Practice of Effective Hand Washing and Associated Factors among Caregivers of Infants Attending Infant Welfare Clinics in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Introduction: Effective hand washing has been shown to reduce the incidence of some infectious diseases especially diarrhea and respiratory diseases among infants and under five children. The aim of this study was to assess the practice of effective hand washing and associated factors among caregivers of infants in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria.

Methodology: The study was carried out between October and November, 2016 among caregivers of infants attending selected health facilities in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti-State, Nigeria. It employed a descriptive cross sectional method of survey. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 422 caregivers of infants. Pre-tested semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire and an observational checklist were used for collecting data from the recruited participants. SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis. The level of significance was set at P< 0.05.

Results: A total of 387 caregivers participated in the study. About 89.9% of the respondents had good knowledge of hand washing, while 7.5% and 2.6% of the respondents had fair and poor knowledge respectively. Similarly, about 77.3% of the respondents had positive attitude towards the practice of effective hand washing. However, less than one third (31.5%) of the respondents were observed to be practicing effective hand washing. The study also revealed that knowledge and attitude of respondents towards hand washing were significantly associated with the practice of effective hand washing among the caregivers.

Conclusion: The study revealed that the knowledge of hand washing was generally high among the caregiver while the observed practice of effective hand washing was generally low. It also revealed a gap between self-reported practice and observed practice of hand washing. Knowledge and attitude of caregivers towards hand washing were identified as significant factors associated with the practice of effective hand washing while behavioural change communication was recommended for caregivers.