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Health-promoting school initiative in Ashram schools of Wardha district.

BACKGROUND
We studied the effect of a health-promoting school-based intervention for disadvantaged children in the residential Ashram schools of rural Wardha, Maharashtra.


METHODS
At baseline, 1287 children in 10 Ashram schools were examined using a locally adapted Global School-based Student Health Survey questionnaire. The haemoglobin level of all children was estimated using the haemoglobin colour scale. Body mass index and physical activity score for each child were calculated. The intervention was carried out through school health committees. After 1 year, 1226 children were examined using the same questionnaire.


RESULTS
There was significant improvement in personal hygiene and reduction in hygiene-related morbidity among the children. The median haemoglobin level of the children increased from 10.7 g/dl to 11.4 g/dl. There was also a significant increase in the proportion of children with body mass index that was normal for age (5th-85th percentile) from 32.2% to 38.5%.


CONCLUSION
The need-based participatory health-promoting school initiative for disadvantaged children in Ashram schools led to an improvement in their personal hygiene and health.