Hand Hygiene Practices among Children and Adolescents living with HIV in the Northern City of Malawi

Background The common cause of death in HIV and AIDS patients are opportunistic infections such as diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections, and skin conditions. Many of these infections are spread through contaminated hands. Therefore, this study aimed at exploring hand hygiene practices among HIV positive children and adolescents in Mzuzu City, Malawi. Methodology A cross-sectional study design was used to collect data from children and adolescent living with HIV (aged 9 years and above) who were attending teen clubs in Mzuzu City. Data were analysed using Stata 17. Chi-Square and logistic regression analysis were used to examine the association among multiple independent variables on hand hygiene practices. The level of significance for all statistical test was set at P  ≤ 0.05. Results The mean age was 15 years (SD2.815). More than three quarters of the participants (85.44%) reported the presence of buckets and basins dedicated to hand hygiene within their households. The majority of the respondents (89.66%) had access to tap water. A significant majority of teen club members reported frequent handwashing, with 78.51% indicating they wash their hands more than five times a day. Each additional year of age slightly increases the likelihood of practicing hand hygiene by about 0.039%. However, individuals with very high emotional levels are approximately 0.174% less likely to practice hand hygiene compared to those with average emotional levels. Additionally, those without handwashing facilities at home are about 0.285% less likely to engage in hand hygiene practices compared to those with such facilities. Conclusion The study revealed several significant insights into the factors influencing hand hygiene practices among children and adolescents living with HIV. The findings emphasize the importance of tailored interventions addressing developmental, emotional, familial, religious, and social factors to promote sustained hygienic behaviors among children and adolescents.