Table 3.
Perception of study participants about handwashing practices and their benefits in the intervention (n=220) and control (n=220) arms in rural Northwest Ethiopia, May 2021
| Variables | Intervention, n (%) |
Control, n (%) |
| Do you believe that human faeces contains disease-causing pathogens? | ||
| Yes | 197 (89.5) | 196 (89.1) |
| No | 17 (7.7) | 15 (6.8) |
| Don’t know | 6 (2.7) | 9 (4.1) |
| Do you believe that animal excreta contains disease-causing pathogens? | ||
| Yes | 144 (65.5) | 148 (67.3) |
| No | 63 (28.6) | 56 (25.5) |
| Don’t know | 13 (5.9) | 16 (7.3) |
| Do you believe that germs are present on dirty hands only? | ||
| Yes | 93 (42.3) | 96 (43.6) |
| No | 111 (50.5) | 116 (52.7) |
| Don’t know | 16 (7.3) | 8 (3.6) |
| I don’t think I have to always wash hands after visiting the toilet. | ||
| Yes | 60 (27.3) | 53 (24.1) |
| No | 60 (27.3) | 53 (24.1) |
| Do you perceive that washing hands with water alone can remove germs? | ||
| Yes | 94 (42.7) | 93 (42.3) |
| No | 111 (50.5) | 118 (53.6) |
| Don’t know | 15 (6.8) | 9 (4.1) |
| Do you perceive that washing hands with ash can remove germs like that of soap? | ||
| Yes | 141 (64.1) | 138 (62.7) |
| No | 59 (26.8) | 60 (27.3) |
| Don’t know | 20 (9.1) | 22 (10.0) |
| We only need to wash hands with soap when hands are heavily dirty. | ||
| Yes | 81 (36.8) | 79 (35.9) |
| No | 139 (63.2) | 141 (64.1) |
| Germs are acquired when we touch doors, chairs, tables, animals and other things. | ||
| Yes | 183 (83.2) | 181 (82.3) |
| No | 30 (13.6) | 28 (12.7) |
| Don’t know | 7 (3.2) | 11 (5.0) |
| Unwashed hands transmit infections. | ||
| Yes | 208 (94.5) | 205 (93.2) |
| No | 12 (5.5) | 15 (6.8) |