Learning Outcome

• To understand what is Personal Hygiene and

Describe what are acceptable and poor
personal hygiene practices
• To know its importance in the Community and
Public Health
 What is Hygiene?
• a condition promoting sanitary practices to
the self. (Personal Hygiene)
• the practice of personal hygiene is employed
to prevent or minimize the incidence and
spread of communicable diseases.
• a concept that is commonly used in medical
and public health practices.
 Hygiene VS Cleanliness
CLEANING
is removing dirt, wastes or unwanted things
from the surface of objects using detergents and
necessary equipment.
HYGIENE
focuses on the prevention of diseases through
the use of cleaning as one of several inputs.
 Why is hygiene important in CPH?
1. Preventing fecal - oral transmitted diseases
The fingers may get contaminated with one’s
own feces, either directly or indirectly.
 Why is hygiene important in CPH?
2. Aesthetic values of personal hygiene
Cleaning oneself produces pride, comfort and
dignity at home and in public places. Caring
about the way you look is important to your self-
esteem.
Why is hygiene important in CPH?
Social impact
• A person with poor personal hygiene might be
isolated from friendship
• The success of a job application or the chance
of promotion could be affected by poor
personal hygiene.
What are the Components of Hygiene?

Body hygiene (skin care)

Moistened and dried sweat and dead skin cells
all together make dirt that sticks on to the skin
and the surface of underclothes.
• groin, underarms and feet, and in clothing
that has absorbed sweat.
• Skin infections such as scabies, pimples and
ringworm are results of poor body hygiene
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Body hygiene (skin care)

Scalp Tinea capitis (scalp ringworm) Acne vulgaris (pimples)

What are the Components of Hygiene?
Body hygiene (skin care)
• Taking a bath or a shower using body soap.
• The genitals and the anal region need to be
cleaned well because of the natural secretions of
these areas.
• Dry the body with a clean towel after thorough
rinsing. Change into clean underwear after a
bath. Changing sweat-soaked clothes after each
bath is advised. Cleaning the ears after every bath
is also necessary.
• Avoid sharing soaps and towels.
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Oral hygiene (oral care)
Our mouth mechanically breaks food into
pieces. This process leaves food particles (food
debris) that stick to the surface of our gums and
teeth. Our mouth cavity is full of bacteria and is
a good environment for bacterial growth.
halitosis
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Oral hygiene (oral care)
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Oral hygiene (oral care)
• Rinse the mouth after each meal.
• Brush your teeth with a fluoride-containing
toothpaste twice a day – before breakfast and
before you go to bed.
• During the day, fill your mouth with water and
swish it around to get rid of anything sticking to
your teeth.
• In addition to regular brushing, it is advisable to
floss your teeth at least once a day, usually before
you go to bed.
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Handwashing (hand care)
Involves mechanical removal of microorganisms
from contaminated hand surfaces using soap or
detergent.
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Handwashing (hand care)
• First wet your hands with clean water and lather with a bar of soap.
• Next rub your hands together vigorously and scrub all surfaces up to your
wrists.
• Clean under your fingernails.
• Continue for 15–30 seconds or about the length of a little tune (for
example, the ‘Happy Birthday’ song). It is the soap combined with the
scrubbing action that helps dislodge and remove germs.
• Rinse your hands well with clean running water (pour from a jug or tap).
• Dry your hands in the air to avoid recontamination on a dirty towel – do
not touch anything until your hands are dry.
• Wood ash will also rub off any dirt and smells. The slight irritation you feel
when you wash your hands with ash shows the cleansing power of ash.
• Local seeds such as indod (Lemma’s plant), which are known to be good
cleaning agents, can also be used for regular handwashing.
• Clean sand with water can be used for handwashing to help to rub off dirt.
 Handwashing (hand care)
Critical situations in everyday activity include:
• After using the toilet (or disposing of human or animal faeces)
• After changing a baby’s diaper (nappy) and disposing of the faeces.
• Immediately after touching raw food when preparing meals (e.g. chicken or other
meat).
• Before preparing and handling cooked/ready-to-eat food.
• Before eating food or feeding children.
• After contact with contaminated surfaces (e.g. rubbish bins, cleaning cloths, food-
contaminated surfaces).
• After handling pets and domestic animals.
• After wiping or blowing the nose or sneezing into the hands (respiratory hygiene).
• After handling soiled tissues (your own or others’, e.g. children).
Critical situations in healthcare activity include:
• Before and after contact with an infected wound.
• After contact with blood or body fluids (e.g. vomit).
• Before and after dressing wounds.
• Before giving care to an ‘at risk’ person (e.g. attending delivery, attending a baby).
• After giving care to an infected person.
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Face hygiene
• The most important area to keep clean is the
eyes. The organic substance of the eye
discharge can attract flies and this is
dangerous because the fly is a carrier (vector)
of trachoma and conjunctivitis.
• Never share your face towel with others.
(Why?)
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Fingernail and toenail hygiene (nail care)
Long fingernails tend to accumulate or trap dirt
on the underside. The dirt could be as a result of
defecation or touching infected and
contaminated surfaces.
• Clip nails short along their shape but do not
cut them so close that it damages the skin.
• Nail cutters should not be shared with others
(Why?)
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Ear hygiene
• Daily washing with soap and water is enough
to keep the outer ear clean.
• Do not reach farther than you can with your
little finger into your ear. If you feel wax has
accumulated and is plugging your ears and
interfering with hearing, consult your doctor.
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Hair hygiene (hair care)
• The scalp (the skin covering the head) also has
numerous sweat glands and is a surface for
the accumulation of dead skin cells.
• Poor hair hygiene could cause dandruff and
skin infections such as Tinea capitis. Dandruff
is dead skin on the scalp that comes off in tiny
flakes when sebaceous glands produce too
much oil and accumulates on the scalp
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Hair hygiene (hair care)
• Head hair is a good harbour for head lice and
nits (eggs of head lice). The head louse is a
tiny insect that lives by sucking blood.
Children are especially prone to lice
infestation.
• Shaving of the head hair is possible in cases of
heavy lice infestation.
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Foot hygiene (foot care)
• Our feet sweat as we walk day and night and
the sweat accumulates on all foot surfaces
and between the toes. The sweat may stain
the shoes and can produce an awful odour.
• Athlete’s foot, Podoconiosis
• Toenails can accumulate dirt and this can
increase the potential for bacterial and fungal
breeding e.g. athlete’s foot.
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Armpit and bottom hygiene
• After puberty, our sweat gains a specific and
unpleasant odor which may be offensive to
others. The armpits and the bottom should be
washed daily.
• Anal cleansing is the hygienic practice of cleaning
the anus after defecation.
– Hands must be washed with soap afterwards. The use
of rags, leaves, stones, corn cobs, or sticks must be
discouraged as these materials can damage the skin.
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Clothes hygiene
• Underwear must be washed more frequently
than the outer layer of clothing.
• Washing dirty clothes requires adequate clean
water, detergents (solid or powdered soap)
and washing facilities. If possible, the washed
clothes should be ironed .Boiling water or
insecticides can be used to destroy clothes
infestation.
What are the Components of Hygiene?
Menstrual hygiene (Personal hygiene for women)
• No special care is needed other than washing the
external genitals.
• Washing the outer genital area with clean water
must be a daily practice. Change tampons and
sanitary napkins or pads regularly. Clean and soft
cloths can be used in place of sanitary pads. The
use of dirty cloths must be discouraged.
Menstrual blood-absorbing items must be
properly disposed of in a burial pit or other
appropriate method.
END…