Cleaning Bharat (India): A Scoping Review of Perceptions Regarding How Swachh Bharat Can Continue to Improve Hygiene Across the Nation

The spread of diarrheal disease is a major public health problem, and a lack of proper sanitation is an important contributor to this. In 2014, Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) was initiated by the Government of Bharat (India) to improve sanitation across the entirety of the country; SBM has received worldwide praise for its success, and it is now being expanded further. For the purposes of guiding the ongoing implementation of SBM, and to determine where it has or has not been successful, the objective of this scoping review was to determine the perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes of individuals regarding SBM. After screening of 5454 research articles across seven databases, nine total articles were eligible for inclusion in this review. Numerous key themes emerged: many chose to greatly praise SBM for its past successes, individuals felt that mass media should continue to be used to raise awareness, that mindsets and a lack of awareness continue to serve as barriers to change, and that addressing inadequate waste disposal and waste segregation should be a very high priority to ensure cleanliness in Bharat. The findings of this review can guide policymakers, government workers, non-governmental organizations, and researchers in ensuring that the continual development of SBM in its second phase and beyond successfully achieve its aims.