hygiene

Also known as health and hygiene

thumb|right|Washing one's hands, a form of hygiene, is the most effective way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. 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." Personal hygiene refers to maintaining the body's cleanliness. Hygiene activities can be grouped into the following: home and everyday hygiene, personal hygiene, medical hygiene, sleep hygiene, and food hygiene. Home and every day hygiene includes hand was

AI overview

Hygiene is a set of practices performed to maintain health and prevent the spread of diseases, with personal hygiene referring to keeping your body clean. These practices are important because they help you stay healthy and protect others from catching infectious diseases, with handwashing being one of the most effective methods for preventing disease transmission.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Research

259,184 papers

Menstrual hygiene practice among adolescent girls in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PloS one · 2022Sahiledengle B, Atlaw D, Kumie A et al.DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262295
[Reconciling Sustainability and Hygiene in the Healthcare Sector].ReviewAnasthesiologie, Intensivmedizin, Notfallmedizin, Schmerztherapie : AINS · 2024Schulz-Stübner S, Wolinski MDOI: 10.1055/a-2413-7408
Hand hygiene--comparison of international recommendations.ReviewThe Journal of hospital infection · 2001Wendt CDOI: 10.1016/s0195-6701(01)90008-8
Optimizing Health Care Environmental Hygiene.ReviewInfectious disease clinics of North America · 2016Carling PCDOI: 10.1016/j.idc.2016.04.010
Systematic review of menstrual hygiene management requirements, its barriers and strategies for disabled people.PloS one · 2019Wilbur J, Torondel B, Hameed S et al.DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210974
Implications of Adenylate Metabolism in Hygiene Assessment: A Review.ReviewJournal of food protection · 2020Mildenhall KB, Rankin SADOI: 10.4315/JFP-20-087
Menstruation hygiene management among secondary school students of Chitwan, Nepal:a cross-sectional study.BMC women's health · 2023Khanal G, Shrestha N, Adhikari K et al.DOI: 10.1186/s12905-023-02494-x
Hygiene system modeling for toileting in schools.International journal of hygiene and environmental health · 2025Crocker J, Walters J, Chipungu J et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114667

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Image: Hand washing bowl.jpg

Show 4 more facts

Commons category: Hygiene
P8168: Zytglogge
title: Hygiene
inception: 3000-00-00

Sources (5)

via Wikidata · CC0

~44 min read

Article

40 sections

Contents

Definition and overview
Home hygiene overview
Hand washing
Respiratory hygiene
Hygiene in the kitchen, bathroom and toilet
Laundry hygiene
Medical hygiene at home
Disinfectants and antibacterials in home hygiene
Personal hygiene
Regular activities
Hygiene of internal ear canals
Oral hygiene
Sleep hygiene
Personal care services hygiene
Hygiene hypothesis and allergies
Medical hygiene
Food hygiene
Hygiene aspects in low- and middle-income countries
Household water treatment and safe storage
History
Asia
China
Japan
Indian subcontinent
Americas
Mesoamerica
United States
Europe
Antiquity
Middle Ages
Modernity
Middle East
Sub-Saharan Africa
Soap and soap makers
Society and culture
Religious hygienic customs
Etymology
See also
References
External links

While often equated with cleanliness in common usage, hygiene is a term encompassing the personal practices and environmental conditions that maintain health and prevent disease.