Last update:
   05-Dec-2022
 

Arch Hellen Med, 39(6),November-December 2022, 767-771

ORIGINAL PAPER

The knowledge and personal hygiene behavior of Islamic boarding school students
on COVID-19 prevention and transmission, and association with transmission of COVID-19

S. Mustika,1 R.S. Wicaksono,2,3 L. Nurhidayat,4 B. Santoso,3 M.S. Niam,5 J.K. Fajar6
1Division of Gastroenterohepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang,
2Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang,
3Department of Internal Medicine, RSUD Bangil, Pasuruan,
4Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Islam Malang, Malang,
5Nahdlatul Ulama Doctor Association,
6Brawijaya Internal Medicine Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia

OBJECTIVES To assess the knowledge and personal hygiene behavior among students in Islamic boarding schools regarding the prevention and transmission of COVID-19, and correlate with the findings of the COVID-19 screening program.

METHOD A cross-sectional study was carried out during January to March 2021 using a validated questionnaire. The knowledge and personal hygiene behavior were interpreted as good, moderate, and poor. The screening of COVID-19 was performed using the antibody rapid test. The association between the screening of COVID-19 and the degree of knowledge and personal hygiene behavior was assessed using multiple logistic regression.

RESULTS Of a total of 294 participants in the study, ranging in age between 12 and 17 years, 202 (68.7%) were males. Of these, 18 tested positive for COVID-19 by rapid test. Overall, 61.2% participants had moderate knowledge regarding COVID-19 prevention, but we failed to show correlation between knowledge and the transmission of COVID-19 among the pupils. Good personal hygiene behavior was recorded in 41.8% participants, but its correlation with the transmission of COVID-19 was not clarified.

CONCLUSIONS The majority of our boarding school student sample had good-moderate knowledge of COVID-19 prevention and adequate personal hygiene behavior. The transmission of COVID-19, however, in our participants was not correlated with their knowledge and personal hygiene behavior.

Key words: COVID-19 transmission, Islamic boarding school students, Knowledge, Personal hygiene behavior.

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