Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41034916›Full record

SynthesisBMC public health2025

Prevalence, barriers, and motivators of appropriate handwashing practice among mothers of under-five children in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Melkamu Aderajew Zemene, Denekew Tenaw Anley, Anteneh Mengist Dessie, Natnael Atnafu Gebeyehu, Getachew Asmare Adella, Gizachew Ambaw Kassie, Misganaw Asmamaw Mengstie, Mohammed Abdu Seid, Endeshaw Chekol Abebe, Molalegn Mesele Gesese and 8 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Melkamu Aderajew ZemeneDepartment of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia. melmahman3m@gmail.com.
Denekew Tenaw AnleyDepartment of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.
Anteneh Mengist DessieDepartment of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.
Natnael Atnafu GebeyehuDepartment of Midwifery, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia.
Getachew Asmare AdellaDepartment of Reproductive Health and Nutrition, School of Public Health, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia.
Gizachew Ambaw KassieDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia.
Misganaw Asmamaw MengstieDepartment of Biochemistry, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.
Mohammed Abdu SeidDepartment of Biomedical Science, Unit of Physiology, College of Health Science, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.
Endeshaw Chekol AbebeDepartment of Biochemistry, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.
Molalegn Mesele GeseseDepartment of Midwifery, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia.
Kirubel Dagnaw TegegneDepartment of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia.
Yenealem Solomon KebedeDepartment of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.
Natnael MogesDepartment of Pediatrics and Child Health Nursing, College of Health sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.
Berihun BantieDepartment of Comprehensive Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.
Sefineh Fenta FelekeDepartment of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Tadesse Asmamaw DejenieDepartment of Medical Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Wubet Alebachew BayihDepartment of Maternal and Neonatal Health Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.
Ashenafie Bereded ShiferawDepartment of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionAppropriate handwashing practice is considered one of the most incredibly important hygiene promotion activities in public health for preventing infectious diseases. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled prevalence, barriers, and motivators of appropriate handwashing practice among mothers of under-five children in Ethiopia.

methodsA systematic literature review was conducted for relevant studies reporting handwashing practices among mothers in Ethiopia in PubMed/Medline, HINARI, Web of science, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and worldwide Science databases. A random-effects model was employed to estimate the pooled prevalence of handwashing practice and its determinants. Heterogeneity between studies was checked using the Q test and I

resultsA total of 4,239 study participants from ten studies were included. The overall pooled prevalence of handwashing practice among mothers in Ethiopia was 45.16% (95% CI: 33.79, 56.53). The higher proportion of mothers who had good handwashing practices were observed in Addis Ababa (56.65%) and the lowest was in Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's region (33.89%). Maternal age being 15-24 (AOR: 3.10; 95% CI: 1.43, 6.72), being 25-34 (AOR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.14, 3.58), having primary education (AOR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.89, 2.51), secondary or above education (AOR: 2.99; 95% CI: 1.18, 7.53), having a family size of less than five (AOR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.52), good knowledge (AOR: 2.45; 95% CI: 1.26, 4.75), favourable attitude (AOR: 3.33; 95% CI: 1.76, 6.26), availability of water nearby the household (AOR: 3.76; 95% CI: 1.95, 7.22), and being from households with rich wealth index (AOR: 2.42; 95% CI: 1.39, 4.22) were the identified factors associated with handwashing practice.

conclusionHandwashing practice among mothers of under five children was low as compared to the national target from 2021 to 2030. In Ethiopia, only less than half of all women with children under five practice good handwashing. Therefore, the government should increase access to water, improve income levels, and develop policies and programs aimed at enhancing mothers' knowledge and attitudes toward handwashing practices. Additionally, it should prioritize support for disadvantaged groups, such as elderly mothers, less educated mothers, and households with large family sizes.

Indexed as

Hand DisinfectionHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeMothersMotivationAdultChild, PreschoolEthiopiaFemaleHumansInfantPrevalenceBarriersChildrenEthiopiaHandwashing practiceMotivators

Identifiers

PMID41034916
PMCPMC12486695

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.