FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR HANDWASHING IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN UMUAHIA NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ABIA STATE

ABSTRACT Handwashing constitutes a hygienic ritual involving the cleansing of hands with water and soap or alternative cleansing agents. This practice aims to eliminate dirt, microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, and other contaminants present on the skin's surface. This cross-sectional study involved 388 secondary school students, selected using a multistage sampling technique from three schools in Umuahia North Local Government Area (LGA), Abia State, Nigeria: Christland Mission School, Community Secondary School Isieke, and Williams Memorial Secondary School. The study aimed to evaluate the handwashing practices, barriers, and factors influencing hygiene behaviors among students. The socio-demographic data revealed that the majority of participants were aged 10-17 years, with 185 males (47.68%) and 203 females (52.32%). Handwashing frequency was high, with 57 (14.69%) students from Williams, 68 (17.53%) from Ibeku, and 76 (19.59%) from Christland reporting they always washed their hands. Regarding handwashing duration, 36 (9.28%) students from Williams, 44 (11.34%) from Ibeku, and 35 (9.00%) from Christland recommended washing hands for 10-20 seconds. Most students used clean towels to dry their hands, with 88 (22.69%) from Williams, 95 (24.48%) from Ibeku, and 100 (25.77%) from Christland reporting this practice. However, barriers such as lack of access to clean water (12.36% at Williams, 14.44% at Ibeku, and 11.38% at Christland) and insufficient knowledge of handwashing (16.49% at Williams, 1.29% at Ibeku, and 9.59% at Christland) were prevalent. The study concluded that while frequent handwashing was common, gaps in infrastructure and knowledge need to be addressed.