School-based hygiene education, protective and psychosocial factors associated with suboptimal oral and hand hygiene among a sample of adolescents in school who are nationally representative in the Philippines in 2019

The study aimed to evaluate school-based hygiene education, protective and psychosocial factors associated with suboptimal (not always) hand hygiene (SHH) and suboptimal (not always) oral hygiene (SOH) among school-aged adolescents in the Philippines. The 2019 national Philippines Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) provided the study’s data. In order to determine the variables associated with SOH, SHH before meals, SHH after toilet use and SHH with soap, the study used bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of SOH was 18.5%, SHH before meals 41.2%, SHH after toilet use 27.9%, and SHH with soap 48.5%. Regression results showed that taught on personal hygiene and taught on healthy eating were protective against SOH, SHH before meals, and SHH after toilet use, and taught on personal hygiene was inversely associated with SHH with soap. Furthermore, high parental and peer support were both negatively associated with SOH, SHH before meals, SHH after toilet use, and SHH with soap. In addition, several psychosocial and sociodemographic factors were found associated with SOH and SHH indicators. The survey showed suboptimal oral and hand hygiene practices. Hygiene education was protective against SOH and SHH after toilet use, SHH before meals, SHH with soap. Further factors associated with SOH and/or SHH included lack of parental and peer support, and several health risk behaviours, which can be targeted in hygiene promotion among adolescents in the Philippines.