Americans Get Low Marks On Hygiene

Survey Doles Out Grade Of C-Minus, Saying Americans Are Losing Ground On Hand-Washing

(WebMD)  It's a simple but powerful message: Wash your hands to prevent the spread of disease. But how many of us heed that message?

Apparently, not enough.

The Soap and Detergent Association is out with its 4th Clean Hands Report, and it gives Americans a C-minus.

That's because some key hand-washing hygiene skills seems to have slipped.

Echo Research conducted the telephone survey of 916 heads of households, 458 women and 458 men, in August 2008 on the association's behalf.

Hand Washing Slipping in America

Some key findings:

85 percent of participants say they wash their hands after making a bathroom trip. But in 2006's survey, that percentage was 92.

46 percent of respondents say they spend 15 seconds or less washing their hands.

39 percent never or seldom wash hands after coughing or sneezing.

39 percent don't always wash their hands before eating lunch. In 2006, that figure was 31 percent.

56 percent of participants knew that regular hand-washing is seen as the best way to prevent colds and flu .

In a news release, Nancy Bock with the Soap and Detergent Association says it's time to get on board with hand-washing.

"Americans should prepare for the onslaught of cold and flu season," she says. "Cleaning your hands regularly throughout the day can help keep you out of the doctor's office or the emergency room."

The CDC routinely says that washing hands is the single most important way to prevent the spread of illness, including colds and flu.

Teachers Get an A

A group of teachers was separately questioned and seemed to know about hand-washing hygiene.

97 percent knew that hand washing is considered the most effective way to prevent colds and flu.

49 percent washed with soap for 15 seconds or more.

91 percent always or frequently cleaned up before lunch.

Wash Your Hands Properly

Here are some hand-washing tips:

Wash for at least 15 to 20 seconds.

Let warm water run over your hands before you add soap.

Once your hands are soaped up, rub them together until you get lather.

Cover the back and front of your hands with soap, even under the fingernails and between fingers.

Rinse your hands well under warm flowing water.

Use a clean towel or air dryer to dry your hands.

When to Wash?

The Soap and Detergent Association says to always wash your hands before making food, before eating, after going to the bathroom, after petting animals, when your hands are dirty, and when you or someone nearby is sick.

[presjfk]

My unscientific observation of people leaving public washrooms do not wash their hands, that many that are washing their hands are not doing a good job of it. I wash my hands for about 25 seconds and I have seen people look at me like I was crazy. I also wash my hands as soon as possible after shaking hands with other people. Also, I carry a hand sanitizer.

[displeased]

Oh BS, I never caught a thing from a dog, dogs do not get or transmit human colds, flu, STD''''s, AIDS, HIV, hepatitus or any of that stuff.
Posted by newster1

You can get poison ivy from your dog. When they go rummaging through the brush, the poison ivy oil sticks to their fur. And like someone said earlier, certain dogs roll to hide their scent. My black lab used to roll in dead animals, animal shiit, whatever she could find. Of course, bath time was immediately in order.

[brainteaser2]

Why would anyone trust the soap and detergent council to publish a study about hand washing? Their real purpose in life is to sell more soap and other disinfectants in an already too disinfected world. It has been demonstrated that we need contact with germs to prevent resistance and allergies - lets face it kids seem to be allergic to everything these days because their mothers are following them around lysoling them.

[puzzler125]

I forgot to say one of the most significant parts of handwashing is the brisk rubbing together of your hands!

[puzzler125]

My exhusband got poison ivy from the dog! Cool story...former co-workers went to a conference. There was a piece of paper with some general information on each table and most people picked it up and read it. Maybe ten minutes after beginning his talk the first speaker turned on a special light which reacted with chemicals on the paper. Most of the audience had marks on their face, near their eyes, nose, mouth, arms and hands that showed where they had touched themselves. We worked in the medical laboratory field and it was to show us how often we touch our faces and have other unsanitary practices! You don''t want to know what happened when we cultured pens in the office. One pen grew four different organisms (and not healthy ones either). That convinced a co-worker to stop gnawing on her pens!

[hotwitch]

Washing hands is way over-rated. It does little to prevent colds or flu, which are mainly transmitted thru airborne viruses (sneezing, coughing in an enclosed place.)

If washing hands were so important to "hygiene," we''d all be dead, because, as noted in a previous post, hardly anybody does it.


The Soap and Detergent Association has a monetary stake in putting out this propaganda nonsense. Wash your hands before eating may be neat and tidy, but has nothing to do with food borne illness. Salmonella, E coli, etc don''t come from your hands, the come from impropery prepared and stored foods.

[ocasanas]

Okay, as a teacher, I know (and I remember) how many times I got sick for getting a paper from one of my sick students. I wash my hands very often, but yes, another poster says that we don''t always wash: true. Most of the times we do however. I wash for many reasons: going to the bathroom, getting rid of marker ink on hands and fingers, chalk, anything.

[im2smart1]

Most of the people in the survey are not being truthful. No way over 90% wash their hands after a restroom trip.
I don''t believe it would even be 50%. And many of the ones who do, only run water without soap over their hands for a couple seconds.

And the percentage is probably less for the sneezers.

It goes back to how they were trained by their parents.

For those of you who don''t wash thoroughly after using the restroom and / or blowing snot on your hands, the next time you catch someone in the act, ask yourself; would I want that person handling my food or would I shake hands, KNOWING what I''m touching?

[mainedoggie]

Scary thought: When you drive by a farm field in the summer, say for "Pick your own Strawberries", and you see Port-a-Potties in the field, with no running water in sight. What''s your first thought?

It''s the same down in Mexico where much of your produce comes from. Why? 3 reasons:

1. Carelessness
2. No regulation
3. Cost

Newer port-a-pottie units have hand-washing stations and should be required in situations where food is handled.

[mainedoggie]

==========
Oh BS, I never caught a thing from a dog, dogs do not get or transmit human colds, flu, STD''''s, AIDS, HIV, hepatitus or any of that stuff.

Posted by newster1
==========

Have you ever seen a dog rub their whole body across a pile of bird shirt? Ever seen a male dog stick his whole face into a bush the last male dog just peeeeed on?

You might want to consider washing your hands after petting a dog just like the article says there sparky.

[tapsettle]

"Americans Get Low Marks On Hand Hygiene"

... and for basic intelligence too, although I suspect the two are related.

[nothappyatall]

"When to Wash?

The Soap and Detergent Association says to always wash your hands ... after petting animals,"

Oh BS, I never caught a thing from a dog, dogs do not get or transmit human colds, flu, STD''s, AIDS, HIV, hepatitus or any of that stuff.

The human MOUTH is filthy and full of rotting food particles, bacteria and worse, yet people think nothing of kissing as a way to transmit a whole range of things.

[hbevis]

If I am at a place to do so, I always wash my hands before eating, going to the rest room, etc.

If you are on a lake or in the woods, etc. then you very well can''t wash like you should, but you can always at least rinse you hand if you have water along.

It is just the common sense thing to do.