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VOL. 2, ISSUE 3 (2026)
Hand hygiene compliance and its association with communicable disease-related health outcomes among students of selected colleges of health sciences and technology in Nigeria
Authors
Onodugo Ifeanyi Chris, Dr. Igatta Thomas Ogbonna
Abstract
Hand hygiene is a
fundamental infection-prevention practice, yet knowledge does not always
translate into consistent behaviour among students in health-related training.
This analytical cross-sectional study assessed hand hygiene knowledge and
practices, estimated the prevalence of self-reported hygiene-related illness,
and examined the association between hand hygiene compliance and physical health
among 266 students of selected Colleges of Health Sciences and Technology in
Rivers, Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Oyo and the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.
Data covered sociodemographic characteristics, hand hygiene knowledge, daily
handwashing frequency, soap and sanitizer use, water adequacy, illness
episodes, gastrointestinal, respiratory and skin symptoms, illness-related
absenteeism, self-rated health and a composite hygiene score. Descriptive
statistics, chi-square tests, Spearman rank correlations and Kruskal-Wallis
tests were used at a 5% significance level. Poor, moderate and good hand
hygiene knowledge were reported by 88 (33.1%), 89 (33.5%) and 89 (33.5%)
respondents, respectively; the corresponding low, moderate and high compliance
categories were 88 (33.1%), 89 (33.5%) and 89 (33.5%). Mean handwashing
frequency was approximately 5.17 ± 2.35 times daily. Of the 266 respondents,
199 (74.8%) reported at least one illness episode during the preceding three
months, while 198 (74.4%) reported at least one illness-related absence day
during the previous semester. Gastrointestinal, respiratory and skin symptoms
were reported by 49.6%, 41.7% and 16.9%, respectively. Mean illness episodes
declined from 4.77 among low-compliance students to 2.01 among moderate-compliance
students and 0.25 among high-compliance students (Kruskal-Wallis H=235.79,
p<0.001). Compliance correlated positively with health status (Spearman
ρ=0.962, p<0.001) and negatively with illness episodes (ρ=-0.943,
p<0.001). Significant associations were observed between compliance and
health status (χ²=460.32, df=6, p<0.001), gastrointestinal symptoms
(χ²=177.01, df=2, p<0.001), respiratory symptoms (χ²=195.86, df=2,
p<0.001) and skin infection (χ²=109.56, df=2, p<0.001). Higher hand
hygiene compliance was therefore strongly associated with more favourable
self-reported health outcomes. Because the study was cross-sectional and
outcomes were self-reported, the findings establish association rather than
causation and the exceptionally strong relationships should be verified against
original field records before publication.
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Pages:71-78
How to cite this article:
Onodugo Ifeanyi Chris, Dr. Igatta Thomas Ogbonna "Hand hygiene compliance and its association with communicable disease-related health outcomes among students of selected colleges of health sciences and technology in Nigeria". World Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, Vol 2, Issue 3, 2026, Pages 71-78
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