Hygiene. Practices that maintain health and prevent disease through cleanliness of the body, environment, and community. Rooted in public health, Hygiene includes personal hygiene (e.g., handwashing, bathing, dental care), environmental hygiene (e.g., sanitation, waste management), and social hygiene (e.g., food safety, disease prevention).
The World Health Organization emphasizes hygiene as critical to reducing infectious diseases, such as cholera and COVID-19, particularly in developing nations.
Historically, hygiene practices evolved with scientific advancements. The 19th-century germ theory, pioneered by Louis Pasteur and Joseph Lister, linked microorganisms to disease, spurring sanitation reforms.
Modern hygiene campaigns, like Global Handwashing Day, promote behavioral change. In developed countries, Hygiene is supported by infrastructure (e.g., clean water, sewage systems), while low-income regions face challenges like water scarcity and inadequate sanitation facilities.
Hygiene impacts mental health and social perception. Poor Hygiene can lead to stigma, while access to hygiene products (e.g., soap, menstrual supplies) empowers marginalized groups.
Period poverty, for instance, affects women’s health globally. Hygiene education in schools fosters lifelong habits, though cultural differences shape practices, such as bidet use in Asia versus toilet paper in Western countries.