Author
Adviser
Inability to access clean water and sanitation which results to poor WASH outcomes of a household is linked to undernutrition among children and even though a household have an access with improved facilities, there is still likelihood of a children to be malnourished if knowledge, attitude, practices (KAP) was not properly conducted. Henceforth, the aim of this study was to assess the relationship between knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); and the nutritional status of preschool children in Batangas City, Philippines. Therefore, the study was conducted in Batangas City Philippines where 60 households were randomly selected as respondents of the self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was composed of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the households and KAP on wash which were analyzed through mean and percentage. Assessment of nutritional status were made based on three indicators, BMI-for-age, weight-for-age and height-for-age for age. Meanwhile, analysis made on association was Spearman correlation analysis, rho values close to -1 or +1 represent stronger relationships than values closer to zero. The results showed that 100% of the households had access to improved water facilities, soap and water and 98.3% had improved sanitation facilities. High level of knowledge (97%), positive attitude (57%) and moderate practice (70%) on WASH among households were found. For nutritional status, two (2) out of 60 (3.3%) preschool children were thin, seven (11.7%) were underweight, four (6.7%) were stunted, and four (6.67%) were overweight. Overall, overweight and stunting. The association revealed very weak positive monotonic relationship between knowledge and BMI-for-age (rho = 0.0273), attitude and BMI
for-age (rho = 0.0854), and practice and height-for-age (rho = 0.0282) and a weak positive monotonic relationship between, knowledge and weight-for-age (rho =0.3440) and attitude and weight-for-age (rho = 0.3060). While a very weak negative monotonic relationship was found between practice and BMI-for-age (rho =-0.0955), practice and weight-for-age (rho =-0.0001), knowledge and height-for-age (rho = -
0.0392) and attitude and height for age (rho =-0.0498). Based on these results, it can be concluded that that 97% had good knowledge, 67% had positive attitude, were associated with low prevalence of underweight (3.33%), overweight (3.33%) and stunting (8.33%) among preschool children however further study should be made on heigh-for-age on its association with KAP. Nutrition interventions such as adaptation of Integrated Safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (iWaSH) and WASH in School (WinS) and promotion of WASH toolkit should be made to further increase good practices.