A study of knowledge and practice about personal hygiene among school students

A nation's economic health is a good indicator of its prosperity. Priority should be given to maintaining personal cleanliness to increase job accuracy, reduce illness, and to avoid health complications. Keeping oneself clean is essential as it can stop a lot of infectious diseases. Personal hygiene practices can have emerged in childhood and the growing years. However, particularly the school kids are particularly more likely to neglect basic personal hygiene. This study aims to assess the habits and practices of personal hygiene among sixth- to ninth-grade students at a high school in Bangladesh. 185 school students from Jalalpur High School in Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, were evaluated on their understanding and usage of personal hygiene through interview. The participants were between the ages of eleven and fifteen. This study was conducted for one month in February 2025. The biggest population percentage belonged to the 15-year-old age group. In terms of family income, the largest percentage falls into the income level of up to 30,000 Taka (between lower middle and upper middle income). All students recognize the value of hand washing before eating. 98.4% of the students understand the need to clean their bodies every day. Furthermore, 23.2% do not understand the significance of using soap when taking a bath. All respondents said they washed their bodies every day, and 67.6% used soap when taking a bath. The findings showed a solid foundation for cleanliness habits among the school students involved in this study, establishing a favorable standard for hygiene practice and better instruction in such an important workplace and educational environment.