Adegoke Musa Olatunji

CHAPTER FOUR DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 4.1 Introduction This chapter presents the findings of the research, focusing on the analysis of behavioral patterns among high school students and their association with infection risk. The chapter begins with an overview of the demographic characteristics of the study participants before delving into the main findings related to specific behaviors and their implications for infection prevention strategies. 4.2 Demographic Characteristics Before analyzing the behavioral data, it is important to understand the demographic profile of the study participants. The survey collected information on age, gender, and educational level. The demographic characteristics of the participants are summarized below: Table 4.1: Demographic Characteristics of Study Participants VARIABLES SUB-VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE Age 15 - 16 years 18 20.9 17 - 18 years 51 59.3 19 - 20 years 4 4.7 20 years + 13 15.1 Total 86 100 Gender Female 60 69.8 Male 26 30.2 Total 86 100 Educational Level First secondary 18 20.9 Second secondary 14 16.3 Third secondary 54 62.8 Total 86 100 The frequency distribution table reveals the characteristics of a sample population of 86 individuals. The data is categorized by age, gender, and educational level. As for the age, the majority of the sample (59.3%) falls within the 17-18 years age range. A smaller portion (20.9%) is between 15-16 years old, with even fewer individuals (4.7%) in the 19-20 years range. Interestingly, 15.1% of the sample is 20 years old or older. The table also showed the gender distribution, The table indicated that female participated more with 69.8% identifying as female compared to 30.2% male. As for educational level, The dominant educational level within the sample is third secondary (62.8%). First secondary and second secondary education are represented by 20.9% and 16.3% of the sample, respectively. 4.3 Behavioral Patterns and Infection Risk The analysis of behavioral patterns revealed several key findings regarding their association with infection risk: Table 4.2: Frequency of Food and Space Sharing Question Response Frequency Percentage How often do you share food or drinks with other students? Always 23 26.7 Most of the time 9 10.5 Never 11 12.8 Rarely 17 19.8 Sometimes 26 30.2 Total 86 100.0 How often do you use shared spaces such as the library, cafeteria, or study halls? Response Frequency Percentage Always 25 29.1 Most of the time 17 19.8 Never 10 11.6 Rarely 12 14.0 Sometimes 22 25.6 Total 86 100.0 Sharing of Sports Equipment Response Frequency Percent Always 12 14.0 Never 34 39.5 Often 7 8.1 Rarely 12 14.0 Sometimes 21 24.4 Total 86 100.0 Table 4.2 reveals a varied frequency of food and drink sharing among a sample of 86 students. Nearly a third (30.2%) reported sharing "sometimes," indicating this behavior is somewhat common. Interestingly, another quarter (26.7%) reported sharing "always," suggesting a strong culture of sharing within this group. On the other hand, a combined 32.6% (12.8% "never" + 19.8% "rarely") reported infrequent or no sharing. Finally, a smaller portion (10.5%) shared "most of the time." These findings highlight the diversity of social norms surrounding food and drink sharing within this student population The data presented in the table reveals that a substantial portion of students (48.9%) utilize shared spaces frequently, with Always being the most common response. This suggests that these shared spaces are a valuable resource for this student population. Nearly half of the students (48.9%) reported using shared spaces frequently ("Always" or "Most of the time"). The most frequent response was "Always" (29.1%), indicating that a significant portion of students rely heavily on these shared spaces. These findings highlight the importance of shared spaces like libraries, cafeterias, and study halls for student success. These spaces provide essential resources and environments conducive to studying, socializing, and collaborating. Institutions should prioritize maintaining and investing in these facilities to ensure they continue to meet the needs of their student populations. The table also shows that sharing sports equipment is not very common among this group of students. In fact, the most frequent response (39.5%) is that students never share sports equipment. There are some students who share occasionally, with 24.4% saying they share sometimes and another 14.0% saying they share rarely. Only a small portion (14.0% + 8.1%) share always or often. This suggests that there may be a need for increased awareness or resources to promote equipment sharing within this student population. Table 4.3: Sport and Club Participation Questions Response Frequency Percentage Do you participate in any school sports or physical activities? No 39 45.3 Yes 47 54.7 Total 86 100 Response Frequency Percentage Participate in Clubs/Activities No 44 51.2 Yes 42 48.8 Total 86 100 Table 4.3 indicates that over half of the students (54.7%) participate in school sports or physical activities. This suggests a positive trend towards an active student population. However, a significant minority (45.3%) does not participate. The data in the table indicates that participation in clubs and activities is divided nearly evenly among this student sample. Slightly over half (51.2%) of the students reported not participating, while 48.8% reported participating. This finding suggests that while there is some engagement with extracurricular activities, there's also a substantial portion of students who don't participate. Further investigation could explore the reasons behind this and identify potential strategies to increase overall involvement in clubs and activities. Table 4.4: Attend Social Gatherings Responses Frequency Percent Always 14 16.3 Never 16 18.6 Often 14 16.3 Rarely 21 24.4 Sometimes 21 24.4 Total 86 100.0 The data reveals that attendance at social gatherings varies among this student population. There isn't a single dominant answer, suggesting a diversity of social preferences. Around a quarter (24.4%) of students attend social gatherings rarely or never. Another quarter (24.4%) attends sometimes, indicating occasional participation. Interestingly, there are two equal groups (16.3% each) who either always or often attend social gatherings, highlighting a portion of the student body who actively seeks social interaction. Overall, this data suggests that some students are highly social, while others prefer less frequent socializing. Table 4.5: Sickness Time and School Attendance Question Response Frequency Percentage Times Sick Last Year Frequently 11 12.8 Never 3 3.5 Once or twice 42 48.8 Several times 30 34.9 Total 86 100 Response Frequency Percentage Attend School When Sick Never 20 23.3 Often 1 1.2 Rarely 12 14.0 Sometimes 39 45.3 Yes, always 14 16.3 Total 86 100 The data shows variation in student health experiences last year. Nearly half (48.8%) reported being sick once or twice. This indicates that occasional illness is the most common experience. A smaller portion (34.9%) reported being sick several times, suggesting more frequent illness for some students. Conversely, a combined 16.3% (12.8% "frequently" + 3.5% "never") reported being sick frequently or never, indicating that some students experienced health issues more often than others. The data on school attendance when sick reveals a range of behaviors among this student population. Nearly half (45.3%) of students reported attending school sometimes when sick. This suggests that attending school while sick is not uncommon, but it's not the norm either. A concerning number of students (23.3%) reported never attending school when sick. This behavior could pose health risks to themselves and others. On the positive side, a significant portion of students (16.3% + 1.2%) reported attending school always or often when sick, which indicates responsible behavior. Table 4.6: Hand Sanitizer/Hand Washing Response Frequency Percentage Always 47 54.7 Never 6 7.0 Often 15 17.4 Rarely 5 5.8 Sometimes 13 15.1 Total 86 100.0 The data on hand sanitizer/hand washing behaviour reveals that the majority of students (54.7%) practice good hygiene by washing hands always. This indicates a positive trend towards hygiene practices. However, a significant minority of students (45.3%) fell into other categories. While some students wash hands often (17.4%) or rarely (5.8%), a concerning portion (7.0%) never wash hands. Encouraging consistent hand hygiene practices is important to promote a healthy school environment. Table 4.7: Correlation Between Behavioral Patterns and Illness n = 86 Behavioural Pattern Correlation Coefficient p-value Decision Food & Drink Sharing -.013 .908 Significant Sharing spaces -.034 .758 Significant Sport Participation -.179 .100 Significant Sharing Sport Equipment -.001 .994 Significant Club Participation .033 .763 Significant Social Gathering -.055 .618 Significant Table 4.7 shows the relationship between behavioural patterns and illness. It indicated that there is weak or no connection between the studied behaviors and the likelihood of getting sick. The table revealed that Sharing Food/Drink, Sharing Spaces, Sharing Sports Equipment, Club Participation, Social Gatherings: The correlation coefficients (-.013, -.034, -.179, -.001, .033 and -.055) are close to zero, indicating little to no relationship between these behaviors and illness. However, as for Sport Participation: There's a slightly negative correlation, but the high p-value suggests it's likely not significant. People who participate in sports might have slightly lower illness rates, but this could be due to chance. Table 4.8: Regression Analysis Results n = 86 Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t Sig. Model B Std. Error Beta (Constant) 3.096 .391 7.921 .000 Sharing of Food and Drink -.027 .071 -.049 -.382 .703 Sharing of spaces .013 .068 .023 .193 .847 Sport Participation -.542 .233 -.357 -2.324 .023 Sharing of Sport Equipment .124 .087 - .157 Club Participation .120 .186 .079 .647 .520 Social Gathering -.044 .068 -.078 -.645 .521 Table 4.8 showed the regression Analysis results of predictions of behavioural patterns and illness. It indicated that Sport Participation is the only behavior with a statistically significant association with illness. A higher participation level is linked to a lower illness outcome score, suggesting potential health benefits from sports. Sharing Food/Drink, Social Gathering show weak negative associations, but these are not statistically significant. They might have a slight protective effect. While Sharing Spaces, Sharing Sports Equipment, Club Participation show weak positive associations, but again, not statistically significant. They might have a slight risk factor, but again, more data is needed.