Clean and Healthy Living Behavior (Perilaku Hidup Bersih dan Sehat/PHBS) is an important promotive and preventive effort that should be implemented from school age. One of the applications of PHBS in the school environment is Handwashing with Soap (Cuci Tangan Pakai Sabun/CTPS), which plays an important role in maintaining hand hygiene and helping prevent the spread of disease. This activity aimed to determine the improvement in students’ understanding of PHBS and handwashing with soap after receiving health education. The activity was conducted among seventh-grade students at SMPN 1 Rancabali using a pre-test and post-test method. The instrument was a questionnaire consisting of 10 questions covering the definition and purpose of PHBS, the definition and benefits of handwashing with soap, appropriate times for handwashing, and the effects of poor hand hygiene. The education was delivered through interactive presentations, discussions, question-and-answer sessions, and a handwashing demonstration. The evaluation results showed that the pre-test, involving 44 participants, had a mean score of 9.73, while the post-test, involving 43 participants, showed an increased mean score of 9.91. The number of participants achieving the maximum score also increased from 36 in the pre-test to 40 in the post-test. These results indicate an improvement in students’ understanding after receiving education on PHBS and handwashing with soap. Therefore, PHBS and handwashing education can be an effective approach to strengthen students’ knowledge of the importance of maintaining hand hygiene and implementing clean and healthy living behaviors in daily life.
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