Knowledge, attitude, and practice and factors related to hand, foot, and mouth disease prevention among teachers at kindergartens in Luong Son district, Hoa Binh province, in 2013

Abstract

Background: Preventing hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is not only responsibility of children's parents but also of teachers at kindergartens because most of HFMD cases are children under 5 years old and usually found in kindergartens Objectives: To identify knowledge, attitude, and practice and factors related to HFMD prevention among teachers at kindergartens in Luong Son district, Hoa Binh. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted through interviewing 220 teachers by a structured questionaire. Fifteen kindergartens were randomly selected from a total of 24 kindergartens in Luong Son. All teachers at these kindergartens were recruited into the study. The structured questionnaire was formed with the basis of HFMD prevention guidelines of the Ministry of Health. The questionnaire was piloted among 10 teachers who are not teaching at 15 selected kindergartens. Results: Study findings showed a low proportion of teachers having good knowledge of HFMD. Proportions of teachers having good knowledge of HFMD in terms of epidemiology, symptoms, serious signs, disease transmission routes, prevention of disease spread, and other prevention measures are 14,1%; 10%; 0,5%; 31,4%; 5%; 2,3%, respectively. Most of teachers showed their attention to HFMD and supported HFMD prevention in kindergartens (85.9% vs 100%, respectively). Practice of HFMD prevention among teachers is quite good, except washing hand for themselves and washing children's toys. This study also found a relationship between practice of HFMD prevention and age, education level and number of children that teachers are responsible for caring. Thus, it is needed to have health intervention programs for improving knowledge and practice of HFMD prevention among teachers at kindergartens.