Chapter 1

Comfort room is a room containing one or more toilets which is available for use by the
people and can be referred to us as a restroom, comfort sanitation or a washroom. Access to
clean and sanitary restroom facilities is essential for maintaining the health and well-being of
students. However, inadequate maintenance, poor hygiene practices, and limited resources
often contribute to unsanitary conditions in school restrooms, posing health risks and
discomfort to students. According to Eric (2010) 79% of Respondent recognized the link
between dirty toilets and Poor health, and 84% felt toilet related health issues have a
negative effect on children's learning. Bibingsell (2016) also stated that there's a lot of
Students studying in Public in the Philippines and some of this Public schools are having
Unhygienic Comfort Room and some of the students are holding their selves to pee because
of the unpleasant odor in the Comfort Room which can cause a UTI ( Urinary tract infection)
that's why she orderly stated that the Government should take action about this issues.
According to Samantha (2023) the bathroom is the breeding ground of germs, making it
necessary to keep them extra clean. Moreover Samantha (2023) stated that if you flush the
toilet you must keep the lid shut to reduce the spread of germs. Students must also know the
"Proper waste disposal" since this is crucial for maintaining a clean and hygienic
comfortroom, since students shared facilities, such as bathroom. When waste is not disposed
properly it can lead to unpleasant odor and this may attract pests, and create unsanitary
environment, Samantha (2023). And the most important of all students must know to wash
their hands after using the comfort room, since students touch a lot of things like the door
handle, the toilet lid and etc. When you go out the comfort room without washing your hands
with soap and water, the germs in your hands may be transmitted to other people you
contact with. In addition, when you touch your eyes, nose, face and other part of your body
the germs can enter your body leading to diseases, Samantha (2023). According to Centre for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), washing your hands with soap and water reduces the
number of people who get sick with diarrhoea by 30%. Therefore, washing your hands with
soap and water after using the bathroom plays a crucial role for keeping you healthy.

Sanitation among SHS students is significant both locally and globally. Examining local
studies or reports on school hygiene and sanitation practices can provide specific insights
into the challenges faced by SHS students. For instance, research conducted within the
region may highlight particular issues related to restroom facilities, student behavior, and the
impact on health and academic performance. This study can serve as a foundation for
targeted interventions and improvements within the specific high school context. Poor
hygiene in school restrooms can lead to illness and affect students' learning experience.
Globally, access to clean sanitation facilities is a fundamental human right and crucial for
public health and sustainable development. Addressing hygiene and sanitation in schools
contributes to broader efforts to improve health, education, and achieve Sustainable
Development Goals. Drawing from global literature on sanitation and hygiene in educational
institutions can offer a broader perspective. Reports from international organizations like
UNICEF or WHO may provide best practices, benchmarks, and case studies from diverse
settings worldwide. Research articles and publications addressing the global impact of
inadequate sanitation in schools can contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the
issue's significance beyond local boundaries

According to the research of Felipe Agoncillo (2017) they found out that poor maintenance in
the comfort room has become extremely common in public school-from broken cubicles,
dirty toilet, improper waste management, malfunctioning toilets etc. Those who complain
can't clearly be heard anymore because poor sanitary conditions are becoming less
concerned, Felipe Agoncillo (2017). Some of the students are irresponsible and lack discipline,
the comfort room is where the students smoke and this is one of the major reasons why the
comfort room is having unpleasant odor, Édila Dalmaso Coswosk(2017). Moreover, according
to Felipe Agoncillo (2017) sanitation in public high schools is one of the reasons why students
find public high schools comfort rooms are inconvenient to use. Poor maintenance such as
unclean and insufficient comfort rooms, broken cubicle rooms and malfunctioning of toilets
cease to bother students sanitation system that are poor or absent have been identified as a
cause of ill health to adults and children worldwide for many years. World health organization
(WHO) stated that proper hygiene in the comfort room plays a crucial role in our daily life,
proper sanitation help to reduce the spread of germs and diseases. Teaching students the
proper hygiene is a must, like proper hand washing, proper segregation of waste and etc.
proper hygiene is essential part of their education, Initial (2024). Students must use the toilet
properly, they shouldn't leave the rest room without flushing the toilet to remove the waste,
students must also wash their hands after using the toilet to remove germs and avoid getting
sick, CDC (2023).

The Researchers notice that there are no local studies about having unhygienic comfort
rooms in schools because of this the school staff are ignoring this problem. Students of the
Philippines are currently experiencing worn out restrooms from different schools in our
country. Due to this, students couldn't comfortably attend to their personal necessities. Both
public and private schools in our country experience worn out comfort rooms. We are
expecting our government to make renovations in the different schools in our country as
soon as possible, Ryu Oyama (2018). The researcher's also noticed that Students in Baybayog
National Highschool lack education about proper hygiene and because of this the comfort
room are becoming dirty day by day. Students need to be educated about the important of
hygiene in our daily life, Initial (2024). A survey conducted by Felipe Agoncillo (2017) found
out that students who do not use the toilet properly are because they lack discipline and
knowledge about hygiene, they also found out that students are still using the comfort room
even though there is no water available and this action of the students may lead the comfort
room having unpleasant odor.

There's an urgent need to pursue this study because some of the students are having disease
because of the unhygienic comfort room in school. According to Softpurity (2018) having an
unhygienic comfort room in school can affect the Students academic performance, if a child
feels as if he or she cannot use a comfort room in the school comfortably, they may well
return to a class unrelaxed, unfocussed and not in the best mind-set for learning. Students
also lack education about proper hygienic practices, like teaching them not to throw garbage
or waste in the toilet, Students need to be educated on how to proper segregate their
garbage, students must also know not to leave the toilet without flushing it so there's no
bacteria spreading and bad odor, Softpurity (2018). And most of all students must know the
proper hand washing to prevent the spread of germs and diseases CDC (2023).

Therefore, the researchers use Qualitative Research to conduct this study. This study aims to
explore and understand the hygiene and sanitation practices in comfort rooms among senior
high school students. The result of the study will be used to propose programs/policies in
improving hygiene among shs students. Comfort Room plays a hugely important role for all of
us not only in our daily lives as we spend time to relieve ourselves, but also for our
sustainable, inclusive development. Toilets are crucial for the healthy development of
people, not to mention children.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This qualitative research is conducted purposely to assess comfort room hygiene and
sanitation practices among Senior High School (SHS) students, by identifying and
understanding local factors influencing restroom cleanliness and student behavior.

1. What are the primary factors contributing to the sanitary conditions in school restrooms

2. What are the specific practices do SHS students engage in to maintain/contribute to the
cleanliness of comfort room?

3. What are the challenges students are facing adhering to proper hygiene and sanitation
practices in comfort room?

4. What kind of school program/policies could be proposed based on the research Title.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

The aim of this study is solely focused on the understanding of hygiene, sanitation practices
and the challenges in comfort rooms among senior high school students in Baybayog
National Highschool. The study was conducted during the 2nd semester, school year 2023-
2024. The study will involve selecting a representative sample of senior high school students
from each of the six sections at Baybayog National High School, with a total of 30
respondents.The study will be only limited in SHS students of Baybayog National Highschool
and not the other schools in the Municipality of Alcala.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study aims to improve the cleanliness and proper hygiene among senior high student.
This will be beneficial to the following:

Students: This helps them generate understanding about the importance of school sanitation
and hygienic practices and develop positive behaviour towards self-role.

Parents: The findings of this study on proper hygiene and practices in comfort rooms are
particularly beneficial to parents of school children. The research provides valuable insights
that help parents understand the importance of hygiene and sanitation in comfort room of
the school.

School Administrators: Clear evidence and data from this study can help school
administrators advocate for better resources and maintenance to ensure the well-being of
students.

Teachers: The study can provide valuable information and recommendations to teachers on
how to educate and guide students in maintaining proper hygiene practices in comfort
rooms.

Researcher: Increases the range of topics covered by researchers on hygiene and cleanliness.
It provides a benchmark for further research and informative data

Future Researchers: Findings this study may trigger other researchers to conduct future
studies related to this research.