The Meaning of “Hygiene” and Its Linked Practices in a Low-Income Urban Community in Bangladesh

Abstract

Improving hygiene practices is considered to be the single most cost-effective means of reducing the global health burden of infectious diseases. Hygiene promotion and disease prevention interventions often portray and promote “hygiene” from a biomedical perspective, which may not be optimally effective for achieving their goal of changing people’s behaviors. This study aimed to educe the meaning of hygiene for the residents of a low-income community in Bangladesh and how that meaning shapes their personal hygiene practices. We conducted this study in the Tongi township in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from September 2014 to June 2016. The research team purposively selected 24 households. The team conducted day-long observations using the participant observation approach and in-depth interviews with specific members of the 24 households. The concept of “hygiene” had two separate meanings to the study participants: cleanliness and holiness. The participants reported that cleanliness was required to remove odors, grease, hot spices and dirt. The motivation for cleanliness was to feel fresh, avoid heavy feelings, feel light and feel comfortable. To maintain the holiness of the body, bathing and ablution needed to be performed following particular religious rules/rituals. The motivation of holiness was derived from their accountability to God. The participants also reported that the cleansing processes and methods for the body and the home for cleanliness reasons were also different from those for holiness reasons. The notion of “hygiene” was multidimensional for the residents of the low-income urban community in Bangladesh. Our study participants did not explicitly conceptualize a notion of hygiene that was based on the germ theory of diseases but rather a notion that was based on individual physical comfort and cultural belief systems. Future studies on the prevention of hygiene-related diseases should combine and link the biomedical aspect to religious and cultural rituals to promote improved hygiene practices.

Measuring Water Quantity Used for Personal and Domestic Hygiene and Determinants of Water Use in a Low-Income Urban Community

“…Among adults and the age group of 6–17, their water usage varied from drinking, bathing and face washing with soap) ( Table 2 ). Ablution is the ceremonial act of washing parts of the body by Muslims before performing religious prayers [ 16 ]. Participants used 72% of the median volume of LCPD for bathing to maintain their personal hygiene.…”

“…The detail methodology of this study is provided elsewhere, thus we include a brief description here [ 15 , 16 ].…”

“…We selected the East Arichpur area of Tongi township in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and collected data from September 2014 to June 2016. East Arichpur is a low-income urban community with an approximate population of 55,504 living within <1 km 2 [ 15 , 16 ]. Most of the households used on-plot ‘improved’ water sources [ 15 ].…”

“…Based on these criteria, the research team selected 24 households to achieve the study objective. Further detailed method of household selection is available elsewhere [ 15 , 16 ]. During this selection process, the team excluded those households who planned to move within the following six months, since it would interrupt one-year data collection procedures.…”