Table 2.

Knowledge of prison inmates about personal hygiene in Gondar City Prison, northwest Ethiopia, 2019 (N = 403)

Characteristics		Number	Percent
Heard about WASH practice	Yes	278	69
	No	125	31
Source of information	TV and radio	89	22.2
	Health care workers	156	38.7
	Prison administration	120	29.7
	Colleagues/friends	38	9.4
Provision of health and hygiene education in the prison	Yes	299	74.2
	No	104	25.8
Personnel provide health education regarding personal hygiene activities	Educational staff (teacher)	56	13.8
	Health extension workers	114	28.2
	Health care professionals	203	50.6
	Prison-trained staff	30	7.4
How frequently is health education regarding personal hygiene activities conducted?	Every day	32	8
	Once or twice per week	42	10.4
	Once or twice per month	157	38.9
	Once or twice per a quarter	98	24.3
	Once per year	46	11.4
	Do not know	28	7
What is the importance of boiling water?	Kills germs	293	72.7
	Makes water safe to drink	168	41.6
	Reduces the chances of getting diarrhea	346	85.8
	Gives water a better taste	189	46.8
Why human feces should be disposed of in a proper way (latrine) rather than be left in the open field	Contain pathogenic microorganisms	211	52.3
	Avoid contaminating water sources, air, and soils	304	75.4
	Have smell	399	99
	Fly breeding	204	50.6
	Act as a means of disease transmission	198	49
What are the critical times to wash your hands?	Before, during, and after preparing food	398	98.7
	Before and after a meal	303	75
	Before and after caring for someone at the prison who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea	385	95.5
	Before and after treating a cut or wound	267	66
	After using the toilet	299	74
	After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing	347	86
	After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal wastes	244	60.5
	After touching waste	367	91
Why is it important to wash your hands using water and soap?	Reduces the chances of getting diarrhea	378	93.7
	Reduces the chances of getting other diseases/infections	201	49.8
	Keeps hands clean	381	94.5
	Reduces communicable disease (fecal–oral)	367	91
	Religious beliefs	379	94
How can you protect yourself against diarrhea?	Eat properly washed fruits and vegetables	356	88
	Eat noncontaminated and unspoiled food	303	75
	Use clean toilet	351	87
	Drink clean/boiled water	374	92.8
	Use clean water	389	96.5
	Wash hands at critical times	379	94
Overall knowledge status	Good	205	50.8
	Poor	156	49.2

WASH = water, sanitation, and hygiene.