C F E T Rapid Needs Assessment Report

STUDY ON PERSONAL HEALTH & HYGIENE AND LIFE SKILLS PRACTICES AMONG GOVERNMENT MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, SADRAS, KANCHEEPURAM DISTRICT

Introduction:

Recently, the Prime Minister of India has reminded the people of India about a dream that father of our India thought of few decades ago. The mission “Clean India” not only going to drive the citizens to keep the nation clean, but, it will also helps the populace to have a disease free as well as stress free life. To complement the vision, the CFET a trust managed by 93 batch alumni of Chengalpet medical College, in collaboration with Chengalpet Medical College planed to implement a short term project on Personal Health and Hygiene for Sadurangapattinam Government Middle School of Kancheepuram District. To design a curriculum of the program, the CFET has conducted a rapid needs assessment (RNA) among the school students. The findings would help the team to plan a curriculum in a way that best fits to the need of students studying in the school.

Methodology of RNA

→ Universe: A total of 471 students are studying in the proposed school. Of 471 students, 172 (Boys-76 & Girls 96) students were studying in class VI, VII and VIII. Rest 299 (Boys-138 & Girls 161) students were studying in class first to class fifth.

→ Sample Size: As there were specific sub-groups to investigate, with the aid of Stratified Random and Simple Random sampling techniques the study team has arrived at the sample size of 26 for middle class and 6 for primary class respectively. Thus the total sample size of RNA was 32.

→ Data Collection Tool: The CFET team has used the Questionnaire as a tool for data collection as it is an effective way of quantifying data from a sample group and testing preferences.

Key Findings of RNA

1) Students Family Background:

→ Of 32 students, about 56 percent of students (11 boys & 7 Girls) are living in nuclear family and rest 44 percent of students (4 Boys & 10 Girls) are living in the joint family structure.

VIII VII VI V IV III0123456

43

5

1 1 1

3

65

1 1 1

Chart 1: Respondents Details

Boys Girls

Boys Girls02468

1012

4

1011

7

Chart 2: Family Structure of Student's

Joint Family Nuclear Family

→ About 72 percent of students parent both father and mother are working, 19 percent of the students father alone a breadwinner of the family, 6 percent students parent both father and mother do not have any job and 3 percent of the students mother alone a breadwinner of the family.

→ About 81 percent of the students are living in own house, whereas 19 percent of the students are living in rented house.

→ About 22 percent of the students do not have toilet facility in their house; they use the remote but bushy area for nature call.

Boys Girls02468

101214 12

14

3 3

Chart 4: Students Living in

Own House Rented

0

5

10

15 13

1 0 1

10

5

1 1

Chart 3: Parent's Occupation

Boys Girls

Boys Girls02468

101214 11

14

4 3

Chart 5: Toilet Facility in Home

Have Toilet Not Having Toilet

Semi Orphan: A boy student studying in class VI living with his mother.

Family Dispute: A girl studying in class VI living with her mother as her father abandoned the family.

Care Given by Mother: A boy student studying in class VI living with mother as his father making money in foreign country.

Care Given by Grandparent: A girl student studying in class III have been nurtured by grandparents as her parents are working in Chennai.

2) Cleanliness or Hygiene Practices of Students

→ The RNA found that about 13 percent of boys do not cut their nails on regular basis.

→ It was found that about 6 percent of boys do not wash hands after urinal or using toilet.

→ About 9 percent of the students do not take bath daily, of which 3 percent were girl student; as there was water problem some student take bath on alternate days, where as few students responded that they do not take bath on holidays.

→ About 3 percent of student does not use the washed cloths daily due to family circumstances.

→ Of 17 girl students, about 12 percent of them stated that they do not wash private parts after urination or using toilet, whereas 88 percent of the girl students stated that they do wash private parts after urination or using toilet.

→ Of 15 boy students, about 33 percent of them stated that they don’t wear slipper or footwear regularly, where as all girl students have the practice of wearing slipper or footwear regularly.

→ It was found that all boys and girls those who took part in RNA stated that they

have the practice of washing their hands before taking food.

Regular

ly cut n

ail

Wash han

d after

using t

oilet

Wash Priv

ate part

after

using t

oilet

Bath Dail

y

Regular

ly wea

r clea

n cloth

Regular

ly use

foot wear

048

1216

11 13

0

13 14

54 2

15

2 1

10

17 17 1516

17 17

0 0 2 1 0 0

Chart 6: Personal Health & Hygiene practice of Respondents

Boys Yes Boys No Girls Yes Girls No

Note: All students, both, boys and girls expressed their interest to learn more on personal health and hygiene.

3) Toilet Facility at School

It was found that the detail shared by school authority pertaining to the availability of lavatory was complemented by school students during the RNA.

→ Cent percent of the boy students stated that they have no lavatory facility in the school. They also stated that though there are separate toilet structures for boys and girls, the boys are using the open space for urination as the available structure have been allocated for girls.

→ Cent percent of the girl students stated that the school has only urinal facility for girls. They have stated that the available lavatory structures are not maintained properly.

Of 17 girl students, about 29 percent of them stated that they have not experienced yet when they asked about how do they manage if they disturbed by nature call during school hour. Whereas 24 percent of them stated that they will wait till they go home or they will get permission from teacher to go home to attend the nature call, 24 percent girls stated that they would use the bushy area located behind the school toilet, and 24 percent of them stated that they will wait till they go home.

Of 15 boy students, it was found that about 67 percent of them would go outside or behind the school to attend the nature call, whereas 20 percent of the boys stated that they will get permission and go home as their houses are nearby the school to attend the nature call, and 6 percent of them stated that they will wait till they reach home.

No toilet facility Only urinal facility0

5

10

15

20 15

00

17

Chart 7: School & Toilet facility

Boys Girls

Don't know as not experienced so far

Wait till we go home or get

permission to go home

Ground or wait till we go home

Wait till we go home

Outside or behind school

Not experienced so far

Get permission and go home

0123456789

10

0 0 01

10

1

3

54 4 4

0 0 0

Chart 8: Respondents Toilet Practices at School

Boys Girls

4) Details on Facility Available at School

→ Of 32 students interviewed, 22 percent stated that they have no water facility at school, of which 3 percent were girls.

→ Of 17 girl students interviewed, 94 percent of them stated that they have water facility at school, of which 18 percent stated that they the water facility was not fully available during school hours.

We hav

e no wate

r facili

ty

Regular

ly have

wate

r facili

ty

Have w

ater b

ut not a

ll time

06

12 69

01

13

3

Chart 9: Water Facility at School

Boys Girls

→ Of 15 boys students interviewed, 60 percent of them stated that they have water facility at school, whereas 40 percent of boy students stated that they have no water facility at all at school.

→ Among girl students, about 71 percent have stated that they have water and drainage facility at school, about 18 percent stated that they have water/waste-bin/drainage facility at the school, and about 6 percent stated that they have only water or drainage facility at school.

→ Whereas among boys, about 47 percent of them stated that they have water & waste-bin facility at school, about 33 stated about waste-bin facility and 20 percent stated about the availability of both waste-bin and drainage facility.

5) Puberty –

Knowledge & Practices

Waste-bin Drinage Water Water & Drinage

Waste-bin & Drinage

Water & Waste-bin

Waste-bin, Water & Drinage

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

5

3

7

1 1

12

3

Chart 10: Students Views on Facility Available at School

Boys Girls

→ Of 17 girl students, 18 percent of them have attained puberty between 9 and 14 years of age, of which 12 percent had the knowledge on puberty before first menstruation and rest 6 percent obtained the knowledge only during puberty.

→ All the girls who have attained puberty have had used disposable napkin during their periods, but, they also stated that they never change napkin during school hours as their school lacks in facility. Of 3 girls whom attained puberty, about 33 percent have had faced irregular periods problem. Due to challenges, about 33 percent of girl students sometimes had not attended school due to challenges.

→ Of 14 girl students who have not attained puberty, about 43 percent of them stated that they have the basic knowledge on puberty as they were thought by mother, elder sister, relatives and by television.

→ All girl students who attained puberty expressed their interest to learn more about puberty and menstrual hygiene management, whereas of 14 girl students who have not attained puberty, 79 percent of them expressed their interest to learn things about puberty, and rest 21 percent of girl student stated that they do not wanted to know about puberty; they only wanted to know it during the time of puberty.

Knowledge ab

out Puberty

Puberty St

atus

Using N

apkin

Irregu

lar perio

ds

Change

napkin

in sc

hool

Challenge

s in att

ending sch

ool

To kn

ow more

about p

uberty02468

101214

3 3 31

31

36

1411

Chart 11: Puberty & Practices

Attained Puberty Not attained Puberty

6) Life skills

→ Of 32 students interviewed, about 63 percent of the students have had faced problems in their life, among which, 60 percent were boys and rest 40 percent were girl students. Whereas about 37 percent of the students stated that they have not faced any problem in their life, among which 75 percent were girl students.

Note: Below found table describes the problems faced by students.

Problems Faced By Students Boys GirlsQuarrelling of Parents - 2Not living with Parents - 1Drinking water - 1Illness - 1Suicide of uncle - 1Father drinks - -School friends 1 -Parents beat me, Teacher beat me 1 -Quarrelling with school friends, parents scold me 1 -Family debt problem, elder boy students are fighting 1 -Friends speak bad words, I do not like it 1 -

Problems with friends, Parents give advice, fighting with sister 1 -Father fights with mother after drinking, while studying asking to do household work 2 -

No father, no proper food, worrying and fearing for being alone 1 -

Quarrelling of parents, father have kidney stone problem - 1

Headache, Quarrelling of parents - 1

Health problem, quarrelling between friends, quarrelling of parents. 1 -

Quarrelling of parents, fathers drinking habit, fight with friends 1 -Studies 1 -

Boys Girls0

5

10

15 128

3

9

Chart 12: Students & Their Social Issues

Faced problem in life Not faced problem in life

→ The RNA found that 81 percent of the students have been scolded by parents or elders or teachers, of which 58 percent were girls and rest 42 percent, were boys.

→ Of 32 students interviewed, about 53 percent of the students were been scolded by their parents or elders for not doing the home work, 37 percent of students due to their disobedience and spending more time with friends were scolded by their parents or elders, and 22 percent of them was been scolded for not doing household work. Speaking bad words, playing with boys, doing mistakes, sleeping more time, not studying well etc. was the other contributing factors for parents or elders to scold.

→ Of 32 students interviewed, about 53 percent of the students, both, boys and girls stated that they were able to communicate their thoughts to their parents or elders with ease. Whereas 47 percent of students including both a sex stated that due the reasons like “fear, hesitation, shyness, may mistake me, may not listen, they have no time, may scold me” been as a barrier for students not to communicate their thoughts to their parents or to the elders.

Boys Girls05

1015

1115

4 2

Chart 13: Respondents Scolded by Parents or Elders

Parents or elders scoldParents or elders do not scold

Boys Girls0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9 8

9

1

66 6

7

5

111

22

11

3

11

21

Reasons Why Partents or Elder's Scolded Doing Not Homework

Doing Not Household Work

More Time with Friends

Roaming

Beating Small Children

Disobediance

Sleeping

Not Eating

Doing Mistakes

Playing with Boys

Not Studying

Speaking Bad Words

Unclean

Boys Girls02468

1012

6

119

6

Chart 14: Students Ability to Communicate Thoughts

Able to tell Not able to tell

→ About 56 percent of the students expressed that they have had understood the things said by parents or elders, whereas 44 percent of them which includes both boys and girls stated that they were not able to understand the things said by their parents or elders as they speak in a way that they can’t understand.

→ Of 32 students, 34 percent of them have faced the issue of peer pressure, of those who faced the peer pressure 73 percent were boys and rest 23 percent were girls.

→ Of 11 students who faced the peer pressure, about 18 percent of the boys stated that they were forced to indulge in mischievous acts like “stealing, beating others and listen not to teachers”, and the same percent of boys were pressurized to help during examination. On the other hand 18 percent of girls faced peer pressure but not stated the kind of pressure they faced from their peers. About 9 percent of girl students stated that the friends are pressurizing to buy eatables.

7.

Summarisation of Key Findings:

Boys Girls0

5

10

15

6

129

5

Chart 15: Students Understanding Ability

Able to understand Not able to understand

Boys Girls0

5

10

158

37

14

Chart 16: Peer Pressure

Faced peer pressureNot faced peer pressure

00.5

11.5

22.5

2

1 1 1

2

1 1

2

Chart 17: Type of Peer Pressure

Boys Girls

After the analysis the results were charted and interpreted, the findings and suggestion are presented. The present study was aimed at eliciting the personal health hygiene and life skills related problems of school going children.

The following were the summarisation of key findings of the study;

i. From the chart 4 explains that about 22 percent of the students do not have toilet in their house, hence they use the remote bushy area for nature call.

ii. From the chart 6 describes that 12 percent of the girl students do not wash their private parts after urination or using toilet also 9 percent of students both girls and boys do not take bath due to lack of water availability and on holidays.

iii. 67 percent (Chart 6) of the boy students stated that they do not wear sipper or footwear regularly.

iv. Chart 6 shows that 13 percent of the boys do not cut their nails on regular basis.

v. Chart 6 depicts that majority of the students both boys and girls expressed their interest to learn more on personal health and hygiene.

vi. From the Chart 7 stated that majority of the boy students have no lavatory facility in the school and also depicts that they are using the open space for urination due to does not have separate toilet for boy students.

vii. Chart 7 shows that majority of the students stated that the school has only urinal facility for girls and also the available lavatory structure are not maintained properly.

viii. The study findings suggest that 24 percent of the girls stated that they have experienced disturbances by nature call during school hour and also they using the bushy area behind the school toilet.

ix. The chart 8 explains that 22 percent of the students both boys and girls have no water facility at school premises.

x. The finding about puberty and its practices (Chart 11) shows that all the girls who have attained puberty never change sanitary napkins during school hours due to school lacks in facility.

xi. Cent percent (Chart 11) of the girls who attained puberty expressed their interest to learn more about puberty and menstrual hygiene management and also about 33 percent have had faced irregular periods problem.

xii. Majority of the students both girls and boys (Chart 12) have had faced problems in their life due to scolded by parents or elders or teachers for not doing the home work, spending more time with friends, not doing household work, speaking bad words or ugly words, doing mistakes, sleeping more time and not studying well.

xiii. From the table 14 describes that majority (53%) of the students both boys and girls stated that they were able to communicate their views and thoughts to their parents or elders with ease due to fear, hesitation, shyness, may mistake me, may not listen, they have no time to ask and may scold me.

xiv. The chart 17 explains that 36 percent of the boys stated that they were forced to indulge in mischievous acts like stealing, beating others, listen not to teachers which were pressurized to help friends during examination and ask to beat somebody.

xv. 44 percent of the students elicits that they were not able to understand the things said by their parents or elders as they speak in a way that they cannot understand.

8. Conclusion and Recommendations:

From the above findings of the study, it is evident that the students of Govt. Middle School, Sadurangapattinam have more problems related to personal health and hygiene and life skills. The study is considered below the following recommendations such as;

1. The present study shown that the personal health and hygiene of student’s knowledge level would be encouraged through raise awareness programme among the students about the concepts of environmental health and personal health and hygiene. It would be enabled the students to adopt safe health practices and bear responsibility to promote their health levels and disease control.

2. The study is to highlight that Lavatory facilities, separate for boys and girls, with a hand-washing facility will be repaired and established in the proposed school. A lavatory promotion programme will teach students and the teachers about why and how to use the toilet through participatory involvement. The

construction of this lavatory structure in the school will be used to control the spread of infectious diseases, and promote safe toilet usages among the students. Toilets for girls included a changing room with a vent that would be connected to an incinerator where menstrual waste could be disposed of and destroy hygienically.

3. As the adolescent girls are willing to undergo a hands on training on Menstrual Hygienic Management Practices at school would be considered. Knowledge, attitudes and practices relevant to menstrual hygiene among schoolgirls would increase through hands on training. The above findings of the study it is evident that the girl students who have attained puberty are affected by irregular menstruation period. Therefore it is suggested to conduct medical camp to screening them and to refer them for further medication. This would be enabled the students to follow menstruation management practices, coping mechanisms and problems faced.

4. From the study it is understood that boy students have more personality related problems than the girl students. Thus it is suggested that boy students would be involved in hand on training on life skills education as suggested by World Health Organisation (WHO). It is essential that the students be helped to develop abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life.