HYGIENE

Plan: Etymology Medical hygiene Home and everyday hygiene Personal hygiene

Introduction: Hygiene is a set of practices performed to preserve health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "Hygiene refers to conditions and practices that help to maintain health and prevent the spread of diseases. Many people equate hygiene with 'cleanliness,' but hygiene is a broad term. It includes such personal habit choices as how frequently to bathe, wash hands, trim fingernails, and change clothing. It also includes attention to keeping surfaces in the home and workplace, including bathroom facilities, clean and pathogen-free.

Etymology: First attested in English in 1677s, the word hygiene comes from the French hygiène, the latinisation of the Greek γιεινή (τέχνη) hugieinē technē, meaning "(art) of health", from γιεινός hugieinos, "good for the health, healthy",in turn from γιής (hugiēs), "healthful, sound, salutary, wholesome".In ancient Greek religion, Hygeia ( γίεια) was the personification of health, cleanliness, and hygiene.

Medical hygiene: Medical hygiene pertains to the hygiene practices related to the administration of medicine and medical care that prevents or minimizes the spread of disease. Medical hygiene practices include: Isolation or quarantine of infectious persons or materials to prevent spread of infection. Sterilization of instruments used in surgical procedures. Use of protective clothing and barriers, such as masks, gowns, caps, eyewear and gloves. Proper bandaging and dressing of injuries. Safe disposal of medical waste. Disinfection of reusables (i.e., linen, pads, uniforms). Scrubbing up, hand-washing, especially in an operating room, but in more general health-care settings as well, where diseases can be transmitted.

Home and everyday hygiene: Home hygiene pertains to the hygiene practices that prevent or minimize the spread of disease at home and other everyday settings such as social settings, public transport, the workplace, public places etc. Hygiene in a variety of settings plays an important role in preventing the spread of infectious diseases.[6] It includes procedures used in a variety of domestic situations such as hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, food and water hygiene, general home hygiene (hygiene of environmental sites and surfaces), care of domestic animals, and home health care (the care of those who are at greater risk of infection).

Hygienic cleaning can be done through: Mechanical removal (i.e., cleaning) using a soap or detergent. To be effective as a hygiene measure, this process must be followed by thorough rinsing under running water to remove pathogens from the surface. Using a process or product that inactivates the pathogens in situ. Pathogen kill is achieved using a "micro-biocidal" product, i.e., a disinfectant or antibacterial product; waterless hand sanitizer; or by application of heat. In some cases combined pathogen removal with kill is used, e.g., laundering of clothing and household linens such as towels and bed linen.

Food hygiene at home: Food hygiene is concerned with the hygiene practices that prevent food poisoning. The five key principles of food hygiene, according to WHO, are: 1.Prevent contaminating food with mixing chemicals, spreading from people, and animals. 2.Separate raw and cooked foods to prevent contaminating the cooked foods. 3.Cook foods for the appropriate length of time and at the appropriate temperature to kill pathogens. 4.Store food at the proper temperature. 5.Use safe water and raw materials

Personal hygiene: Personal hygiene involves those practices performed by an individual to care for one's bodily health and well being, through cleanliness. Motivations for personal hygiene practice include reduction of personal illness, healing from personal illness, optimal health and sense of well being, social acceptance and prevention of spread of illness to others. What is considered proper personal hygiene can be cultural-specific and may change over time. Other practices that are generally considered proper hygiene include bathing regularly, washing hands regularly and especially before handling food, washing scalp hair, keeping hair short or removing hair, wearing clean clothing, brushing teeth, cutting finger nails, besides other practices. Some practices are gender- specific, such as by a woman during her menstrual cycle.

References: "Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Poster Set with Trainer Guide". Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST). March "Hygiene". World Health Organization (WHO). Emergency treatment of drinking-water at the point of use" (PDF). World Health Organization "Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Standards for Schools in Low-cost Settings" (PDF). World Health Organization