Assessing Hand Hygiene Practices in Schools Benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme

Isaac Monney; Oparebea Sussana Martinson; Abugbilla Matthew Asampana; Marfo Albert

doi:doi:10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12

| Peer-Reviewed

Assessing Hand Hygiene Practices in Schools Benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme

Isaac Monney, Oparebea Sussana Martinson, Abugbilla Matthew Asampana, Marfo Albert

Published in Science Journal of Public Health (Volume 2, Issue 1)

Received: 21 November 2013 Published: 20 December 2013

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

School Feeding Programmes have been shown to impact positively on nutritional status and cognition of school children as well as hunger and poverty alleviation. There is however, dearth of information regarding hand hygiene in schools benefiting from these programmes. This study assesses hand hygiene practices, barriers and compliance to proper hand hygiene in schools benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through the administration of structured questionnaires and extensive field observation respectively. Fifty three (53) GSFP beneficiary schools were selected from four different locations in Ghana; Winneba (6), Mpraeso (10), Mampong-Ashanti (17) and Bolgatanga (20). Findings from the study indicate availability of hand washing facilities (HWFs) in most schools (79%; n = 53); high pupil-to-HWF ratio resulting in poor hand washing practices (Range: 15-372; average: 105); availability of soap for handwashing (83%; n = 42) but extensive use of shared containers (53%; n = 42); delays in acquisition of HWFs, fragmented private sector efforts in hand hygiene promotion and non-compliance with conventional hand washing practices. The study observes that the incorporation of schools into the GSFP without concurrently instituting a comprehensive hand washing programme is rather a retrogressive step considering the possible health repercussions on pupils. To avert this, it is proposed that hand washing with soap should be a mandatory practice in schools benefiting from the GSFP. This requires institution of a sustainable, impact-driven school hand hygiene programme involving both public and private sector agencies to be instituted along with the GSFP.

Published in	Science Journal of Public Health (Volume 2, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12
Page(s)	7-14
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2013. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Hand Hygiene, Soap, Ghana School Feeding Programme, Hand Washing Facility

References

[1]	P. Anderson, J. D. Moreen, G. Petersen and K. Tobey, 2005. Analysis of Regional Scalability of School Feeding Programs Using Locally-produced Foods in Ghana. International Business Development Program and United Nations Hunger Task Force URL: http://hgsf-global.org/ [Accessed on October 22, 2013]
[2]	United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2010. The Millennium Development Goals Report 2010. New York, USA.
[3]	P. J. McEwan, 2013. The impact of Chile’s school feeding program on education outcomes. Economics of Education Review, 32: 122– 139
[4]	World Food Programme, 2013. State of School Feeding Worldwide. World Food Programme. Rome, Italy.
[5]	L.H. Jomaa, E. McDonnell and C. Probart 2011. School feeding programs in developing countries: impacts on children's health and educational outcomes. Nutrition reviews, 692: 83-98.
[6]	J. Bennett, 2003. Review of School Feeding Projects. DFID, UK.
[7]	N. Langinger, 2011. School Feeding Programs in Keynya: Transitioning to a Homegrown Approach. Stanford Journal of International Relations, 13 (1): 30 - 37
[8]	T. Greenhalgh, E. Kristjansson and V. Robinson, 2007. Realist review to understand the efficacy of school feeding programmes. British Medical Journal, 335(7625): 858-861.
[9]	H. Alderman and D. Bundy, 2011. School Feeding Programs and Development: Are We Framing the Question Correctly? The World Bank Research Observer, 27:204–221
[10]	World Food Programme, 2007. Home-Grown School Feeding field case study: Ghana. Home-Grown School Feeding Project, World Food Programme. Rome, Italy.
[11]	Partnership for Child Development/ Home Grown School Feeding, 2011. Home Grown School Feeding Technical Assistance Plan. URL: http://hgsf-global.org/en/bank/downloads/doc_download/291-ghana-technical-assistance-plan [Accessed on October 25, 2013]
[12]	M. Guinan, M. McGuckin and Y. Ali, 2002. The effect of a comprehensive handwashing program on absenteeism in elementary schools. American Journal for Infection Control, 30 (4): 217-220.
[13]	S.P. Luby, A.K. Halder, C. Tronchet, S. Akhter, A. Bhuiya and R.B. Johnston, 2009. Household characteristics associated with handwashing with soap in rural Bangladesh. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 81(5):882-887.
[14]	L.T.T. Xuan and L. N. Hoat, 2013. Handwashing among schoolchildren in an ethnically diverse population in northern rural Vietnam. Global Health Action, doi: 10.3402/gha.v6i0.18869
[15]	T. Setyautami, S. Sermsri and J. Chompikul, 2012. Proper hand washing practices among elementary school students in Selat sub-district, Indonesia. Journal of Public Health and Development, 10 (2): 3 - 20
[16]	C. Lopez-Quintero, P. Freeman and Y. Neumark, 2009. Hand Washing Among School Children in Bogotá, Colombia. American Journal of Public Health, 99(1): 94–101.
[17]	M. Steiner-Asiedu, S.E. Van-Ess, M. Papoe, J. Setorglo, D.K. Asiedu and A.K. Anderson, 2011. Hand Washing Practices among School Children in Ghana. Current Research Journal of Social Sciences, 3(4): 293-300.
[18]	S. Pengpid and K. Peltzer, 2012. Hygiene behaviour and health attitudes in African countries. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 252:149-154.
[19]	Ejemot, R.I., Ehiri, J.E., Meremikwu, M. M. & Critchley, J.A. 2008. Hand washing for preventing diarrhoea. Cochrane database of systematic reviews. 23(1). doi: 10.1002/14651858
[20]	Ghana Health Service, 2011. 2011 Annual Report. URL: http://www.ghanahealthservice.org/ [Accessed on October 28, 2013]
[21]	P. Iyer, J. Sara, V. Curtis, B. Scott and J. Cardosi, 2005. The Handwashing handbook: A guide for developing a hygiene promotion program to increase hand washing with soap. The World Bank Group, Washington DC, USA.
[22]	V. Curtis and S. Cairncross, 2003. Water, Sanitation & Hygiene at Kyoto: Handwashing and sanitation need to be marketed as if they were consumer products. British Medical Journal, 327 (7405): 3-4
[23]	S. Kesevan, S. Barodawala and G.P. Mulley, 1998. Now wash your hands? A survey of hospital hand wash washing facilities. Journal of Hospital Infections, 40: 291-293.
[24]	R. S. K. Hulland, E. Leontsini, R. Dreibelbis, L. Unicomb, A. Afroz, C. N. Dutta, F. A. Nizame, S.P. Luby, P. K. Ram and P. J. Winch, 2013. Designing a handwashing station for infrastructure-restricted communities in Bangladesh using the integrated behavioural model for water, sanitation and hygiene interventions. BMC Public Health, 13:877 doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-877
[25]	V.A. Curtis, L.O. Danquah and V.R. Aunger, 2009. Planned, motivated and habitual hygiene behaviour: an eleven country review. Health Education Research, 24(4) 655–673
[26]	S. P. Luby, A. K. Halder, T. Huda, L. Unicomb and R. B. Johnston, 2011. The Effect of Handwashing at Recommended Times with Water Alone and With Soap on Child Diarrhea in Rural Bangladesh: An Observational Study. PLoS Medicine. 8(6) doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001052
[27]	C. Jasper, L. Thanh-Tam, and J. Bartram, 2012. Water and Sanitation in Schools: A Systematic Review of the Health and Educational Outcomes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 9(8): 2772–2787
[28]	L. E. Greene, M.C. Freeman, D. Akoko, S. Saboori, C. Moe and R. Rheingans, 2012. Impact of a School-Based Hygiene Promotion and Sanitation Intervention on Pupil Hand Contamination in Western Kenya: A Cluster Randomized Trial. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 87(3): 385–393.
[29]	K. Akyeampong, 2011. Reassessing the impact of school capitation grants on educational access in Ghana. Consortium for Educational Access, Transitions and Equity, Research Monograph, 7: 1
[30]	R. D. Osei, G. A. Owusu, F. E. Asem and R. L. Kotey, 2009. Effects of Capitation Grant on Education Outcomes in Ghana. ISSER, Global Development Network. URL: www.researchgate.net [Accessed on October 28, 2013]
[31]	A. K. Osei-Fosu, 2011. Evaluating The Impact of The Capitation Grant and The School Feeding Programme on Enrollment, attendance and Retention in Schools: The Case of Weweso Circuit. Journal of Science and Technology, 31 (1): 55 - 64
[32]	E. Ampratwum and D. Armah-attoh, 2010. Tracking Capitation Grant in Public Primary Schools in Ghana. Ghana Center for Democratic Development. Briefing Paper, 10 (1): 1-8
[33]	Ghana Together 2012. Health and Sanitation Projects. URL: http://ghanatogether.org/HTML/Projects/Sanitation.html [Accessed on October 30, 2013]
[34]	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007. Hand-Washing Recommendations to Reduce Disease Transmission From Animals in Public Settings. URL: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5605a4.htm [Accessed on November 4, 2013]
[35]	P. Mathur, 2011. Hand Hygiene: Back to the Basics of Infection Control. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 134(5): 611–620.
[36]	B. Scott, D.W. Lawson and V. Curtis, 2007. Hard to handle: Understanding mother's handwashing behaviour in Ghana. Health Policy Planning, 22: 216-224.
[37]	V. Tay, 2005. The Child Health Millennium Development Goal: What Water, Sanitation and Hygiene can do in Ghana WELL Country Note 3.2. WEDC, UK.
[38]	A. Biran, 2011. Enabling Technologies for Handwashing with Soap: A Case Study on the Tippy-Tap in Uganda. Global Scaling Up Handwashing Project. WorldBank's Water and Sanitation Program. Working Paper URL: http://wsp.org/ [Accessed on November 5, 2013]
[39]	M. Snel, 2004. The Worth of School Sanitation and Hygiene Education: Case studies. IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, Delft. The Netherlands.
[40]	UNICEF, 2012. School Water Sanitation and Hygiene Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Survey. United Nations Children’s Fund Office, Palestine.
[41]	B. Marjadi, and M. L. McLaws, 2010. Hand hygiene in rural Indonesian healthcare workers: barriers beyond sinks, hand rubs and in-service training. The Journal of Hospital Infection. 76(3):256-260
[42]	J. Greenwell, J. McCool, J. Kool and M. Salusalu, 2013. Typhoid fever: hurdles to adequate hand washing for disease prevention among the population of a peri-urban informal settlement in Fiji. Western Pacific Surveillance and Response Journal. 4(1):41-45
[43]	A. Akyol, H. Ulusoy, and I. Ozen, 2006. Handwashing: a simple, economical and effective method for preventing nosocomial infections in intensive care units. The Journal of Hospital Infection. 62(4): 395-405
[44]	A. Marieke and K. Tyhra 2013. Sustainability Index of WASH Activities & Partnership Evaluation: Sustainability Index Country Report for Ghana. Rotary International, USAID. URL: http://www.washplus.org/sites/default/files/ghana_sustainability.pdf [Accessed on November 18, 2013]
[45]	UNICEF, 2013. Case study: Public-private partnership to promote handwashing in Ghana. URL: http://www.unicef.org/wcaro/overview_2765.html [Accessed on November 11, 2013]
[46]	CWSA 2013. Handwashing education. URL: http://www.cwsagh.org/ [Accessed on November 1, 2013]

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Isaac Monney, Oparebea Sussana Martinson, Abugbilla Matthew Asampana, Marfo Albert. (2013). Assessing Hand Hygiene Practices in Schools Benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme. Science Journal of Public Health, 2(1), 7-14. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Isaac Monney; Oparebea Sussana Martinson; Abugbilla Matthew Asampana; Marfo Albert. Assessing Hand Hygiene Practices in Schools Benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme. Sci. J. Public Health 2013, 2(1), 7-14. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Isaac Monney, Oparebea Sussana Martinson, Abugbilla Matthew Asampana, Marfo Albert. Assessing Hand Hygiene Practices in Schools Benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme. Sci J Public Health. 2013;2(1):7-14. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12,
  author = {Isaac Monney and Oparebea Sussana Martinson and Abugbilla Matthew Asampana and Marfo Albert},
  title = {Assessing Hand Hygiene Practices in Schools Benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme},
  journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
  volume = {2},
  number = {1},
  pages = {7-14},
  doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20140201.12},
  abstract = {School Feeding Programmes have been shown to impact positively on nutritional status and cognition of school children as well as hunger and poverty alleviation. There is however, dearth of information regarding hand hygiene in schools benefiting from these programmes. This study assesses hand hygiene practices, barriers and compliance to proper hand hygiene in schools benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through the administration of structured questionnaires and extensive field observation respectively. Fifty three (53) GSFP beneficiary schools were selected from four different locations in Ghana; Winneba (6), Mpraeso (10), Mampong-Ashanti (17) and Bolgatanga (20). Findings from the study indicate availability of hand washing facilities (HWFs) in most schools (79%; n = 53); high pupil-to-HWF ratio resulting in poor hand washing practices (Range: 15-372; average: 105); availability of soap for handwashing (83%; n = 42) but extensive use of shared containers (53%; n = 42); delays in acquisition of HWFs, fragmented private sector efforts in hand hygiene promotion and non-compliance with conventional hand washing practices. The study observes that the incorporation of schools into the GSFP without concurrently instituting a comprehensive hand washing programme is rather a retrogressive step considering the possible health repercussions on pupils. To avert this, it is proposed that hand washing with soap should be a mandatory practice in schools benefiting from the GSFP. This requires institution of a sustainable, impact-driven school hand hygiene programme involving both public and private sector agencies to be instituted along with the GSFP.},
 year = {2013}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Assessing Hand Hygiene Practices in Schools Benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme
AU  - Isaac Monney
AU  - Oparebea Sussana Martinson
AU  - Abugbilla Matthew Asampana
AU  - Marfo Albert
Y1  - 2013/12/20
PY  - 2013
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12
T2  - Science Journal of Public Health
JF  - Science Journal of Public Health
JO  - Science Journal of Public Health
SP  - 7
EP  - 14
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7950
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12
AB  - School Feeding Programmes have been shown to impact positively on nutritional status and cognition of school children as well as hunger and poverty alleviation. There is however, dearth of information regarding hand hygiene in schools benefiting from these programmes. This study assesses hand hygiene practices, barriers and compliance to proper hand hygiene in schools benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through the administration of structured questionnaires and extensive field observation respectively. Fifty three (53) GSFP beneficiary schools were selected from four different locations in Ghana; Winneba (6), Mpraeso (10), Mampong-Ashanti (17) and Bolgatanga (20). Findings from the study indicate availability of hand washing facilities (HWFs) in most schools (79%; n = 53); high pupil-to-HWF ratio resulting in poor hand washing practices (Range: 15-372; average: 105); availability of soap for handwashing (83%; n = 42) but extensive use of shared containers (53%; n = 42); delays in acquisition of HWFs, fragmented private sector efforts in hand hygiene promotion and non-compliance with conventional hand washing practices. The study observes that the incorporation of schools into the GSFP without concurrently instituting a comprehensive hand washing programme is rather a retrogressive step considering the possible health repercussions on pupils. To avert this, it is proposed that hand washing with soap should be a mandatory practice in schools benefiting from the GSFP. This requires institution of a sustainable, impact-driven school hand hygiene programme involving both public and private sector agencies to be instituted along with the GSFP.
VL  - 2
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Isaac Monney

Department of Environmental Health and Sanitation Education, University of Education, Winneba, Mampong Ashanti, Ghana
Oparebea Sussana Martinson

Department of Environmental Health and Sanitation Education, University of Education, Winneba, Mampong Ashanti, Ghana
Abugbilla Matthew Asampana

Department of Environmental Health and Sanitation Education, University of Education, Winneba, Mampong Ashanti, Ghana
Marfo Albert

Department of Science Education, University of Education, Winneba, P.O. Box M40, Mampong Ashanti, Ghana

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Isaac Monney, Oparebea Sussana Martinson, Abugbilla Matthew Asampana, Marfo Albert. (2013). Assessing Hand Hygiene Practices in Schools Benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme. Science Journal of Public Health, 2(1), 7-14. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Isaac Monney; Oparebea Sussana Martinson; Abugbilla Matthew Asampana; Marfo Albert. Assessing Hand Hygiene Practices in Schools Benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme. Sci. J. Public Health 2013, 2(1), 7-14. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Isaac Monney, Oparebea Sussana Martinson, Abugbilla Matthew Asampana, Marfo Albert. Assessing Hand Hygiene Practices in Schools Benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme. Sci J Public Health. 2013;2(1):7-14. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12,
  author = {Isaac Monney and Oparebea Sussana Martinson and Abugbilla Matthew Asampana and Marfo Albert},
  title = {Assessing Hand Hygiene Practices in Schools Benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme},
  journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
  volume = {2},
  number = {1},
  pages = {7-14},
  doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20140201.12},
  abstract = {School Feeding Programmes have been shown to impact positively on nutritional status and cognition of school children as well as hunger and poverty alleviation. There is however, dearth of information regarding hand hygiene in schools benefiting from these programmes. This study assesses hand hygiene practices, barriers and compliance to proper hand hygiene in schools benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through the administration of structured questionnaires and extensive field observation respectively. Fifty three (53) GSFP beneficiary schools were selected from four different locations in Ghana; Winneba (6), Mpraeso (10), Mampong-Ashanti (17) and Bolgatanga (20). Findings from the study indicate availability of hand washing facilities (HWFs) in most schools (79%; n = 53); high pupil-to-HWF ratio resulting in poor hand washing practices (Range: 15-372; average: 105); availability of soap for handwashing (83%; n = 42) but extensive use of shared containers (53%; n = 42); delays in acquisition of HWFs, fragmented private sector efforts in hand hygiene promotion and non-compliance with conventional hand washing practices. The study observes that the incorporation of schools into the GSFP without concurrently instituting a comprehensive hand washing programme is rather a retrogressive step considering the possible health repercussions on pupils. To avert this, it is proposed that hand washing with soap should be a mandatory practice in schools benefiting from the GSFP. This requires institution of a sustainable, impact-driven school hand hygiene programme involving both public and private sector agencies to be instituted along with the GSFP.},
 year = {2013}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Assessing Hand Hygiene Practices in Schools Benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme
AU  - Isaac Monney
AU  - Oparebea Sussana Martinson
AU  - Abugbilla Matthew Asampana
AU  - Marfo Albert
Y1  - 2013/12/20
PY  - 2013
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12
T2  - Science Journal of Public Health
JF  - Science Journal of Public Health
JO  - Science Journal of Public Health
SP  - 7
EP  - 14
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7950
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20140201.12
AB  - School Feeding Programmes have been shown to impact positively on nutritional status and cognition of school children as well as hunger and poverty alleviation. There is however, dearth of information regarding hand hygiene in schools benefiting from these programmes. This study assesses hand hygiene practices, barriers and compliance to proper hand hygiene in schools benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through the administration of structured questionnaires and extensive field observation respectively. Fifty three (53) GSFP beneficiary schools were selected from four different locations in Ghana; Winneba (6), Mpraeso (10), Mampong-Ashanti (17) and Bolgatanga (20). Findings from the study indicate availability of hand washing facilities (HWFs) in most schools (79%; n = 53); high pupil-to-HWF ratio resulting in poor hand washing practices (Range: 15-372; average: 105); availability of soap for handwashing (83%; n = 42) but extensive use of shared containers (53%; n = 42); delays in acquisition of HWFs, fragmented private sector efforts in hand hygiene promotion and non-compliance with conventional hand washing practices. The study observes that the incorporation of schools into the GSFP without concurrently instituting a comprehensive hand washing programme is rather a retrogressive step considering the possible health repercussions on pupils. To avert this, it is proposed that hand washing with soap should be a mandatory practice in schools benefiting from the GSFP. This requires institution of a sustainable, impact-driven school hand hygiene programme involving both public and private sector agencies to be instituted along with the GSFP.
VL  - 2
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download