Economist Intelligence Unit Report Calls for More Diverse Hygiene Research

LONDON, Feb. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Economist Intelligence Unit has published a report entitled 'A life-course approach to hygiene: understanding burden and behavioural changes'. Sponsored by the Reckitt Global Hygiene Institute, this report uses a life-course approach to examine the burden, challenges, and opportunities of specific infectious diseases and hygiene challenges at four key life stages – Childhood and hygiene: a focus on diarrhoea; Adolescence and hygiene: a focus on menstrual hygiene; Adults and hygiene: a focus on slums; and Older people and hygiene: a focus on respiratory hygiene.

COVID-19 has brought hygiene, and, more specifically, the role it can play in our health, into sharp focus and further reinforced the fact that prevention is better than cure. However, despite hygiene being the preventive component of the global fight against infectious diseases it has languished as a minority scientific and political interest for decades.

One of the key findings of the EIU Report is the need for more diverse hygiene research across the globe – the RGHI aims to address this. Established with the mission of enabling and accelerating a portfolio of hygiene science to improve public health through better outcomes and behaviors.

Simon Sinclair, Executive Director, RGHI said: "The RGHI was set up as a catalyst for change. However, the touchstone for behavioural change must be solid, robust, and well-founded scientific evidence as outlined in the EIU report.  The COVID pandemic has been marred by disputes about the evidence on which public health recommendations were based. To move forward we need to be humble about what we know, and what we do not."

To fill the gaps in science-based evidence around hygiene, the RGHI was launched with a $25 million grant from Reckitt Benckiser.

The RGHI Expert Panel will also play a guiding role in the RGHI Fellowship Programme determining specific areas for research by promising early career academics. The first fellowships will be awarded this year.

Dr. Sinclair continued: "Hygiene, and its impact on health, is an issue which affects us all – COVID-19 is a perfect example of that. It is also a complex area that is fraught with social and cultural nuances. Lack of infrastructure, consumer beliefs and economic value are all elements that will play a role in how we effect change."

Notes to editors:

1.  Download a copy of the report

SOURCE Reckitt Global Hygiene Institute