Relationship of personal hygiene score with sex, nutritional status, morbidity, and academic grades among primary grade school children in a public elementary school in Pila, Laguna [Philippines]

Poor hygiene is one of the indirect causes of undernutrition especially in low-resource settings. Undernutrition has been linked with low academic performance among schoolchildren; however, limited evidence exists on the relationship between personal hygiene and children's academic grades, particularly in local settings. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the association among personal hygiene score (PHS), sex, nutritional status (NS), morbidity profile, and academic grades of schoolchildren. The study randomly selected 85 primary grade school children attending a government elementary school in Pila, Laguna. The PHS of students was assessed using a pre-tested questionnaire; data on socio-demographics, water source, and toilet facilities were obtained from the parents; and anthropometric measurements and academic grades were obtained through secondary sources. Appropriate tools and statistical analyses were applied using 90% level of confidence. Results showed that PHS was significantly associated with sex, with very good PHS observed more frequently among females than males (42.9% vs. 29.6%). Conversely, no significant association was seen between PHS and academic grades, and between academic grades and all three indices of NS. Notably, PHS was significantly associated with some hygiene-related morbidities, particularly cough and cold, head lice, headache, and dental carries. PHS also had a moderate strength of relationship with BMI-for-age index (rs value of 0.510), wherein significantly associated hygiene practices include use of soap in handwashing, use of toothbrush with toothpaste, and handwashing after eating. Despite the lack of strong association between PHS and academic grades, personal hygiene should still be given importance in designing school-based interventions aimed towards improving overall health and learning capabilities of primary grade school children.