Handwashing (Hand Washing)
Source:
- Peletz R (2013) Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Interventions to Improve Health among People Living with HIV/AIDS: A Systematic Review. AIDS 27(16): 2593-2601.
Summary:
- People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) are at increased risk of diarrheal disease and enteric infection. This review assesses the effectiveness of WASH interventions to prevent disease among PLHIV. Ten studies met the eligibility criteria and are included in the review, of which nine involved water quality interventions and one involved promotion of hand washing. Among eight studies that reported on diarrhea, water quality interventions and the hand washing intervention were protective against diarrhea. One study reported that household water treatment combined with insecticide treated bednets slowed the progression of HIV and AIDS. The validity of most studies is potentially compromised by methodological shortcomings. No studies assessed the impact of improved water supply or sanitation, the most fundamental of WASH interventions. Despite some evidence that water quality interventions and hand washing are protective against diarrhea, substantial heterogeneity and the potential for bias raise questions about the actual level of protection.
Keywords:
Diarrheal Diseases Evidence Base Handwashing (Hand Washing) Household Water Treatment & Storage People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV)
Source:
- Beyene, H & Hailu, D. 2013. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development Vol 3 No 1, pp 81–85.
Summary:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the water, sanitation, and hygiene status and the knowledge, attitude and practice of home-based care clients of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) regarding water, sanitation and hygiene (WSH). Interviews and observation of WSH facilities were carried out on 331 randomly selected PLWHA in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia. Though the latrine coverage was high, 43% use latrines not easily accessible, 31% use contaminated latrines and 73.4% of the latrines lacked hand-washing facilities. Thirty-four per cent did not have a reliable source of water and 196 (59%) of the households stored water at home for more than one day. Women were more likely to practice personal hygiene as compared to their men counterparts. Although a good level of knowledge and favourable attitudes about WSH related health problems were observed, two-thirds of the participants believed that diarrhoeal infection is not preventable. HIV/AIDS and WSH programmes need to be integrated for better intervention activities in Ethiopia.
Keywords:
Accessing Water Diarrheal Diseases Evidence Base Handwashing (Hand Washing) Home-Based Care Household Water Treatment & Storage People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) Sanitation/Feces Disposal
Source:
- Potgieter N, Mpofu T, Barnard T. 2012. University of Venda. Water and Health Research Unit. University of Johannesburg
Summary:
- Presently very little data is available on how water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructures are affecting the lives of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) in Zimbabwe. Literature has identified a series of linkages between water, sanitation and hygiene and HIV and AIDS. According to UNICEF, a hygienic environment, clean water and adequate sanitation are key factors in preventing opportunistic infections associated with HIV and AIDS, and in the quality of life of people living with the disease. PLWHA are more susceptible to water-related diseases than healthy individuals, and they become sicker from these infections than people with healthy immune systems. There is a need for hygiene education at the household level on the importance of household water storage to prevent contamination and appropriate household water treatment systems, such as filters or disinfectants, to ensure that the water is safe for human consumption. The presence of total coliforms in hand swabs is indicative of inadequate hand washing, especially non-use of soap and disinfectants. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructures and their associated health risks facing PLWHA through detection of pathogenic E. coli in domestic drinking water and on sanitation facilities in and around Bulawayo in Zimbabwe.
Keywords:
Evidence Base Handwashing (Hand Washing) Household Water Treatment & Storage People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) Sanitation/Feces Disposal
Source:
- C-Change, WASHplus. 2012. USAID
Summary:
- Recognizing the importance of safe water, sanitation, and hygiene promotion in protecting and caring for PLHIV, the trend is to integrate WASH improvement into HIV and AIDS policies and programs. As part of its palliative care approach, PEPFAR has developed a preventive care package that summarizes evidence-based interventions for PLHIV and their families in resource-poor settings. The package identifies three key hygiene improvement practices: safe drinking water, washing hands with soap, and safe handling and disposal of feces, and suggests integrating these into all HIV and AIDS programs. This report also outlines ways to integrate sanitation into existing PEPFAR programs, the rationale for doing so, and examples of how countries have integrated sanitation into their HIV programming. Guidelines and tools are available as annexes.
Keywords:
Best Practices and Lessons Learned Evidence Base Handwashing (Hand Washing) Household Water Treatment & Storage People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) PEPFAR Programming Guidance Sanitation/Feces Disposal
Source:
- Roka M. 2012. Sci Total Environ, July 2012.
Summary:
- Gender, educational level and low hygiene were associated with intestinal parasitic infection. When comparing the two groups (HIV-positive and HIV-negative), statistical association between HIV co-infection and infection by Giardia and Entamoeba was found. The findings showed high rates of intestinal parasitic infections in HIV-positive people and in the HIV-negative group, suggesting a closer relationship between sanitary status and living conditions than with immune status.
Keywords:
Diarrheal Diseases Evidence Base Gender Issues Handwashing (Hand Washing) Journal Articles
