CARING FOR FAMILIES THROUGH CREATING AWARNESS OF PERSONAL HYGIENE

This knowledge, attitude & practice (KAP) survey was conducted from October 2000 to January 2001 in Rehri Goth to assess the awareness of personal hygiene. A questionnaire was administered by 8 students in 36 families for data collection. Results indicated that 91% (n=33) knew about the personal hygiene but the 8% (n=3) was unaware of importance of personal hygiene. No one in the sample was practicing personal hygiene. Interventions were developed based on these results. First certain strategies such as puppet show & songs were created & used in the teaching sessions that were conducted for families, school children, & street children. Second 4 community health volunteers (CHVs) were selected & educated about importance of personal hygiene. Third two CHVs under the researcher supervision conducted the same session for 15 families in the community. It was expected that the researcher would educate 50% of the original sample but surprisingly 72% families attend the sessions. Finally, community health workers & CHVs that were trained took the responsibility to monitor the personal hygiene project when the researchers left the community.