Table 5.

Effects of washing hands with water and wood ash on microbial contamination of hands in East Dembiya District, Northwest Ethiopia, May 2021

Variables	Unadjusted β (95% CI)	Adjusted β (95% CI)
Treatment group
Control	Reference	Reference
Intervention	−1.65 (−1.84 to −1.46)	−1.65 (−1.84 to −1.46)*
Escherichia coli found in water used to wash hands
Yes	0.73 (0.28 to 1.18)	0.51 (0.30 to 0.72)*
No	Reference	Reference
Activities mothers and caregivers performed before washing hands
Visiting the toilet	−0.08 (−0.24 to 0.08)	−0.01 (−0.22 to 0.20)
Cleaning the house/yard	−0.06 (−0.19 to 0.08)	−0.03 (−0.23 to 0.16)
Cleaning animal barns	Reference	Reference
Mothers and caregivers kept their fingernails short
No	Reference	Reference
Yes	−0.35 (−0.54 to −0.17)	−0.09 (−0.16 to −0.02)†
Household practised open defecation
Yes	Reference	Reference
No	−0.51 (−0.76 to −0.25)	−0.33 (−0.45 to −0.21)*
Animal excreta in the living environment
Yes	Reference	Reference
No	−0.41(−0.61 to −0.21)	−0.16 (−0.25 to −0.07)*

*Statistically significant variables at p<0.001.

†Statistically significant variable at p<0.01.