Assessment of Hygiene Practices among Students at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Abstract

Background: Proper hand hygiene practices have been shown to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Although diarrhoeal diseases continue to be recorded among university students, there is paucity of studies focusing on hygiene behavior among university students in Ghana. This study assessed hand washing behavior, knowledge and practices among students of the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 422 students from 4th January 2018 to 21st January 2018. A pretested, structured questionnaire was used to collect all relevant data. Frequencies and percentages were used for categorical data. Chi square and one –way ANOVA were used to determine associations between some selected variables. P values, <0.05 were considered significant.

Results: The mean age of participants was 21.7±2.9 years. The overall general hygiene behavior of students was good with a mean score of 19.2±2.7. There was a significant difference (p=0.001) in the mean scores of male and female students with females scoring higher than their male colleagues. Predictors of hygiene behaviour among the students were their sex (R2=0.164, p=0.001) and age group (R2=0.003, p=0.048). Only 52.1% of students reported they always washed their hands with soap and water. Ownership and use of hand sanitizer was low (17.5%).

Conclusion: Self-reported hand washing behavior among UCC students is poor despite generally good knowledge of students on hygiene. The findings highlight the need for regular formal training of University students on proper hygiene practices and to encourage hand washing by ensuring the availability of soap and water.