Sanitation and hand washing behavior of urban slum dwellers in Vellore Corporation of Tamil Nadu, India: during coronavirus disease

ABSTRACT

Objectives: This study examines the sanitation and hand-washing behavior of slum dwellers before coronavirus disease 2019 (pre-COVID-19) and during the COVID-19 period. The study also examines health-seeking behavior. Materials and Methods: Purposive sampling method was used to select the study area and household. Out of 49 registered slums in the Vellore municipality corporation, three slums were selected, which represent the highest number of slum households. The names of the urban slum settlement were Salavanpet, Old Town, and Makkan. After selecting the study areas, households were selected on snowball techniques through telephonic conversation with a structured interview schedule. The total samples were 75 households. The study period was from June 2021 to August 2021. Results: The study shows that Vellore has the 18th highest number of positive COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu. This study found that regular wage incomes in urban slum dwellers have been severely affected by COVID-19 lockdowns. The majority of households without a toilet in slums have used open defecation during COVID-19. Hand washing behaviors for people living in the urban slums have increased during the COVID-19 than the pre- COVID-19 pandemic. This study found that middle-aged (age 31–40 years) people’s habit of hand washing as a precautionary measure against coronavirus disease increased during COVID-19 compared with pre-COVID-19. Suggestion and Conclusion: The study suggests that improving hand-washing habits could aid in the prevention of the COVID-19 virus and other illnesses and suggests advancing hand washing habits after the pandemic as basic protective measures, which continues to remain essential in urban areas.