School-based, blacklight handwashing program can improve handwashing quality and knowledge among pre-school aged children

The objective of this paper is to present the results from a handwashing program with a special focus on the evaluation methods.A pre-post design was used to evaluate a handwashing program that took place in two pre-schools the northeast of the United States. The program utilized a black light technology to demonstrate to children the importance of good quality. The evaluation consisted of assessing knowledge and quality of handwashing using a linear puzzle and individual handwashing observation, respectively.Students from both schools improved on both knowledge and quality over time (p-values 0.071 and <0.001, respectively). The present study demonstrates that the use of black light technology as an educational tool can help to improve handwashing quality among pre-school aged children, even after only one instructional session.
Source: Evaluation and Program Planning - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research