International Journal of Innovative Research in Health Science

Introduction: Hand hygiene is a fundamental practice for preventing the spread of infectious diseases, especially among young school children who are more susceptible to illness due to poor hygiene habits. Establishing proper handwashing practices during the early school years plays a vital role in promoting long-term health and reducing absenteeism due to preventable diseases. Methodology: This study employed a pre-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design to evaluate the effectiveness of a hand hygiene demonstration programme among primary school children in selected schools at Hassan, Karnataka. Sixty children were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured checklist that included socio-demographic details and an assessment of hand hygiene skills. After the baseline assessment, a live demonstration of proper handwashing technique was conducted. The post-test was administered one week later using the same tool. Results: Baseline findings revealed poor hand hygiene skills among all participants. Following the demonstration, every child achieved an adequate level of performance. The mean score increased markedly from 3.87 (SD = 1.24) before the intervention to 27.68 (SD = 0.85) after the intervention, with the difference being statistically highly significant (p < 0.0001). Initial skill levels were significantly associated with maternal education, family type, and area of residence. Conclusion: Demonstration-based teaching proved highly effective in improving hand hygiene skills among primary school children. Regular school-based health education programmes using practical demonstrations can foster lasting healthy behaviors and help prevent common infectious illnesses.