Historical evolution of body hygiene: from ancient to modern societies

Abstract

The general aim of inquiry is to study the evolution of corporal hygiene holistically from ancient times to the present. As specific aims we considered: 1-to describe the health consequences of trends in corporal hygiene of modern societies; 2- to describe the role of modern nursing in corporal hygiene care. Methodology and sources: an integrative review was conducted in Medline / Pubmed, Scielo and Lilacs data and a documentation Reverse Search, obtaining a total of 30 jobs. Daily personal hygiene habits have changed considerably throughout history. In ancient Greece and Rome the bathroom acquired social expression and entertainment in addition to therapeutic, and its etymological root is derived from the Greek goddess of health “Hygieia”. In medieval times personal hygiene deserved only an aesthetic importance linking the disease with pobredumbre air, as in the Renaissance where the phantasmagoria around the bathroom also arises. In the nineteenth century, and advances in microbiology, the hygienist movement emerged also enriching hygiene as a concept. Currently developed societies achieve high levels of personal hygiene which recent research suggests that may be counterproductive to health, reconsidering what the best personal hygiene habits based on scientific evidence.

Keywords

• Higiene Corporal
• Evolución Cultural
• Atención de Enfermería
• Historia Cultural.