A Descriptive Study to Assess the Level of Knowledge Regarding Environmental Sanitation among Primary School Children at Melvisharam Urban, Ranipet, Tamil Nadu

Archana Velu; A Jaya  Bharathi

Archana Velu Associate Professor, Arcot Sri Mahalakshmi Womens College of Nursing, Ranipet, Tamil Nadu, India
A Jaya Bharathi Assistant Professor, Arcot Sri Mahalakshmi Womens College of Nursing, Ranipet, Tamil Nadu, India

Keywords: Environmental sanitation, puppet show, knowledge, primary school children, health education

Abstract

Background: Environmental sanitation plays a vital role in promoting public health. Teaching children through interactive methods such as puppet shows helps improve awareness and encourages healthy habits.
Objectives:
• To assess the pre-test and post-test level of knowledge regarding environmental sanitation among primary school children.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a puppet show on knowledge regarding environmental sanitation among children.
Methodology: A pre-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design was used among 10 primary school children selected by purposive sampling. A structured questionnaire was administered before and after the puppet show.
Results: In the pre-test, 60% of children had inadequate knowledge, while after the puppet show, 60% had adequate knowledge. The mean knowledge score increased from 6.1 to 10.3. The t-value (7.65, p < 0.001) showed a significant improvement.
Conclusion: The puppet show was an effective, enjoyable, and child-friendly method to improve knowledge on environmental sanitation among primary school children.

References

Government of India. (2022). Swachh Bharat Mission – School Sanitation Guidelines. Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation. https://swachhbharatmission.gov.in
Kumar, R., & Sharma, P. (2021). Effectiveness of structured teaching on environmental sanitation among school children. International Journal of Nursing Education and Research, 9(2), 134–138.
Rani, S., Meenakshi, P., & Joseph, L. (2022). A quasi-experimental study to assess the effectiveness of an educational intervention on hand hygiene and environmental sanitation among rural school children in Tamil Nadu. Journal of Nursing and Health Science, 11(4), 45–51.