Factors influencing personal hygiene practices

Patient and his environment including the bed comprises of patients unit, which needs to be maintained facilitating hygienic environment helping the cure process.

Definition

The word hygiene refers to 'the science of health and its maintenance, the prevention of disease, and sanitary practices'.

Personal Hygiene is the activity of self-care, including bathing and grooming. Care of the skin, hair, nails, mouth, teeth, eyes, ears, nasal cavities, and perineal and genital areas.

Factors influencing personal hygiene practices

Development level : Children learn most of their hygiene practices at home and in their personal environment. They modify their behaviour with other family members. Many of these behaviours stick with them throughout life. The advancing age, hormonal levels and changes in the integumentary system often require hygienic practices.

Cultural background : Norms related to hygiene practices differ from culture to culture. For example, North American culture places a high value on personal cleanliness and people have a habit of bathing daily where as people from other culture mayor may not consider bathing as a daily practice.

Socio economic status : Financial status often affects a person' s ability to purchase hygiene products.

Religion: Some religions observe specific rules related to personal hygiene.

            Health status: Persons who are ill are often unable to attend to personal hygienic activities, either because they

have a low energy supply or a specific physical deficit.