Global Journal of Health Science; Vol. 9, No. 12; 2017 ISSN 1916-9736 E-ISSN 1916-9744 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 47 Doktor Muda Competencies: Self-efficacy and Hand Washing Demonstration Skill among School Children in Malaysia Nor Asiah Muhamad 1 , Pises Busu 2 , Wee Lei Hum 3 , Normi Mustapha 4 , Suriyani Ali 5 , Shahnaz Murad 6 , Noor Aliza Lodz 1 & Suraiya Syed Mohamed 2 1 Institute for Public Health, Malaysia 2 Institute for Health Behavioural Research, Malaysia 3 Faculty of Allied Health, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 4 Faculty of Science and Technology, Open University Malaysia 5 State Health Department, Terengganu, Malaysia 6 Office of Deputy Director General of Health (Research and Technical Support), Ministry of Health Malaysia Correspondence: Nor Asiah Muhamad, Institute for Public Health, Jalan Bangsar, Kuala Kumpur 50590, Malaysia. E-mail: norasiahdr@gmail.com Received: August 9, 2017 Accepted: September 5, 2017 Online Published: October 17, 2017 doi:10.5539/gjhs.v9n12p47 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v9n12p47 Abstract Introduction: “Doktor Muda” (DM) programme was developed by the Ministry of Health (MOH), Malaysia to train a group of pupils as peer educator for change in motivating and assisting their peers to adopt healthy practices especially in hand washing through good knowledge, positive attitude, high self-efficacy and skill to deliver health messages Aim: This study aims to identify the association of socio demographic, knowledge, attitude, and practices with self-efficacy in proper hand washing. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire and observation checklists for hand washing demonstration skills. Result: This study showed that the subjects` knowledge (16.7%), practice (23.8%) and self-efficacy (41.7) in proper hand washing were low. Significant association were found between gender (p=0.004), academic achievements (p=0.038) and practices (p=0.003) with self-efficacy in proper hand washing. Conclusion: Various strategies are needed to strengthen DM role as peer educators and health change agents in school as levels of their knowledge, practice and self-efficacy were low. Keywords: Doktor Muda, competencies, self-efficacy, hand washing, hygiene, peer educator 1. Introduction School children are constantly expose to infectious diseases both at school, home and in the wider social environment (Yu et al., 2011). Children are most susceptible to bacterial and viral infections (Lopez-Quintero, Freeman, & Neumark, 2009). Thus, primary school children are the targeted group for information dissemination and are being exposed to steps of proper hand washing (Scott, Curtis, Rabie, & Aidoo, 2007; Sansam et al., 2016; Storr et al., 2017). Hygiene education at schools (Aiello & Larson, 2002) and health promotion strategy (Strunz, 2013) proved to be the cheapest, most effective and common method of dealing with this issue (Lopez-Quintero, Freeman, & Neumark, 2009). In order to nurture a healthy, intelligent and active pupil; efforts are needed to empower them so that they can be responsible for their own health. Therefore, hygiene promotion is the main focus of the policymakers to reduce the occurrence of infectious disease (Curtis, S. Cairncross, & R. Yondi, 2000; Te et al., 2013). 1.1 Health Agent Programme MOH, Malaysia has developed a school-based health agent programme since 1989 called “Doktor Muda” which literally translated as Young Doctor. This programme is used to foster healthy lifestyle among primary school children aged between 10 to 12 years old. DM programme involves year 4, 5 and 6 pupils that were selected by the