Dr. Elijah Eghong Ivi and Assem, Okorie Evong
Abstract
This study examined hygiene practices and the health of secondary school students in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. In order to achieve the objective of the study, two research questions were raised to guide the study. Relevant literatures in line with the two sub-variables used in the study were reviewed. The design used for the study was survey design, while the area of study was Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State. Population of the study was secondary school students (males and females) in the study area. The sampling technique adopted to select both the secondary schools and the students was stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Sample size was 170 students chosen from the three secondary schools that were selected for the study. Instrument used for data collection was the questionnaire. 170 copies of the questionnaires were printed and administered to the 170 students who were the sample size for the study. The questionnaire was validated by the project supervisor and experts in test and measurement department. Reliability of the instrument was ascertained using test-retest reliability method. Data obtained from the 170 copies of the returned questionnaires administered was presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentage. Findings arrived at were as follows: inadequate personal hygiene practices can cause skin diseases and diarrhea and poor food hygiene practices can cause death and also exposes students to infectious diseases. It was recommended among others that parents should be educated on the effects of poor personal, food and environmental hygiene practices on their children during parent/teacher association meetings. Also, the students should carry out regular environmental sanitation in their school premises to prevent contacting infections and to promote the aesthetic beauty of their schools.