A substantial proportion of the total infectious disease burden world-wide is due to person-to-person spread of pathogens within households. A questionnaire-based survey on the determinants of hand-washing with soap and cleaning of household surfaces was conducted in at least 1000 households in each of twelve countries across the world (N = 12,239). A structural equation model of hygiene behaviour and its consequences derived from theory was then estimated on this dataset for both behaviours, using a maximum likelihood procedure. The analysis showed that the frequency of handwashing with soap is significantly related to how automatically it is performed, and whether or not someone is busy, or tired. Surface cleaning was strongly linked to possessing a cleaning routine, the perception that one is living in a dirty environment and that others are doing the behaviour, whether one has a strong sense of contamination, as well as a felt need to keep one's surroundings tidy. Being concerned with good manners is also linked to the performance of both behaviours. This study is the first to identify the role of manners, orderliness and routine on hygiene behaviours globally. Such findings should prove helpful in designing programs to improve domestic hygiene practices.
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Microb Genom
January 2025
Leibniz Institute DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Microbial Genome Research, Braunschweig, Germany.
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View Article and Find Full Text PDFItal J Food Saf
December 2024
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari.
This study aimed to characterize Salmonella and Yersinia enterocolitica detected in fattening pigs in Sardinia, examining genetic similarity and antimicrobial resistance of isolates from farms and slaughterhouses and evaluating carcass hygiene. Environmental samples were collected from six pig farms, and the same pigs were also sampled at the slaughterhouses. Palatine tonsils, mesenteric lymph nodes, colon content, and carcass surface samples were collected and tested for Salmonella and Y.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFScand J Public Health
January 2025
Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Socioeconomic conditions remain an important factor in determining health outcomes in Northern Europe. In this commentary, we argue for evidence-based temperature-related climate adaptation policies in Northern Europe that account for disparities in socioeconomic conditions and aim at universal health coverage. We highlight the role of spatial and occupational disparities in urban areas that can be important factors in increased physical and mental health impacts related to heat and cold.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMJ Nutr Prev Health
November 2024
Centre for Global Child Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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BMJ Nutr Prev Health
August 2024
Department of Nutrition, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
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