title: Hygiene status of rural communities in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
abstract: A descriptive study was conducted to determine hygiene status of rural communities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, using a purposive sample of 145 villagers: 71 male and 74 female. Participants were divided into 14 groups (by community) and group interviews were conducted with them. Communities neither had enough water (92.9%) nor treated drinking water (71.4%); sizeable numbers did not store drinking water safely; threw waste water away (92.9%) and solid waste in the rubbish pit (78.6%); where there are no toilets, they relieved themselves in the veld; children <12 years generally did not use toilets (71.4%). Communities washed hands after changing baby's nappy (78.6%), before handling food (57.1%), before eating (50.0%), after a visit to the toilet (92.9%), after touching animals (57.1%) and when they wake up (92.9%); and did not take a full body wash daily (71.4%). The results have implications for policy-makers, programme planners, academics and practitioners in the field.
authors.affiliation: Human Sciences Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa. nphaswanamafuya@hsrc.ac.za
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Phaswana-Mafuya
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D008297:Male; D011050:Policy Making; D012424:Rural Population; D012499:Sanitation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D013019:South Africa; D014881:Water Supply