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  • Establishing Healthy Personal Hygiene Habits with Young Children in Australia: A Cross-Sectional Mixed Methods Study

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    Mitchell513083_Accepted.pdf (332.4Kb)
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    Accepted Manuscript (AM)
    Author(s)
    Mitchell, Amy E
    Kulasinghe, Kavindri
    Morawska, Alina
    Griffith University Author(s)
    Mitchell, Amy
    Year published
    2021
    Metadata
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    Abstract
    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 ...
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    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.
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    Journal Title
    Behaviour Change
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.1017/bec.2021.15
    Copyright Statement
    © 2021 The Authors. This is the author-manuscript version of this paper. Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal website for access to the definitive, published version.
    Note
    This publication has been entered in Griffith Research Online as an advanced online version.
    Subject
    Public health
    Psychology
    Publication URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10072/408805
    Collection
    • Journal articles

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