ABSTRACT
<b>Objectives</b><BR> More than half of those living in developing countries do not have piped water in their homes. Although handwashing is effective for the elimination of microbes from the surface of the palms, thereby preventing the transmission of infectious diseases, the effect of using poor-quality water for handwashing is unclear. This study measured the water quality and the bacteria count on the hands of preschool children in Kathmandu, Nepal.<BR><b>Methods</b><BR> Sixty-two children were asked to follow their normal handwashing technique, and the counts of 3 microbial bacteria—viable bacteria, <i>Escherichia coli</i>, and total coliforms—were measured in the water source and on the children’s palms. Microbial samples from the children’s palms were collected before and after handwashing. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the number of bacteria on the palms before and after handwashing.<BR><b>Results</b><BR> The children washed their hands with a low volume of stored water without soap. Viable bacteria, <i>E. coli</i>, and total coliforms were detected in the water source. The number of viable bacteria and total coliforms on the palms increased after handwashing. In contrast, the numbers of <i>E. coli </i>colonies did not change after handwashing.<BR><b>Conclusion</b><BR> Handwashing with poor quality of water did not have effect on removal of bacteria from hands. In areas with limited water sources, intervention for handwashing requires strategies for not only promoting hygiene behaviors also water storage management.
ABSTRACT
In Thailand, the maternal and child health (MCH) handbook has been used for nearly two decades in one of the MCH activities. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the utilization of the MCH handbook, and to analyze the relation to mother's MCH promoting belief and action. The data was collected from 224 mothers at one district in Kanchanburi province, Thailand, from January to February in 2005. About the utilization of the MCH handbook by mothers, there was a low rate of reading (14.3% mother had read all of the contents) and self-recording (0.9% mother had recorded every part). Multiple regression coefficients showed utilization of the MCH handbook was related to both mother's MCH promoting belief (p=0.001) and action (p=0.039). This was the strongest predictor variable of mother's MCH promoting belief. Other factors which significantly related to MCH promoting belief were family income, age, and education, and relation to action were marital status, occupation and age. According to the findings of this study, for MCH promotion, mothers' belief and action can be inspired through utilizing the MCH handbook and comprehensive assessment.