The TED talk by Myriam Sidibe is quite a powerful call for action, as well as an illustration of the link between the field of epidemiology and healthcare emphasis on the individual. The speaker stresses that washing hands with soap is one of the most effective interventions preventing diverse diseases (Sidibe, 2014). Sidibe (2014) notes that hand-washing prevents child diarrhea by half and respiratory infections by third, which is an unprecedented impact. This simple act common for the vast majority of individuals across the globe that is also taken for granted can keep children alive and all age groups healthier.
Washing hands is an example of individual behavioral patterns referring to personal hygiene. Children are taught to wash hands with soap at an early age, and this habit is promoted during their entire academic life (and beyond). At the same time, this individual behavioral pattern has a far-reaching effect related to the field of epidemiology. Various diseases are preventable, and even such a simple intervention as hand-washing can be instrumental in ensuring public health. Each individual can contribute to the prevention of epidemics by maintaining proper hand hygiene. Following hand-washing recommendations is specifically cruicial in communities characterized by a high population density. The most recent COVID pandemics can be seen as an illustration of the relevance of appropriate hand hygiene.
A lot of effort is being made to make sure that people develop the proper hand-washing habit from an early age. The results of this approach can be seen nowadays as people manage to address epidemics of infectious diseases, although some crises (such as COVID-19 pandemics) still happen. Hence, it is clear that each person can have a significant impact on public health and the development of their community and country.
Reference
Sidibe, M. (2014). The simple power of hand-washing [Video]. TED. Web.