Educational Practices in Hygiene and Sanitation as a Sustainable Strategy for the Prevention of Geohelminthiases: A Literature Review ^†

Introduction: Geohelminthiases are parasitic infections transmitted through helminth eggs present in soil, water, and food. They predominantly affect vulnerable communities with inadequate basic sanitation. This abstract aims to highlight educational practices in hygiene and basic sanitation as preventive and sustainable strategies. Methodology: This is a literature review using the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) and the National Library of Medicine (PubMed). The descriptors “helminthiasis,” “health education,” and “basic sanitation” were applied to search for articles published between 2024 and 2025, in Portuguese and English. Results: Health education emphasizes the active role of humans as both hosts and disseminators of helminths within communities and the environment. Awareness of personal hygiene enables individuals to recognize their own vulnerability and responsibility in the disease cycle, as well as the potential of hygiene practices to interrupt transmission. This fosters a sense of shared responsibility, encouraging safe and regular hygiene habits that promote individual and collective safety. Sanitation practices underscore the link between parasitic infections and environmental conditions, promoting proper management of natural resources and waste to combat parasitic agents. These practices enhance human awareness of the interdependence between public health and planetary health, reinforcing that basic sanitation is both a collective right and a social responsibility aimed at environmental sustainability. Conclusions: Personal hygiene and basic sanitation are key social and environmental determinants of health, empowering communities to achieve improved quality of life.