Effectiveness of nail biting prevention program among primary school students

Document Type

Article

Department

School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Nail biting is a bad oral habit commonly adopted by children and young adults. It leads nail injuries, oral infection, emotional and psychological issues in children, approximately 37% of the pediatric population involved in habitual nail biting. It started at the age of 3 to 4 year, worsen in 5 to 6 and reduce still the age of 16 years. The objective of the study was to assess the nail biting prevention program's effectiveness among primary school children.
Material & Methods: The quasi experimental one group pre & post study designed was used for this study. The study was carried out among primary school children selected by convenient sample technique. The data was collected with the help of structured questionnaire. The students were selected of one, two, three and four grade from government primary school rural Punjab. Mcnemar test applied for data analysis to examine the difference in pre & post behavior change.
Results: The number students who selected “Yes” “I bite my nails with teeth” decreased 31.3% and student who said “I cut my nail with nail cuter” increased 55.7% from pretest observation. However, the number of student who said “I pulled out my nails and ate” “I pulled out my nail skin with teeth” “my cuticle bled” and “my nails hurt” was reduced significantly and statistical compared with pretest (Pvalue<0.001).
Conclusion: This program significantly reduced the nail-biting rate among primary school students. Thus, the nursing implementations was effective in the prevention of nail-biting, early diagnosis, and changing students' habits. “Cut Your Nail with Nail Cuter, Not with Teeth” program can be applied again in different schools

Publication (Name of Journal)

Pakistan Journal of Nursing and Midwifery

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