Cited by 228Child Nutrition and Water AccessFood Safety and HygieneInfection Control in Healthcare

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 78 of the 83 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 28 of the 104 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

Hygiene: new hopes, new horizons

Open access
Curtis, Val, Schmidt, Wolf, Luby, Stephen, Florez, Rocio, Touré, Ousmane, Biran, Adam·2011·The Lancet Infectious Diseases

Abstract

Review on the public health importance of hygiene and behaviour change in low- and middle-income settings.

Overview

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/s1473-3099(10)70224-3

Cites

78 of 78 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

43 No full text of the sources · 28 No basis given · 22 Own interpretation · 14 Partly supported · 11 Supported · 11 Sources not found · 5 Own result · 2 Not checked yet · 2 Own method · 1 Supported so far · accuracy not yet measured

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 45
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 28
63 of 63
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    The handwashing data from the 11-country article and the Bangladesh survey are a good guide to handwashing with soap at key moments in developing countries.

    “If these figures are a good guide, less than one in six children in developing countries is protected from disease by handwashing with soap at key moments.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Most sanitation and water supply programme implementers seek to improve hygiene alongside hardware but rarely have the resources and professional support to do this effectively.

    “Although most sanitation and water supply programme implementers seek to improve hygiene alongside hardware, they rarely have the resources and professional support needed to do this effectively.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Too few health professionals are engaged in programmes to promote hygiene.

    “Health professionals recognise the need for better hygiene, but too few are actually engaged in programmes to promote it.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    The true effect of hygiene promotion on disease in low-income settings may be smaller than studies suggest.

    “Even if the true effect on disease in low-income settings is smaller than studies suggest, hygiene improvements will likely have an effect on disease control at large scale.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The standard approach to hygiene promotion has until recently been educational.

    “The standard approach to hygiene promotion, whether through schools, clinics, or health outreach programmes, has, until recently, been educational.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Knowledge about possible long-term health effects does not necessarily translate into practice.

    “However, knowledge about possible long-term health effects does not necessarily translate into practice.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    PHAST has become the predominant model among non-government organisations in the past two decades.

    “In the past two decades an approach known as PHAST (participatory hygiene and sanitation transformation) has become the predominant model among non-government organisations.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    PHAST is mostly an educational approach, heavily reliant on trained facilitators, and difficult to implement on a large scale.

    “Although it is an imaginative attempt to involve communities in solving their own hygiene problems, PHAST is mostly an educational approach, is heavily reliant on the skills of trained facilitators, and is difficult to implement on a large scale.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    There are no rigorously collected data to support the effectiveness of PHAST programmes.

    “There are no rigorously collected data to support the effectiveness of PHAST programmes”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Some evidence from Tanzania and Uganda indicates that PHAST has limited effect on hygiene behaviour.

    “some evidence from Tanzania and Uganda indicates that the approach has limited effect on hygiene behaviour.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Evidence of effect of school hygiene programmes is scarce.

    “Although evidence of effect is scarce”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The Global Public–Private Partnership for Handwashing with Soap has been building coalitions and national programmes in over 17 developing countries.

    “the Global Public–Private Partnership for Handwashing with Soap (PPP-HW) has been building coalitions and national programmes in over 17 developing countries.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Good preliminary results were achieved after 1 year of programme activities in Ghana.

    “Good preliminary results were achieved after 1 year of programme activities in Ghana”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The PPP-HW model is convincing and innovative enough to have attracted substantial funds.

    “the model is convincing and innovative enough to have attracted substantial funds”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Questions about the effectiveness of PPP-HW remain.

    “but questions about effectiveness remain.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    In Ghana, Peru, and Senegal public health authorities and soap companies were not always easy bedfellows.

    “In Ghana, Peru, and Senegal public health authorities and soap companies were not always easy bedfellows”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    National partnerships can be hard to sustain for longer than just one campaign.

    “national partnerships can be hard to sustain for longer than just one campaign.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Gathering rigorous public domain evidence about the effectiveness of large-scale handwashing promotion efforts is proving challenging.

    “gathering such data is proving challenging, especially when interventions cannot be centrally controlled because they depend on the goodwill of various partners.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Unilever has made handwashing part of the social mission of the Lifebuoy brand and has pledged to bring handwashing to one billion people by 2012.

    “Unilever, for example, has made handwashing part of the social mission of the Lifebuoy brand and has pledged to bring handwashing to one billion people by 2012.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Local soap companies such as GeTrade in Ghana are also contributing their efforts.

    “Local soap companies such as GeTrade in Ghana are also contributing their efforts.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Far more is known about hygiene now than a decade ago.

    “Far more is known about hygiene now than a decade ago.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Hygiene features seldom in international public health efforts.

    “hygiene features so seldom in international public health efforts.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Health workers will continue to use outdated methods and health education approaches that are demotivating because they are ineffective.

    “otherwise they will continue to use outdated methods and health education approaches that are demotivating because they are ineffective.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    We know enough to act now, but gaps in our knowledge exist.

    “although we know enough to act now, gaps in our knowledge exist.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Investment in hygiene still remains low.

    “although investment still remains low”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The topic of hygiene is moving up the political agenda.

    “the topic of hygiene is moving up the political agenda.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Inspired advocacy events, such as the Global Handwashing Day organised by the Global PPP-HW, have enhanced the global profile of hygiene.

    “Inspired advocacy events, such as the Global Handwashing Day organised by the Global PPP-HW, have enhanced the global profile of hygiene.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Creating the framework for policy building is challenging given competition for attention in the relevant ministries, their limited human and logistic resources, and shortage of skills.

    “Creating this framework is challenging given competition for attention in the relevant ministries, their limited human and logistic resources, and shortage of skills.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    These problems are often worst in the remote and poverty-stricken areas that would benefit most from improved hygiene.

    “These problems are often worst in the remote and poverty-stricken areas that would benefit most from improved hygiene.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Training in up-to-date methods of communication is lacking at all levels in health ministries.

    “Training in up-to-date methods of communication is lacking at all levels in health ministries.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Funding such skills development has not been a priority for donors in recent years.

    “funding such skills development has, unfortunately, not been a priority for donors in recent years.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Marketing expertise from the private sector has been helping to fill the skills gap.

    “Marketing expertise from the private sector has been helping to fill the skills gap”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The interface between programmes and health research is problematic.

    “The interface between programmes and health research is also problematic”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Local universities are the obvious institutions for designing and evaluating hygiene promotion programmes, but very few have that capacity at present.

    “Local universities are the obvious institutions for designing and evaluating hygiene promotion programmes, but very few have that capacity at present.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Large-scale engineering programmes are rarely equipped to handle the behavioural side of development.

    “large-scale engineering programmes are rarely equipped to handle what they call the software (ie, the behavioural) side of development.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Decentralised authorities and non-government organisations are often willing to implement hygiene promotion, but rarely have the specific expertise or capacity to develop the approaches themselves.

    “Such agencies are often willing to implement hygiene promotion, but rarely have the specific expertise or capacity to develop the approaches themselves.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Simple technologies, such as water-saving taps, nappies, potties, and child-friendly toilets, can help families to live more hygienically.

    “simple technologies, such as water-saving taps, nappies, potties, and child-friendly toilets, can help families to live more hygienically”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Little effort has been made to develop and market hygiene-helping products that are appropriate for the consumers with low income.

    “little effort has been made to develop and market hygiene-helping products that are appropriate for the consumers with low income.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    All of the hygiene practices we have discussed have been neglected relative to the efforts for malaria or HIV research.

    “all of the hygiene practices we have discussed have been neglected relative to the efforts for malaria or HIV research.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    There is no evidence to indicate whether the practice of using animal dung to smooth floors and walls is injurious to family health.

    “there is no evidence to indicate whether the practice of using animal dung to smooth floors and walls (common in Asia) is injurious to family health.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Most schools in developing countries still do not have sanitation and hygiene facilities.

    “most schools in developing countries still do not have sanitation and hygiene facilities”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Health centres, hospitals, maternity facilities, workplaces, and public institutions still cannot offer water and soap to their users.

    “health centres, hospitals, maternity facilities, workplaces, and public institutions still cannot offer water and soap to their users.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Birth attendants and outreach workers are not always trained to wash hands with soap and do not systematically promote handwashing and hygiene to mothers.

    “birth attendants and outreach workers are not always trained to wash hands with soap and do not systematically promote handwashing and hygiene to mothers.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    In the next 5–10 years we have a window of opportunity to develop the high impact programmes which will bring about mass scale changes.

    “In the next 5–10 years we have a window of opportunity to develop the high impact programmes which will bring about mass scale changes.”
44 of 44

Citations

Cites

Show all 83 references

Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. Scott, 2007, Marketing hygiene behaviours: the impact of different communications channels on reported handwashing behaviour of women in Ghana, Health Educ Res, 22, 225
  2. Curtis, 2003, Effect of washing hands with soap on diarrhoea risk in the community: a systematic review, Lancet Infect Dis, 3, 275, 10.1016/S1473-3099(03)00606-6 · DOI · Paper page
  3. Biran, 2005, Formative research for hygiene promotion in Kyrgyzstan, Health Pol Plan, 20, 213, 10.1093/heapol/czi024 · DOI
  4. Curtis, 2001, Evidence for behaviour change following a hygiene promotion programme in West Africa, Bull World Health Organ, 79, 518
  5. Bolam, 1998, The effects of postnatal health education for mothers on infant care and family planning practices in Nepal: a randomised controlled trial, BMJ, 316, 805, 10.1136/bmj.316.7134.805 · DOI · Paper page

Cited by

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Metadata

Authors
Curtis, V., Schmidt, W., Luby, S., Florez, R., Touré, O., & Biran, A.
Affiliations
  • London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (GB)
  • International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research (BD)
  • Ministère de la Santé et de l'Hygiène Publique (ML)
Corresponding author
Curtis, Val
Venue
The Lancet Infectious Diseases
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-04
Volume
11
Issue
4
Pages
312-321
ISSN
1473-3099 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2166713712
Cited by
228
References
83
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 24 · 2012: 14
FWCI
2.09
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Lancet Infectious Diseases (publishedVersion, public-domain)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Food Safety and Hygiene
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Infection Control in Healthcare
Keywords
hygiene promotion, hand washing, hygiene behaviour change, food hygiene, social norms, water and sanitation, infectious disease prevention, developing countries
MeSH terms
Communicable Disease Control, Communicable Diseases, Humans, Hygiene, Public Health

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