81 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +90(434) 222 00 83-8317; fax: +90(434) 222 91 47 E-mail address: cihan_nen@yahoo.com BITLIS EREN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 8(2) (2018) 81–84 Available online at www.dergipark.gov.tr/beuscitech/ Journal of Science and Technology E-ISSN 2146-7706 Using theatre performance to raise the awareness of middle-school students toward hand-hygiene Cihan Önen a,* , Yüksel Koç b a Bitlis Eren University, Department of Nursing, TR-13000, Bitlis Turkey b Doğupark Surgical Medical Center, Department of Nursing, TR-04000, Bitlis Turkey A R T I C L E I N F O Article history: Received 24 December 2017 Received in revised form 11 September 2018 Accepted 25 October 2018 Keywords: Education Theater Hand Hygiene Awareness Middle-School Students A B S T R A C T Present study has been conducted to investigate the effects of raising the awareness of middle-school students toward hand hygiene via using theater performances. The population of this intervention study consists of 5th and 6th graders studying at the Middle-school. Prior to using the theater performance, 15.7% of students practiced proper hand-washing technique while after the theater, the ratios escalated to 33.8%. After the intervention, there was a statistically significant increase in the ratio of respondents having emphasized the need to wash hands as shown by the demonstrated technique(p<0.05). It was demonstrated that upon performing drama, entertainment and didactic scenarios integrated theater activities among middle-school students, there was a heightened level of hand-hygiene awareness toward a manifold of issues in the short term. In addition, it was detected that by teaching the proper technique students achieved to double increase their knowledge on hand hygiene. © 2018. Turkish Journal Park Academic. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction In developing countries problems relevant of hygiene, sanitation and water scarcity have triggered a bulky load of diseases. Schools are the places in which some of the vital hygiene skills are instilled to the pupils. To the end of improving school hygiene it is imperative to concomitantly execute hygiene education and services for a hygienic environment. Schools also are challenged with such matters that bolster the frequency of diseases. In any hygienic school environment, once the kids are supplied with sufficient care and protection to ensure a long-lasting health, then can it mitigate the disease load thereby inoculating lifelong lasting positive hygiene practices (Adams, Bartram, Chartier, & Simms, 2009). Hand hygiene is one of the major practices that is advantageous in protecting children against contagious diseases. Provided that hand hygiene is practiced sufficiently and in line with the standards, it can then further increase the protective shield against infections (AAP, & APHA, 2011). Insufficient hygiene is among the most ubiquitous health problems witnessed among school-age children. A number of infections inducted by lack of hand hygiene could potentially affect students' listening and comprehension skills (The World Bank, 2011). However these infections are not solely driven from insufficient hygiene conditions. Adverse hygiene conditions such as inadequate sanitation and scarcity of water resources also increase the risk for contagious diseases and deteriorate physical and cognitive development of the kids (Adams, Bartram, Chartier, & Simms, 2009). A vast majority of such diseases that can adversely affect education are both preventable and curable. By improving hygiene conditions, triggering a behavioral change, through vaccination and medication the kids may gain advantages in