Publication:

A comparative study on knowledge, attitude and practices of personal hygiene among urban and rural school students in Mysuru

Background Personal hygiene is a critical component of overall health, especially among school-aged children, who are vulnerable to hygiene-related illnesses. Students often exhibit inconsistent hygiene practices shaped by their knowledge and attitude, posing public health risks in school environment. This study aimed to compare and assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices related to personal hygiene among urban and rural school students in Mysuru.

Methods A school based cross-sectional study was conducted from January to April 2025 (four months) among 400 students, 200 each from urban and rural schools, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire covering socio-demographic characteristics and, knowledge, attitude and practice related to personal hygiene. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel and analysed using SPSS v28, applying descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results Among urban students, 58.5% had good knowledge, 84.5% good attitude, and 79.5% good hygiene practices. In comparison, rural students showed higher levels across all domains: 79.0% had good knowledge, 93.5% good attitude, and 84.5% good practices. The Mann-Whitney U test indicated rural students had significantly higher knowledge (U=15900, Z=–4.417, p<0.001) and attitude scores (U=18200, Z=–2.873, p=0.004). The difference in practice scores, was not statistically significant (U=19000, Z=–1.300, p=0.194).

Conclusions Rural students demonstrated significantly better knowledge and attitude. However, the lack of significant difference in practice scores suggests the need for interventions that emphasize behaviour reinforcement alongside awareness.