KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE ON HAND WASHING AFTER TOILET UTILIZATION IN WOLKITE TOWN, GURAGE ZONE, SOUTH WEST ETHIOPIA

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The use of contaminated hands for cooking and eating makes possible the transmission of the contaminants (germs) into the body through food. In Ethiopia more than 250,000 under five children die every year from sanitation and hygiene related diseases. Some 60 percent of the disease burden is related to poor sanitation and hygiene. Even though the above problems are visible, proper hand washing is not as widespread as desired worldwide. OBJECTIVES: To assess knowledge, attitude and practice towards hand washing after toilet utilization in households at Wolkite town, Gurage Zone, SNNPR, Ethiopia, 2021 GC. METHODS: Community based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to assess knowledge, attitude and practice on hand washing after toilet utilization among households in wolkite town. The sample sizes was 360HH; Systematic random sampling technique was applied to select individual respondents. Quantitative way of analysis was Applied for the data which are collected from households through structured questionnaire. After administering the questionnaire, each supervisor completes coding, categorizing and checking the questionnaire for accuracy and completeness. Data was entered and analyzing by the computer using (IBM SPSS software version 2020). RESULT: The study shows among 324 the total respondents, of this 76.1% had good knowledge and 23.9% had poor knowledge, with regard to attitude 56.1% had positive attitude and 43.9% had negative attitude; related with the practice of hand washing after toilet utilization 61.72% had good practice and the rest 38.28% had poor practice. CONCLUSION: We can conclude that the study showed that among the total respondent it was found that good knowledge on hand washing after toilet utilization was 76.1% around 23.9% had poor knowledge, with regard to attitude 56.1% had positive attitude and around 43.9% had negative attitude; related with the practice of hand washing after toilet utilization 61.72% had good practice and the rest 38.28% had poor practice. RECOMMENDATION: We recommend depending on our result behavioral change through health education on household levels regarding communicable diseases in relation with poor II practice of hand washing after toilet utilization and this should be done more of by health extension workers and the sub city health unit health committee.