ASSESSMENT OF PERCEIVED INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION ON THE SOCIAL HEALTH OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

This study assessed the perceived influence of environmental sanitation on the social health of secondary school students in Niger State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 98,627 students, from which a sample of 400 respondents was selected using a multi-stage sampling technique involving stratified, random, and systematic procedures. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire structured on a four-point Likert scale and validated by experts in health education and nursing science. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to answer the research question, while a one-sample t-test was employed to test the hypothesis at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that students had a high perception of the influence of environmental sanitation on their social health, with an aggregate mean score of 3.45, exceeding the criterion mean of 2.50. Students agreed that a clean school environment promotes social interaction, participation in activities, and healthy peer relationships, while poor sanitation contributes to stigma, conflict, and social withdrawal. The hypothesis test showed a statistically significant result (t = 24.108, p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. The study concluded that environmental sanitation significantly influences the social health of secondary school students. It was recommended that schools and relevant authorities prioritise sanitation infrastructure, enforce hygiene practices, and integrate sanitation education into the curriculum to enhance students’ social well-being.