Hygiene Materials Research Articles

A "Quıet" need ın the dısaster of the century: a qualıtatıve study on menstrual hygıene management

IntroductionOn February 6, 2023, a devastating earthquake centered in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, affected millions of people, forcing many to live in tent cities. Although menstrual hygiene is a basic need, it is often overlooked in disaster settings. This study aims to explore the problems and experiences related to menstrual hygiene management among women living in tent cities following the earthquake.MethodsThis qualitative study was conducted in June 2023 with 12 women living in tent cities caused by the earthquake. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom. Each interview lasted approximately 30 min. The interviews were analyzed using content analysis, and themes and sub-themes reflecting the women's experiences were identified.ResultsThe content analysis revealed two main themes: "Challenges Related to Menstrual Hygiene" and "Additional Issues Related to the Menstrual Period." The first theme included difficulties accessing materials, problems with disposing of hygiene products, inadequate physical environments, and challenges related to religious rituals. The second theme highlighted changes in menstrual cycles, lack of access to comforting practices, and neglect of personal needs. The findings showed that menstrual hygiene management is an urgent yet often overlooked need during disaster periods.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that menstrual hygiene management is critical in disaster response efforts. Effective menstrual hygiene management is essential for protecting women's privacy and dignity. Healthcare professionals play a vital role in identifying these needs, ensuring the supply of hygiene materials, providing appropriate environments, and offering education to women. Integrating menstrual hygiene management into disaster response plans is crucial for improving women's health and well-being.

A Mixed-Methods Study of the Challenges of Nurses in a Sri Lankan National Hospital in the Provision of Clinical Oral Hygiene Care

Background: There are multiple challenges associated with the provision of quality oral hygiene care by nurses. This study aimed to identify the challenges experienced by nurses in the provision of oral hygiene care at the National Hospital, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Methods: This mixed-method study was conducted among nurses at the National Hospital, Kandy, Sri Lanka, in medical, surgical and intensive care units. Self-administered questionnaires and an interviewer-administered question guide were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from 228 and 30 participants, respectively. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS version 26.0 software (quantitative analysis) and Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework (qualitative analysis). Results: Over threequarters (77.61%) of the participants experienced difficulties in providing oral hygiene care for their patients. The majority (62.18%, n = 97) of them reported that patients’ behaviors and difficulties in movements (physical disability) were the most common challenges they had experienced, while a lack of standardized guidelines, insufficient access to oral hygiene equipment and materials, inadequate supervisory support, overwhelming workloads, staffing shortages, time limitations, and difficulties in securing consistent patient cooperation were lesser challenges. A significant association was found between the participant’s clinical departments and their perception of associated challenges concerning oral hygiene care provision (p = 0.018). There were no significant associations between the educational level (p = 0.720), work experience (p = 0.739), or gender (p = 0.734) of the participants and their perception of challenges associated with performing oral hygiene care. Conclusions: The nurses faced patient-, healthcare professional-, and hospital administration-related challenges, which restricted them from providing effective oral hygiene care. In-service training, awareness programs, standardized protocols, and oral hygiene care instruments and materials to promote the oral health of patients are recommended.

IMPLEMENTASI KREATIVITAS SISWA/I DALAM EDUKASI PENGETAHUAN DASAR PRO-AKTIF ANAK IMIGRAN INDONESIA DI MALAYSIA

The decline in the interest of Indonesian students in learning can threaten the quality of education and human resources that have an important role in the future of the nation. Basic knowledge about civic and cultural education, which should be an important understanding for students, is not in line with expectations, especially for Indonesian students who are abroad. This is exacerbated by the negative effects of unsupervised use of gadgets, which makes students more interested in outside cultures and reluctant to learn about local cultures. In addition, the lack of competence of educators and unattractive learning methods also contribute to the low enthusiasm of students. To overcome this problem, we carry out a learning program by involving students' creativity in proactive basic knowledge education for Indonesian immigrant children at At-Tanzil Fostered School, Malaysia. This program involves 20 Kindergarten students and 7 students in grades 1-2 of Elementary School, and will be held on October 2, 2024 with the Youth.id Team. This program uses a learning approach that provides a space for creativity for students to actively participate in learning, which includes hygiene materials, mathematics, and cultural introduction. This approach is expected to increase students' interest in learning and contribute to the development of more effective and inclusive educational methods.

EXPLORING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HOUSEHOLD SANITATION AND WOMEN’S MENSTRUAL HYGIENE MANAGEMENT IN RURAL ODISHA, INDIA

EXPLORING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HOUSEHOLD SANITATION AND WOMEN’S MENSTRUAL HYGIENE MANAGEMENT IN RURAL ODISHA, INDIA

Spread of infectious diseases by microorganisms present in fomites

Fomites, inanimate objects that can carry infectious agents, play a critical role in the spread of infectious diseases. Despite advances in sanitation and hygiene practices, fomites remain a significant vector for the transmission of various pathogens, particularly in healthcare settings and densely populated environments. This paper reviews the mechanisms by which microorganisms are transmitted through fomites, the types of diseases commonly spread in this way and the factors that influence fomite-based transmission. Strategies for mitigating the risk of fomite-based disease spread are also discussed, highlighting the importance of targeted hygiene interventions, material design and environmental decontamination.

Unveiling disparities: a non-linear decomposition analysis of the gap in menstrual hygiene material use between adolescent women in Aspirational and the remaining districts of India.

This study aimed to investigate the factors contributing to the gap in the use of hygienic materials during menstruation to collect blood among adolescent women between Aspirational and the remaining districts of India. The study sample consisted of 114805 adolescent women (20835 women from 112 Aspirational districts and 93970 women from 595 remaining districts) from the National Family Health Survey-5. Fairlie decomposition was used to identify and measure the factors contributing to the gap in the use of hygienic materials between Aspirational and the remaining districts of India. This study determined that the use of hygienic materials during menstruation varied significantly between Aspirational and the remaining districts. While only 37% of adolescent women used hygienic materials in Aspirational districts, almost 52% did so in the remaining districts. Seventy-five per cent of Aspirational districts (84 of 112 districts) reported less than 50% use of hygienic materials, which is lower than the national average and the average of the remaining districts. It was revealed that nearly 90% of the total explained gap between the two groups was accounted for by household wealth, place of residence, exposure to mass media, and education level. Wealth was the main contributor to the gap, explaining about 46% of the difference in hygienic materials use between Aspirational and the remaining districts, followed by the place of residence (18%), exposure to mass media (15%), and education level (11%). Findings suggest that targeted interventions to improve access to hygienic materials among adolescent women in Aspirational districts, particularly those in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh, are necessary. Policy efforts should focus on women from poor households, improving access to education, and expanding mass media exposure in Aspirational districts to reduce the gap in menstrual hygiene practices among adolescent women in India.

“Poor and Dirty”: Unintended consequences in a hygiene material Distribution in Burkina Faso

The practical interrelationships between the African environment and hygiene practices during a pandemic period is a topic of significant importance. Specifically, this research explores the intersection of cultural dynamics and hygiene practices in Burkina Faso, focusing on a recent example of distribution of hygiene materials. It highlights the negative reactions to these foreign interventions, perceived as patronizing and stigmatizing, which underscores the complexities of implementing health initiatives in diverse socio-cultural landscapes. These findings stress the importance of culturally sensitive approaches and greater engagement in public health initiatives like the latrine usage with specific designs for communities.

Surface engineered novel cationic surfactants with enhanced surface adsorption for environmental applications

Surface engineered novel cationic surfactants with enhanced surface adsorption for environmental applications

Menstrual practice needs among college going women in Coimbatore district, India: an analytical cross-sectional study

BackgroundIn India, twenty-five percent of women who menstruate are unable to utilize sanitary methods, and even among those who have access, there are multiple obstacles to achieving proper menstrual hygiene management. The consequences of inadequate menstrual health may extend to affect a girl’s socialisation, empowerment, overall well-being, and even survival. ObjectivesTo estimate the prevalence of unmet menstrual practice needs and its determinants among college going women in Coimbatore district, India. MethodologyA questionnaire based analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 3144 college going women from October 2022 to January 2023. Menstrual Practice Needs Scale (MPNS-36) was used to collect data regarding the unmet needs and their mean scores were compared across socio-demographic variables, menstrual knowledge, and the choice of hygiene material. ResultsThe mean (SD) age of the study population was 19.3 (1.8) years. The prevalence of unmet menstrual practice needs was 62.8% with a mean (SD) MPNS score of 1.8 (0.4). The total MPNS score was low for those currently residing in rural or having a rural hometown. The unmet need was better for those residing in-campus of the educational institute and having educated parents. The socioeconomic class and presence of a personal income also influenced the total MPNS scores significantly (p < 0.05). Menstrual talks with friends before puberty and with friends and family after puberty improved the MPNS scores. Regarding menstrual hygiene methods, modern menstrual methods (MMM), disposable and bio-degradable materials had a lower unmet need. Marital status, freedom to manage expenses, pre-pubertal menstrual talks with family, and total number of family members did not influence the scores of MPNS. Multivariate regression analysis showed that maternal education, menstrual talks with family after puberty, and type of menstrual hygiene method including its disposability were independent predictors of total MPNS scores. ConclusionAddressing unmet menstrual practice needs among college-going women in Coimbatore district necessitates a multifaceted approach encompassing education, access to affordable and sustainable menstrual products, and destigmatization efforts.

Non-Target Screening of Chemicals in Selected Cotton Products by GC/MS and Their Safety Assessment.

Cotton is used for the production of textiles, hygiene and cosmetic materials. During cultivation and technological processes, various types of substances (surfactants, softeners, lubricants, etc.) penetrate cotton, which can have a harmful effect on both the human body and the environment. The aim of this study was to analyze selected cotton products in order to identify the substances contained and to describe the potential possibilities of inducing textile contact dermatitis (CD). The impact of the identified compounds on the aquatic environment was also taken into account. Nine samples of cotton clothing and seven samples of cotton pads from various manufacturers were tested. Samples after extraction using the FUSLE (Focused Ultrasonic Liquid Extraction) technique were analyzed with GC/MS. Qualitative analysis was based on comparing mass spectra with library spectra using the following mass spectra deconvolution programs: MassHunter (Agilent), AMDIS (NIST), and PARADISE (University of Copenhagen). The parameter confirming the identification of the substance was the retention index. Through the non-target screening process, a total of 36 substances were identified, with an average AMDIS match factor of approximately 900 ("excellent match"). Analyzing the properties of the identified compounds, it can be concluded that most of them have potential properties that can cause CD, also due to the relatively high content in samples. This applies primarily to long-chain alkanes (C25-C31), saturated fatty acids, fatty alcohols (e.g., oleyl alcohol), and fatty acid amides (e.g., oleamide). However, there are not many reports describing cases of cotton CD. Information on the identified groups of compounds may be helpful in the case of unexplained sources of sensitization when the skin comes into contact with cotton materials. Some of the identified compounds are also classified as dangerous for aquatic organisms, especially if they can be released during laundering.

The effect of hygienic material use during menstruation on the prevalence of RTIs symptoms among women in India

Background: Every month, healthy adolescent girls and pre-menopausal adult women are impacted by the crucial topic of menstrual hygiene. Menstrual hygiene management is essential to women’s reproductive health. Menstrual product consumption, poor cleaning techniques, and material reuse are examples of suboptimal menstrual health and hygiene. So, the current study was planned to assess the impact of hygienic material use during menstruation on the prevalence of RTIs among women in India. Methods: A cross-sectional, comparative community-based study was conducted in urban and rural areas of Bangalore, India. Study was conducted from December 2023 to March 2024. All female patients in reproductive age group attending RHTC and UHTC OPD were included. Interview method was used to collect data from consented participants on socio demographic details, products used for menstrual hygiene and symptoms suggestive of RTI in last 6 months were collected. Results: A community-based study was conducted in rural and urban field practice area of a medical college in Bangalore. A total of 258 participants attending UHTC and RHTC centres were included from each area. The proportion of participants with RTI symptoms were 62.2%. In current study 20.3% participants reported lower abdominal pain and 18.6% of participants had pain during micturition in past 6 months. Conclusions: Our study’s findings show a direct link between subpar MHM procedures and RTI symptoms. Our results confirm international recommendations for a dual focus on providing suitable absorbent materials and making sure that ambient conditions allow associated hygiene, such as washing, safety, and dignity for women.

SOSIALISASI MENJAGA KEBERSIHAN DIRI (PERSONAL HYGIENE) PADA PANTI ASUHAN ANAK LIORA TERANG

For kids, maintaining personal hygiene is crucial because they often get sick due to not paying attention to it. Personal hygiene is the practice of preserving the health and sanitation of children for their physical and mental well-being. Personal hygiene knowledge must be acquired at an early age. The aim is that the child's knowledge about personal hygiene will become more mature, so that the child will get used to practicing personal hygiene. Apart from that, to increase knowledge about maintaining cleanliness in everyday life. In the process of internalizing personal hygiene behavior, there are several behaviors such as washing hands, bathing, shampooing (washing hair), brushing teeth, cutting nails, and cleaning ears. Presentations were utilized to conduct this activity, group discussions with orphanage children, and continued by providing education about the value of good personal hygiene and methods for practicing it in everyday life. This activity took place with a total of 21 participants. The personal hygiene material presented, includes: the benefits of maintaining personal hygiene, how to practice proper personal hygiene, including hand cleansing, tooth flossing, bathing, shampooing, cutting nails, changing clothes and not sharing personal items with other people. Apart from that, environmental hygiene material was also presented including: keeping the house clean, such as cleaning the floor of the house, not piling up dirty clothes and always changing bed linen regularly.

SOSIALISASI MENJAGA KEBERSIHAN DIRI (PERSONAL HYGIENE) PADA PANTI ASUHAN ANAK LIORA TERANG Socialization Of Maintaining Personal Hygiene For Panti Asuhan Anak Liora Terang

For kids, maintaining personal hygiene is crucial because they often get sick due to not paying attention to it. Personal hygiene is the practice of preserving the health and sanitation of children for their physical and mental well-being. Personal hygiene knowledge must be acquired at an early age. The aim is that the child's knowledge about personal hygiene will become more mature, so that the child will get used to practicing personal hygiene. Apart from that, to increase knowledge about maintaining cleanliness in everyday life. In the process of internalizing personal hygiene behavior, there are several behaviors such as washing hands, bathing, shampooing (washing hair), brushing teeth, cutting nails, and cleaning ears. Presentations were utilized to conduct this activity, group discussions with orphanage children, and continued by providing education about the value of good personal hygiene and methods for practicing it in everyday life. This activity took place with a total of 21 participants. The personal hygiene material presented, includes: the benefits of maintaining personal hygiene, how to practice proper personal hygiene, including hand cleansing, tooth flossing, bathing, shampooing, cutting nails, changing clothes and not sharing personal items with other people. Apart from that, environmental hygiene material was also presented including: keeping the house clean, such as cleaning the floor of the house, not piling up dirty clothes and always changing bed linen regularly.

Analysis of Strategies to Improve Service Provider Hand Hygiene Compliance at Dono Tulungagung Community Health Center

The problem found at the Dono Tulungagung Community Health Center was a decrease in the hand hygiene compliance achievements of health service providers who did not meet the National Health Center Quality Indicator target of 85%. The aim of this research is to analyze strategies for increasing hand hygiene compliance achievements. This research uses a qualitative method with a descriptive analysis approach. Primary data was obtained through direct interviews with sources. The analysis uses fishbone diagrams to identify problems, the USG (Urgency, Seriousness, Growth) method to determine problem priorities and SWOT analysis (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat) to identify strategies in determining intervention plans. Based on the results of the fishbone, USG and SWOT analysis, the implementation strategy that can be implemented is to re-socialize hand hygiene material and the importance of maintaining hand hygiene compliance for all service providers at the Dono Tulungagung Community Health Center and updating posters on each sink wall as a reminder and instructions on how to wash hands correct.

Analysis Of the Elderly and Young People, Food Ration, Hygienic Materials (Republic of Uzbekistan)

a healthy diet is essential at any age, but in old age, it is especially important to avoid the risks associated with heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other chronic ailments. The quantity and quality of food are determined by age, sex and the nature of the work performed.The diet of the elderly differs significantly from that of the young. But a reduced calorie diet should contain a sufficient amount of mineral salts, vitamins, and proteins. The total caloric intake of the daily diet for the elderly should be reduced mainly by animal fats and simple carbohydrates.

Pengenalan Gizi Seimbang serta Pola Hidup Bersih dan Sehat (PHBS) di SDN Jambewungu 01 Bondowoso

This social project aims to open up elementary school students' views regarding nutrition and a Clean and Healthy Lifestyle (PHBS). Apart from that, it aims to change their behavior by implementing PHBS in their daily lives, such as washing their hands regularly, exercising regularly, and throwing rubbish in the right place. Community Service was carried out at SDN Jambewungu 1, Wringin District, Bondowoso Regency with a total of 88 students from grades 1 to 6. The method used is a conventional method which involves presentation, practice and discussion in implementation. The results of community service show that the knowledge and insight of students at SDN Jambewungu 1 increased by 40% regarding their understanding or mastery of nutrition, hygiene and personal health material which we adopted as the main material in service activities.

Evaluation of oral health services and challenges faced by oral health practitioners working in Nyarugenge, Rwanda.

Oral healthcare professionals encounter considerable challenges while providing services to curb the oral disease burden. The aim of this study was to explore the challenges faced by oral health practitioners providing oral health services in Nyarugenge, Rwanda and to appraise the availability and adequacy of oral hygiene equipment, instruments, and materials. This was a cross-sectional concurrent mixed methods study. The quantitative and qualitative parts were independent during data collection and analyses and merged during the interpretation phase. All seven public health facilities and 14 dental professionals working in Nyarugenge were included in the study. Data were collected using an audit checklist and an in-depth interview guide. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data. The interviews were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Most of the dental health professionals were dental therapists (n = 11), women (n = 9), aged 31-40 years (n = 7), and with 11-20 years' experience as oral health practitioners (n = 6). There were five health centers and two hospitals that were audited for equipment, instruments, and materials. The audit of the facilities revealed that most facilities have dental equipment and instruments, but none have adequate preventive dental instruments and materials. Four broad themes emerged from the interviews with the oral health practitioners, namely human resources, supply chain management, patients' oral health awareness and service rendering, and strategic management and administration. The most significant challenges oral health practitioners faced included high dental practitioner/patient ratios, lack of adequate and appropriate equipment and materials, patients' lack of oral health awareness, and a lack of administrative support. Well-established community preventive interventions, such as a mobile oral health App, could reduce the patient/provider ratio by increasing population awareness of oral health and encouraging healthy behaviours. The management of the health facilities should address the human resource challenges and equipment supply chain issues.

Assessment of Hand Hygienic Materials for Nursing Staff at Hospitals with WASPAS Technique and Picture Fuzzy Information

Assessment of Hand Hygienic Materials for Nursing Staff at Hospitals with WASPAS Technique and Picture Fuzzy Information

Production and Distribution of Hygiene Materials in Anatolian Vocational and Technical High Schools during the Covid-19 Pandemic Period: Challenges and Achievements

Bu araştırma COVID-19 salgını sürecinde hijyen malzemesi üreten meslek liselerinde görev yapan okul müdürü ve öğretmenlerinin üretim sürecine yönelik görüşlerini ortaya çıkartmayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu amaçla şu sorulara cevap aranmıştır: Hijyen malzemesi üretiminde görev alan okul müdürü ve öğretmenlere göre (1) Hijyen malzemesi üretiminin hazırlık süreci nasıl yaşanmıştır?; (2) Hijyen malzemesi üretim süreci nasıl yaşanmıştır?; (3) Üretilen hijyen malzemesinin dağıtımı nasıl gerçekleşmiştir?; (4) Hijyen malzemesi üretimi ve dağıtım sürecinde yaşanan zorluklar ve kazanımlar neler olmuştur? Araştırma nitel araştırma deseninde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışma grubunu, ölçüt örnekleme yöntemi ile seçilen dört okul müdür ve dört öğretmen oluşturmaktadır. Araştırma için gereken veri, araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu ile yüz yüze görüşmelerle elde edilmiştir. Elde edilen veri içerik analizi ile analiz edilmiştir. Analiz sonucuna göre, katılımcıların çoğuna görev verildiği için üretime başlamıştır. Katılımcılar hijyen malzemesi üretimine hazırlık, üretim ve dağıtım süreçlerinde çeşitli zorluklar yaşamıştır. Katılımcılar ayrıca deneyim de kazanmıştır. Bu çalışmanın, mesleki teknik Anadolu liselerinin kriz dönemlerinde üretim potansiyelini sergileyebileceğini göstertmesi bakımından önemlidir.

Decomposing the rural–urban gap in hygienic material use during menstruation among adolescent women in India

The use of hygienic materials (sanitary napkins, locally prepared napkins, tampons, and menstrual cups) during menstruation among adolescent women in India has improved over the years, yet a significant rural–urban gap in the usage persists at the national level. This study investigates how this rural-urabn gap varies across different states and union territories (UTs) of India and uses Fairlie decomposition to quantify the contribution of various factors to this gap. The study uses data on 114,805 adolescent women (aged 15–19 years) from the fifith round of National Family Health Survey (2019–21). The utilization of hygienic materials during menstruation among adolescent women in rural India stood at 43%, whereas in urban areas, it was 68%, indicating a significant 25 percentage point (pp) difference between the two. The rural–urban gap in the hygienic material use varied significantly across Indian states and UTs. The gap exceeded 20 pp in Madhya Pradesh (36 pp), Odisha (26 pp), Jammu and Kashmir (25 pp), Assam (25 pp), Uttar Pradesh (23 pp), Jharkhand (22 pp), Chhattisgarh (21 pp), and Rajasthan (21 pp). In contrast, the gap in Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana was less than 10 pp. The decomposition analysis of the rural–urban gap (25 pp) revealed that the variables included in the anlaysis explained about 70% of the gap. The difference in the household wealth between rural and urban areas contributed about 69% of the explained gap. Other significant contributors to the explained gap were ‘transportation to health facility’ (5.6%), ‘mass-media exposure’ (4.9%), and ‘level of education (4.4%). The findings underscore the necessity for state-specific interventions aimed at vulnerable groups, particularly individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, those with lower levels of education, and limited exposure to mass media, in order to reduce the existing rural–urban disparity in hygienic material use among adolescent women.