Investigation of the Sanitary Facilities of Primary Schools in Tabriz

Health promotion in schools remains a priority for the health system; in this regard, paying attention to the sanitary facilities and observing the standards is a determining requirement. The objective of this study was to investigate the status of the sanitary facilities of primary schools in Tabriz, educational districts 2 and 5.

The present study was a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional one conducted in 2017 in the primary schools of two educational districts in Tabriz, which were selected using proportionate stratified random sampling. The data were collected using a researcher-made checklist based on school health regulations. The data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis via SPSS software version 22.

Data analysis categorized school health problems into eight main factors including lack of toilet siphons, lack of room and basic sanitary facilities, poor sanitary condition of the toilet, lack of secondary sanitary facilities, poor condition of drinking fountains, inappropriate sanitary condition of the toilets, lack of facilities for inspection and cleaning, and the unsuitability of the drinking fountains with an eigenvalue higher than 1. In total, 67% variance explained the problems related to the sanitary facilities.

It is necessary to pay attention to promoting environmental health in sanitary facilities and provide the necessary facilities in accordance with the standards, as well as the necessary equipment and space to provide health services in schools.