การปฏิบัติของผู้ดูแลเด็กและเด็กทางด้านสุขภาพอนามัยในการป้องกันการเกิดโรคมือเท้าปากของศูนย์พัฒนาเด็กเล็ก

Abstract

The objective of this descriptive study was to study the knowledge and performance of caretakers, personal hygiene of small children, and the environment at the day care centers in Laplae district, Uttaradit province in prevention of the hand, foot and mouth disease. Data was collected using questionnaires for the caretakers and observation forms for the children and environment at the day care centers. The results showed that of 22 centers, there were 47 caretakers which all of them were female age between 30-39 years old. Most of them have college degrees and received routine medical check up annually. Their average experiences as caretakers were 11 years. In 2013, There were outbreaks of the hand, foot and mouth disease at 10 day care centers in the Laplae district. Results showed that the caretakers had excellent knowledge (85.1%) and performances (94.1) in prevention of the hand, foot and mouth disease. The children at day care centers were well taken care of and had a very good personal hygiene. Most day care centers in the Laplae district passed the criteria for appropriate environment for children (68.2%). However, there were some caretakers that misunderstood in the hand, foot and mouth disease symptoms and showed inappropriate performances for the prevention of the hand, foot and mouth disease. Some of the caretakers did not wash their hand regularly and some allowed children to share drinking cups. There were 31.8 percent of the day care centers that did not pass the assessment criteria for the day care centers by the Department of Disease Control. There was a significant correlation (p-value = 0.02) between behaviors of caretakers in keeping good environmental hygiene and the outbreak of the hand, foot and mouth disease in the day care center. Among 10 day care centers that previously had the disease outbreak in 2013, more than 10 percent that did not meet the assessment criteria of the Department of Disease Control especially in keeping the beddings and toys clean. Therefore, it is important for the involved government agency to promote the awareness and financially support for all the day care centers in Taplae district in order to follow the Department of Disease Control criteria to maintain good hygiene which is crucial in controllingthe hand, foot and mouth disease outbreak.