Education on Hand Washing with Soap: A Strategy to Raise Awareness of the Increase in Covid-19 Cases in South Sulawesi

Abstract

Health education in elementary schools is an important strategy in instilling clean and healthy living behaviors (PHBS) from an early age. Handwashing with soap is one of the most effective PHBS practices in preventing infectious diseases, including COVID-19. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of handwashing education in improving the knowledge of students participating in the “Little Doctor” (Dokcil) extracurricular program at SDI Banta-Bantaeng I Makassar. This study used a one-group Pretest-Posttest experimental design. The intervention was conducted through interactive lectures and simple practices using a microscope. A total of 28 students participated in the Pretest, received education, and were then re-evaluated with a Posttest. Data analysis was performed using a paired t-test. The average Pretest score was 67.50 and increased to 78.57 on the Posttest. The t-test showed a significant difference between the two scores (p=0.0001), indicating an improvement in students' understanding after the education was provided. Education based on interactive lectures and simple practices was proven effective in improving elementary school students' understanding of the importance of handwashing. It is recommended that similar education be implemented continuously and involve more students to strengthen PHBS behavior in the school environment