New Essity research identifies the biggest threats to people’s well-being

Essiy has conducted its Global Hygiene and Health Survey2022, which focuses on the future of well-being as well as the knowledge gap around issues of hygiene and health. The findings are based on responses from more than 15,000 people around the world, with the aim of finding healthier solutions for future generations.

By comparing people’s current behaviors and attitudes towards well-being with the way they would like to live in the future, several gaps were identified in areas such as personal care, caring for others, health concerns and sustainable consumption.

“The world is evolving and changing in rapid speed. New pandemics and other global challenges affect our health and well-being. We have conducted this survey as we want progress for people’s well-being and raise awareness of the importance of hygiene and health and its link to well-being. Also, by looking at the future of well-being we aim to break barriers for well-being and find solutions for a healthier next generation”, says Joséphine Edwall Björklund, Senior Vice President, Communications at Essity.

One of the areas surveyed is public spaces, and when it comes to hygiene standards in these places, only one in four respondents said they feel comfortable in public bathrooms and three in ten in public transport. Out of these, seniors are most uncomfortable with hygiene standards in public spaces, especially in washrooms – only 13% of people aged 66-80 years old claim to feel comfortable about hygiene standards in these venues.

A majority also expressed higher expectations on the hygiene standards in public bathrooms after COVID-19. Furthermore, there are higher demands on the cleanliness, accessibility and smart solutions such as connected washroom devices.

Improving hygiene standards in public places may also have other positive effects. According to the study, 38% of respondents said it would make the biggest difference in helping to stop the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Besides poor hygiene standards in public spaces and global health threats, lack of knowledge is another concern related to the future of well-being. When asked a set of 12 common myths about health and hygiene, an average of one in two (51%) answered wrong or don’t know.

Another aggravating factor is that there are still stigmas attached to some areas. For example, 10% of people going through menopause say they avoid talking about it. Lack of knowledge and dialogue can easily result in a reluctance to discuss health and hygiene, making conditions such as menopause taboo.

“The survey results shows that accessible health care, education and dialogues are areas that all need to be addressed to improve health for both societies and individuals. For many years Essity has been educating about the importance of personal well-being and preventive care, often through partnerships with organizations such as UNICEF in Mexico to raise awareness on a global scale. We will maintain our focus on providing smart solutions that contribute to personal and public health and hygiene, as well as continue to talk about personal hygiene conditions to break stigmas and taboos. We encourage other actors to join us in our efforts”, comments Joséphine Edwall Björklund.

As an example, since 2016, Essity and its feminine care brand in Mexico, Saba, are collaborating with UNICEF ​​to increase dialogue about menstruation and hygiene issues among the country’s youth, reaching 7.5 million people.

In 2019, the partnership expanded to the “Hygiene is our Right” campaign, encompassing Essity’s Tork brand with the aim of educating students and teachers in Mexico City about the importance of good hand hygiene, breaking taboos around menstruation and strengthen standards and guidelines to support good hygiene and health in schools. The partnership was extended for another three years in June 2022, after a further 200,000 people, including 42,000 students and nearly 3,200 teachers all over Mexico was benefited from the partnership.