Abstract

Objective: To identify the problem of water, sanitation, and hygiene among the students of Azad Kashmir.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study at the premises of colleges and universities of Rawalakot, Mirpur and Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan from April 2017 to January 2018 and included 492 college and university students. Data were collected using an interviewer administered questionnaire consisting of 22 items.
Results: Out of 492 students, there were 258 (52.4%) males and 234 (47.6%) female. Mean age of the students was 22.66±2.93 years. 93.67% of the participants did not have any knowledge about source of water in their home and 59.55% believed that there is no need to clean and cover water containers. Nevertheless, 69.92% of the study population understood that contaminated water contains germs that spread diseases; 75% knew that washing hands can prevent them from diseases, but 63.82% did not wash their hands before meals.
Conclusion: Lack of awareness, poor self-management and lack of resources are the reasons that the participants did not have satisfactory levels of knowledge and those who even had the adequate knowledge did not practice it.

Key words: Water supply, sanitation, hand washing, waterborne diseases.