Scholarlink

Background <p>Hand washing at critical times among mothers of children under five is essential for reducing infectious diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends five key moments for proper hand hygiene. Despite the proven effectiveness of hand washing, the burden of diarrheal disease remains high in the study area. Therefore, this study aimed to assess hand-washing practices at critical times among mothers of young children and to identify the factors influencing these practices.</p> Methods <p>A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May 2025, involving 401 mothers. Data were collected through interviews using a pretested questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with hand hygiene practices at critical times. All statistical tests were conducted at a 5% level of significance. Variables with <i>p</i>-values less than 0.05 were considered to have a significant association.</p> Results <p>The study reveals that 131 (32.6%) of mothers demonstrate good hand hygiene practices at critical times. Factors significantly associated with good hand practices include the ability to read and write (AOR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.32–8.67), availability of hand washing facilities in the home (AOR = 2.7; 95% CI: 1.05–6.88), being government employees (AOR = 4.1; 95% CI: 2.43–11.67), having water sources nearby (AOR = 3.1; 95% CI: 1.87–9.57), and mothers possessing good knowledge about hand hygiene (AOR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.21–7.9).</p> Conclusion <p>The majority of mothers with children under five years old exhibit poor hand hygiene practices at critical times. To improve these practices, it is recommended to enhance maternal literacy, ensure access to water, and encourage households to install hand washing facilities in their backyards.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Determinants of critical-time hand washing practices among mothers of under-five children in West Guji Zone, Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月11日

查看全文
  • Lechisa Asefa,
  • Tibeso Gemechu,
  • Hailu Lemma,
  • Gedeno Karbana,
  • Habtamu Roba

摘要

Background

Hand washing at critical times among mothers of children under five is essential for reducing infectious diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends five key moments for proper hand hygiene. Despite the proven effectiveness of hand washing, the burden of diarrheal disease remains high in the study area. Therefore, this study aimed to assess hand-washing practices at critical times among mothers of young children and to identify the factors influencing these practices.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May 2025, involving 401 mothers. Data were collected through interviews using a pretested questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with hand hygiene practices at critical times. All statistical tests were conducted at a 5% level of significance. Variables with p-values less than 0.05 were considered to have a significant association.

Results

The study reveals that 131 (32.6%) of mothers demonstrate good hand hygiene practices at critical times. Factors significantly associated with good hand practices include the ability to read and write (AOR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.32–8.67), availability of hand washing facilities in the home (AOR = 2.7; 95% CI: 1.05–6.88), being government employees (AOR = 4.1; 95% CI: 2.43–11.67), having water sources nearby (AOR = 3.1; 95% CI: 1.87–9.57), and mothers possessing good knowledge about hand hygiene (AOR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.21–7.9).

Conclusion

The majority of mothers with children under five years old exhibit poor hand hygiene practices at critical times. To improve these practices, it is recommended to enhance maternal literacy, ensure access to water, and encourage households to install hand washing facilities in their backyards.