ligiene

Ligiene is the practice and science dedicated to preserving health by preventing illness through cleanliness, sanitation, and health-promoting behaviors. It covers personal practices as well as domestic, occupational, environmental, and public health measures, forming a core part of preventive medicine and community health.

Personal ligiene includes regular handwashing, bathing, dental care, nail hygiene, and appropriate use of clothing and footwear. Domestic and environmental ligiene involves access to clean water, proper waste management, safe housing, good indoor air quality, pest control, and measures to reduce exposure to environmental hazards. Food ligiene encompasses safe handling, storage, preparation, cooking, and prevention of contamination and foodborne diseases. Occupational ligiene focuses on reducing exposure to physical, chemical, and biological hazards in the workplace. Public ligiene includes disease surveillance, vaccination programs, health education, infection control in healthcare settings, and policies that promote safe sanitation and hygiene practices at the community level.

Historically, ligiene has evolved from early sanitation practices in ancient civilizations to modern public health approaches informed by germ theory. The 19th and 20th centuries saw major improvements in water supply, sewage systems, vaccination, and workplace hygiene, contributing to substantial declines in infectious diseases.

Standards and measurement are guided by national health agencies and international bodies such as the World Health Organization. Indicators commonly used include access to safe water and sanitation, handwashing adherence, and the incidence of hygiene-related diseases. Ongoing challenges include resource constraints, urbanization, climate change, misinformation, and emerging health threats, alongside advances in vaccination, clean technologies, and health promotion.