Improvement of Personal Hygiene

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 29 views

Introduction

Diarrhea is one of the most common public health problems in developing countries, including Indonesia. According to data from the Medan Belawan District Health Center, there were 2,542 cases of diarrhea in 2019, 323 cases in 2020, and 73 cases from January to August 2021. Interestingly, during the pandemic period, there was no increase or decrease in the number of cases of diarrhea detected. This study aims to analyze the relationship between personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, and diarrhea events in Prakania groups in Medan Belawan District, especially in Belawan I, Belawan II, and Bagan Deli.

Background of the Study

Diarrhea is a major public health problem in developing countries, including Indonesia. It is estimated that diarrhea is responsible for approximately 1.5 million deaths per year, mostly among children under the age of 5. In Indonesia, diarrhea is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, particularly among children and the elderly. The high incidence of diarrhea in Indonesia is attributed to various factors, including poor personal hygiene, inadequate environmental sanitation, and lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities.

Methodology

This study used a descriptive research design with a sampling technique called Convecutive Sampling. A total of 113 respondents were selected from the Prakania group in Medan Belawan District. The respondents were selected based on their willingness to participate in the study and their availability to provide information. The data collection instrument used in this study was a questionnaire that consisted of questions related to personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, and diarrhea events.

Results

The results of this study showed that the respondent's personal hygiene level was classified as poor, with 66.4% of them not complying with the recommended cleanliness standards. In addition, the clean water supply facility was in moderate risk (85.8%), while latrine conditions were also at moderate risk (92.9%). Management of landfills showed bad results with 94.7%, and very poor wastewater disposal facilities reaching 100%. Prakania people who have experienced diarrhea in the past month reached 54.9%.

Discussion

The results of this study indicate that there is a significant relationship between personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, and diarrhea events in Prakania groups in Medan Belawan District. The poor personal hygiene level of the respondents, including hand hygiene and nail hygiene, is a major risk factor for diarrhea. The inadequate environmental sanitation, including the lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities, also contributes to the high incidence of diarrhea.

Conclusion

Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that the Prakania group can apply clean and healthy living behavior with more discipline, including the practice of washing hands using soap and running water, and cutting nails at least once a week. This behavior is expected to reduce the risk of diarrhea and improve overall health. Education and socialization about the importance of personal hygiene and environmental sanitation is also very necessary to support efforts to prevent disease in this community.

Recommendations

Improvement of Personal Hygiene: The Prakania group should improve their personal hygiene practices, including hand hygiene and nail hygiene.
Environmental Sanitation: The Prakania group should improve their environmental sanitation, including the provision of clean water and sanitation facilities.
Education and Socialization: Education and socialization about the importance of personal hygiene and environmental sanitation should be conducted to support efforts to prevent disease in this community.
Health Promotion: Health promotion activities should be conducted to raise awareness about the importance of personal hygiene and environmental sanitation.

Limitations of the Study

This study has several limitations, including:

Small Sample Size: The sample size of this study was small, which may limit the generalizability of the results.
Self-Reported Data: The data collected in this study was self-reported, which may be subject to bias.
Limited Scope: This study only focused on the Prakania group in Medan Belawan District, which may limit the generalizability of the results to other communities.

Future Research Directions

Future research should focus on:

Large-Scale Study: A large-scale study should be conducted to confirm the findings of this study.
Longitudinal Study: A longitudinal study should be conducted to examine the relationship between personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, and diarrhea events over time.
Intervention Study: An intervention study should be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of education and socialization programs in improving personal hygiene and environmental sanitation practices.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of personal hygiene and environmental sanitation in preventing diarrhea events in Prakania groups in Medan Belawan District. The results of this study indicate that there is a significant relationship between personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, and diarrhea events. The recommendations of this study should be implemented to improve the health and well-being of the Prakania group.

Q: What is the main objective of this study?

A: The main objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, and diarrhea events in Prakania groups in Medan Belawan District.

Q: What is the significance of this study?

A: This study is significant because it highlights the importance of personal hygiene and environmental sanitation in preventing diarrhea events in Prakania groups in Medan Belawan District.

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

A: The key findings of this study include:

The respondent's personal hygiene level was classified as poor, with 66.4% of them not complying with the recommended cleanliness standards.
The clean water supply facility was in moderate risk (85.8%), while latrine conditions were also at moderate risk (92.9%).
Management of landfills showed bad results with 94.7%, and very poor wastewater disposal facilities reaching 100%.
Prakania people who have experienced diarrhea in the past month reached 54.9%.

Q: What are the recommendations of this study?

A: The recommendations of this study include:

Improvement of personal hygiene practices, including hand hygiene and nail hygiene.
Improvement of environmental sanitation, including the provision of clean water and sanitation facilities.
Education and socialization about the importance of personal hygiene and environmental sanitation.
Health promotion activities to raise awareness about the importance of personal hygiene and environmental sanitation.

Q: What are the limitations of this study?

A: The limitations of this study include:

Small sample size.
Self-reported data.
Limited scope.

Q: What are the future research directions?

A: The future research directions include:

Large-scale study to confirm the findings of this study.
Longitudinal study to examine the relationship between personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, and diarrhea events over time.
Intervention study to evaluate the effectiveness of education and socialization programs in improving personal hygiene and environmental sanitation practices.

Q: What are the implications of this study?

A: The implications of this study are that personal hygiene and environmental sanitation are critical factors in preventing diarrhea events in Prakania groups in Medan Belawan District. The study highlights the need for education and socialization programs to improve personal hygiene and environmental sanitation practices.

Q: What are the policy implications of this study?

A: The policy implications of this study are that governments and health organizations should prioritize education and socialization programs to improve personal hygiene and environmental sanitation practices. They should also invest in infrastructure development to provide clean water and sanitation facilities.

Q: What are the future implications of this study?

A: The future implications of this study are that it can inform policy and program development to improve public health outcomes in Prakania groups in Medan Belawan District. It can also inform research on the relationship between personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, and diarrhea events in other communities.