A PRE-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF A STRUCTURED TEACHING PROGRAM ON HAND HYGIENE KNOWLEDGE AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN IN BARWALA, PANCHKULA (HARYANA)

Background and Aim: According to a UNICEF report, involving children as active participants in promoting hand washing with soap in school fosters a sense of ownership and potential long-term adoption of hygienic practices into adulthood. School children have been consistently implicated in the transmission of communicable diseases, making schools crucial settings for health promotion. The study's main objective is to assess the knowledge of hand hygiene among school children. The study used a pre-experimental approach to evaluate the effectiveness of a Methods: structured teaching program on hand hygiene knowledge. The research included 60 children aged 6 to 12 years from selected primary schools in Barwala, Distt. Panchkula. Implementation of the health educational pac Results: kage led to a significant improvement in hand hygiene knowledge among school children. Over 90 percent of the participants scored within the 'good' category, indicating a positive impact of the intervention. The Discussion and Conclusion: findings support the effectiveness of the structured teaching program in enhancing hand hygiene awareness among school children. Involving children actively in health promotion efforts empowers them and instills responsible habits that may persist into adulthood. Schools play a vital role in promoting hygiene practices to reduce the spread of communicable diseases among children. The study highlights the importance of engaging children in promoting hand hygiene to create a sense of ownership and encourage lifelong health habits.