Physical School Environment and Infectious Diseases

Abstract

The mechanisms underlying relationships between unhealthy physical environment in schools and infectious disease transmission among students are understudied. Drawing from Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, this chapter analyzes behavioral patterns as mechanisms by which an unhealthy physical school environment transmits infectious diseases to primary students in Bangladesh. For the study, the authors randomly selected 300 students from grade-C primary schools located in disadvantaged areas in Rajshahi City, Bangladesh; over 12 months, they collected data on the physical school environment, children's behavioral patterns, and their infections from infectious diseases in the primary school context. The study found that 20-45% of the students suffered from various infectious diseases during the study period. The results from structural equation modeling suggested that poor qualities of the physical school environment via unhealthy behavioral patterns transmitted infectious diseases, affecting the students' physical health in the primary schools.