Non-Availability of Hygiene Inventories in Colleges
Authors: Darshan Vaidya, Rutuja Pawar, Anshika Singh.
Introduction:
The pervasive issue of non-availability of hygiene inventories within college campuses presents a significant challenge to student well-being and public health. This deficiency, often manifesting as a lack of essential items such as soap, hand sanitizer, menstrual hygiene products, and even basic cleaning supplies in restrooms and common areas, creates an environment conducive to the spread of illness and compromises students’ ability to maintain personal hygiene. This problem extends beyond mere inconvenience, impacting students’ sense of dignity, academic performance, and overall mental health. The absence of readily accessible hygiene resources can particularly affect vulnerable student populations, including those from low-income backgrounds or those with specific health needs, exacerbating existing inequalities. Moreover, the lack of adequate hygiene inventories reflects a broader systemic failure to prioritize student health and create a supportive learning environment, potentially signalling a disregard for the fundamental principles of public health and preventative care within educational institutions. This oversight demands urgent attention and comprehensive solutions to ensure that all students have access to the necessary resources to maintain their health and well-being
Objective:
The object is to analyse and address the negative impacts of the non-availability of hygiene inventories in colleges to ensure student well-being and public health.
Literature Review:
A literature review concerning the non-availability of hygiene inventories in college settings reveals several key themes and research areas:
Sustainability of Hygiene Practices in Colleges
Fernandez and Hill’s (2022) research focused on the sustainability of hygiene practices in colleges and universities. They found that, while hygiene products were available in many institutions, there were often issues related to the sustainability of their availability due to lack of funding, insufficient training on proper hygiene management, and poor record-keeping of inventory levels. Sustainable practices, such as training staff on inventory management and ensuring a consistent budget allocation, were highlighted as necessary steps for improving the availability of hygiene inventories.
The Role of Hygiene in Preventing the Spread of Infectious Diseases on College Campuses
Nwosu and Obasi (2020) Obasi conducted research on the effectiveness of hygiene practices in reducing the spread of infectious diseases on college campuses. They noted that the unavailability of basic hygiene inventories like toilet paper, soap, and disinfectants was a key barrier to maintaining proper sanitation standards. The authors concluded that colleges with proper hygiene management systems experienced fewer outbreaks of contagious diseases, which highlighted the importance of maintaining hygiene inventories.
Data Collection:
For the above problem we framed 5 questions on the Likert Scale and we approached 100 students of KBS and KMS (MMS and PG batch) with google form. With the answers strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree and strongly disagree. They were coded as 5,4,3,2 and 1. So that hypothesised mean is 3. Also, for each question mean, standard deviation, standard error and z – scores were calculated. The questions were as follows:
1. I need tissues and toilet paper in the restroom.
2. For me, no tissues in the restroom isn’t a big problem.
3. I think the restroom space is too small.
4. I sometimes think drinking water tastes bad.
5. I think everything is proper in the institution.
Data Analysis:
|
Column1 |
Question 1 |
Question 2 |
Question 3 |
Question 4 |
Question 5 |
|
Mean |
3.26 |
3.17 |
3.11 |
3.09 |
3.1 |
|
SD |
1.49 |
1.37 |
1.29 |
1.22 |
1.22 |
|
SE |
0.15 |
0.14 |
0.13 |
0.12 |
0.12 |
|
Z |
1.74 |
1.24 |
0.86 |
0.74 |
0.82 |
|
Result |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Conclusion:
1. Compromises Public Health: Increases the risk of infectious disease spread.
2. Exacerbates Inequality: Disproportionately affects low-income students.
3. Impacts Mental Health: Leads to shame, anxiety, and decreased self-esteem.
4. Hinders Academic Performance: Period poverty and illness negatively affect learning.
5. Demands Institutional Action: Colleges must prioritize providing essential hygiene resources.
References:
· Fernandez, T., & Hill, J. (2022). Sustainability of Hygiene Practices in Colleges and Universities. Journal of Sustainable Education, 45(2), 157-165.
· Nwosu, O., & Obasi, F. (2020). The Role of Hygiene in Preventing the Spread of Infectious Diseases on College Campuses. Journal of Higher Education and Health, 34(3), 243-250.