Breaking the Cycle: The Impact of Hygiene Deficiencies on the Health of the Poor

Year : 2025 | Volume : 02 | Issue : 01 | Page : 22 39
    By

    Sudipta Roy,

  1. Associate Professor, Bengal College of Pharmaceutical Technology, Dubrajpur, West Bengal, KOLKATA, India

Abstract

Poor sanitation and hygiene present significant health risks, particularly for individuals in low- income communities. Inadequate sanitation systems increase the likelihood of exposure to harmful microorganisms found in contaminated water, food, and environments. This exposure contributes to the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid, along with various gastrointestinal illnesses. Limited access to clean water and soap for handwashing exacerbates these risks, particularly for children, who are especially vulnerable. Beyond the immediate health consequences, poor sanitation has long-term social and economic implications. Frequent illnesses resulting from unsanitary conditions can prevent individuals from working or attending school, diminishing overall productivity and perpetuating cycles of poverty. To address these issues, sustainable solutions are essential, including: Enhanced access to clean water, Reliable sanitation systems, Comprehensive hygiene education programs that promote better community health outcomes, Hygiene Education Materials: To effectively support hygiene education, the following materials can be utilized: Posters and Visual Aids: Handwashing steps, Hygiene routines, Germ cycle charts, Hygiene Kits: Soap, Toothbrushes, Hand sanitizer, Tissues for use at school and home, Interactive Tools: Games, Demonstrations, Visual models that reinforce hygiene lessons, Multimedia Resources: Engaging videos and songs that explain hygiene concepts in an enjoyable manner, Worksheets and Activities: Educational worksheets, Games, Journals promoting hygiene practices, Incorporating these materials into a structured educational program can effectively teach students about personal hygiene, reducing the transmission of illness, and cultivate healthy habits for life.

Keywords: Poor Sanitation, Hygiene, waterborne diseases, contaminated environmental resources, Poverty

[This article belongs to Emerging Trends in Personalized Medicines ]

How to cite this article:
Sudipta Roy. Breaking the Cycle: The Impact of Hygiene Deficiencies on the Health of the Poor. Emerging Trends in Personalized Medicines. 2025; 02(01):22-39.
How to cite this URL:
Sudipta Roy. Breaking the Cycle: The Impact of Hygiene Deficiencies on the Health of the Poor. Emerging Trends in Personalized Medicines. 2025; 02(01):22-39. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/etpm/article=2025/view=204254


References

  1. World Health Organization (WHO). Sanitation [Internet]. 2024. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sanitation
  2. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) [Internet]. 2016. Available from:https://www.unicef.org/wash
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Global Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene (WASH): Diseases and Contaminants [Internet]. 2024. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/global-water-sanitation-hygiene/about/inde x.html.
  4. UNICEF and WHO. Progress on household drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene 2000-2017: Special focus on inequalities [Internet]. 2019. Available from: https://www.unicef.org/reports/progress-on-drinking-water-sanitation-and-hygiene-2019
  5. Prüss‐Ustün A, Bartram J, Clasen T, Colford Jr JM, Cumming O, Curtis V, Bonjour S, Dangour AD, De France J, Fewtrell L, Freeman MC. Burden of disease from inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene in low‐and middle‐income settings: a retrospective analysis of data from 145 countries. Tropical Medicine & International Health. 2014 Aug;19(8):894-905.
  6. World Bank. Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) and COVID-19 [Internet]. 2020. Available from: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/water/brief/wash-water-sanitation-hygiene-and-covid-19.
  7. UN-Water. Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) Report 2022 [Internet]. 2022. Available from: https://glaas.who.int/glaas/un-water-global-analysis-and-assessment-of-sanitation-and-drinking-water-(glaas)-2022-report
  8. Tohit NF, Haque M. Breaking the Cycle: Addressing Period Poverty as a Critical Public Health Challenge and Its Relation to Sustainable Development Goals. Cureus. 2024 Jun;16(6).
  9. Lund C, De Silva M, Plagerson S, Cooper S, Chisholm D, Das J, Knapp M, Patel V. Poverty and mental disorders: breaking the cycle in low-income and middle-income countries. The lancet. 2011 Oct 22;378(9801):1502-14.
  10. Ahmed T, Hossain M, Sanin KI. Global burden of maternal and child undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 2013 Jan 1;61(Suppl. 1):8-17.
  11. Luo R, Medina CA, Liu C, Rozelle CS, Chen Y. Breaking the cycle of infection: an impact evaluation of three strategies to control intestinal parasites and improve human capital in rural China.2017. Available from: https://www.3ieimpact.org/sites/default/files/2018-08/3ie%20Grantee%20Final%20Report%20PW2.04.pdf.
  12. Chakravarty I, Bhattacharya A, Das SK. Water, sanitation and hygiene: the unfinished agenda in the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region. WHO South-East Asia journal of public health. 2017 Sep 1;6(2):22-6.
  13. Vir SC. Maternal Nutrition: Breaking the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition: significance, challenges and opportunities. Undernutrition and Public Policy in India. 2015 Dec 14:153-81.
  14. Okesanya OJ, Eshun G, Ukoaka BM, Manirambona E, Olabode ON, Adesola RO, Okon II, Jamil S, Singh A, Lucero-Prisno III DE, Ali HM. Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices in Africa: exploring the effects on public health and sustainable development plans. Tropical medicine and health. 2024 Oct 9;52(1):68.
  15. Guerrant RL, DeBoer MD, Moore SR, Scharf RJ, Lima AA. The impoverished gut—a triple burden of diarrhoea, stunting and chronic disease. Nature reviews Gastroenterology & hepatology. 2013 Apr;10(4):220-9.
  16. Akram M. Sanitation, Health and Development Deficit in India. The Regional Centre for Urban & Environmental Studies (RCUES) All India Institute of Local Self-Government (AIILSG), Mumbai. 2013:10.
  17. Prendergast A, Kelly P. Enteropathies in the developing world: neglected effects on global health. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene. 2012 May 5;86(5):756.
  18. Fewtrell L, World Health Organization. Water, sanitation and hygiene: quantifying the health impact at national and local levels in countries with incomplete water supply and sanitation coverage. World Health Organization; 2007.
  19. Αntoniadou M, Varzakas T. Breaking the vicious circle of diet, malnutrition and oral health for the independent elderly. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2021 Oct 28;61(19):3233-55.
  20. Crompton DW, Nesheim MC. Nutritional impact of intestinal helminthiasis during the human life cycle. Annual review of nutrition. 2002 Jul;22(1):35-59.
Regular Issue Subscription Review Article
Volume 02
Issue 01
Received 22/10/2024
Accepted 22/12/2024
Published 04/01/2025
Publication Time 74 Days
547

Login


My IP

PlumX Metrics