What do we mean by hygiene behaviour?
Updated - Thursday 10 November 2005
What do we mean by hygiene behaviour?
Positive hygiene behaviours include a wide range of practices that promote health, and prevent catching and spreading water and sanitation related diseases. Our health-related behaviour is partly determined by a complex mix of our knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, norms and customs. Socio-economic determinants and even political factors also play important roles. Without the resources to construct and maintain water supply and sanitation facilities, it is difficult to attain levels of personal, domestic and environmental hygiene conducive to health. Resources relate not only to money, but also to the availability of land, time, materials, and technical and management skills for achieving improved facilities.
Source: Boot, M., and Cairncross, S. (1993) Actions Speak: The study of hygiene behaviour in water and sanitation projects.IRC /LSHTM
