Establishing Healthy Personal Hygiene Habits with Young Children in Australia: A Cross-Sectional Mixed Methods Study
Autor: | Amy E. Mitchell, Kavindri Kulasinghe, Alina Morawska |
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Rok vydání: | 2021 |
Předmět: |
medicine.medical_specialty
Behaviour change Public health media_common.quotation_subject Experimental and Cognitive Psychology Resistance (psychoanalysis) 3. Good health 03 medical and health sciences Clinical Psychology 0302 clinical medicine Personal hygiene Hygiene 030225 pediatrics Family medicine Toileting medicine 030212 general & internal medicine Psychology media_common |
Zdroj: | Behaviour Change. 39:37-50 |
ISSN: | 2049-7768 0813-4839 |
Popis: | Effective and consistent engagement in personal hygiene practices is important for preventing the acquisition and transmission of communicable diseases in childhood. This study aimed to investigate trends in adherence to recommended hygiene practices and identify factors contributing to difficulties in establishing good hygiene habits with young children (0–4 years) in Australia. A self-selected community sample of parents (N = 426) completed an online survey assessing children's adherence to recommended hygiene practices and barriers and enablers of establishing good personal hygiene habits. Parents reported interest in receiving information/tips on children's personal hygiene (yes/no) and nominated topics of interest. Less than half of children in any age group consistently (always/almost always) covered coughs and sneezes, washed hands after toileting, or washed hands before meals or when dirty. Children's non-compliance (i.e. resistance, refusal) was the most commonly reported barrier to establishing good personal hygiene habits, while children's compliance (i.e. cooperative behaviour, following or complying with caregivers’ instructions) was the most commonly cited enabler. Despite low levels of adherence, less than half (41.2%) of parents wanted information/tips on children's hygiene. Results suggest a disconnect between parents’ knowledge about recommended hygiene practices and actual behaviour. Development and testing of approaches to behaviour change that incorporate evidence-based strategies to manage children's resistance and support parents to encourage the development of healthy hygiene habits is warranted. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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