Vol. 2, Issue 1, Part A (2025)

Access to sanitation and hygiene is a cornerstone of public health, yet low-resource communities across the globe continue to face significant challenges in maintaining basic sanitary conditions. In such settings, Community Health Nurses (CHNs) play a pivotal role in promoting hygiene practices, preventing disease outbreaks, and improving overall health literacy. This review paper comprehensively examines various sanitation and hygiene interventions implemented in low-resource communities, with a particular focus on the roles and strategies employed by community health nurses. The paper explores global and regional data on hygiene-related morbidity and mortality, common barriers to effective sanitation interventions, and evidence-based nursing practices that have proven successful. Using a broad spectrum of peer-reviewed literature, government reports, and WHO guidelines, this review synthesizes findings on hand hygiene promotion, menstrual hygiene management, latrine usage behavior, and water sanitation strategies. It critically analyzes challenges such as cultural resistance, infrastructure deficits, and lack of intersectoral coordination, while also showcasing successful models from Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. The contribution of CHNs in health education, household engagement, school outreach, and behavior change communication emerges as a consistent and effective tool for change. The review concludes with recommendations for strengthening nurse-led hygiene interventions, scaling up community-based sanitation models, and integrating hygiene promotion into national public health agendas. This study affirms that empowering community health nurses is essential for advancing sustainable hygiene practices in marginalized communities, and it offers a roadmap for policy-makers and health institutions aiming to reduce hygiene-related disease burdens globally.