing and nail trimming highlight the need for targeted school-based interventions. Strengthening hygiene education alongside improved access to sanitation resources may help sustain positive hygiene behaviors among students.