Disease prevention is literally in our hands, yet the rate of public restroom hand washing has gone down, according to a Harris Interactive observational study conducted on behalf of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) this past August.

 

Conducted in four major U.S. cities, researchers observed the behavior of 6,076 adults (of whom 3,065 were men and 3,011 were women, who appeared to be age 18 and older) in public restrooms located at major public attractions in the U.S., including Atlanta’s Turner Field, Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry and Shedd Aquarium, New York City’s Grand Central Station and Penn Station, and San Francisco’s Ferry Terminal Farmers Market.

 

Researchers compared findings to a 2005 study, conducted at the same locations and with roughly the same amount of men and women, and using the same methodology, to figure out how the rate of hand washing has changed, if at all.

 

Results were disappointing, as overall numbers indicate a drop in the number of hand washers in public restrooms. Just over three-quarters (77 percent) of adults were observed washing up, indicating a 6 point decline from two years ago (83 percent).

 

In addition, numbers reveal a glaring gender gap: 88 percent of women and a mere two-thirds (66 percent) of men wash their hands in the restroom. And, while women fared better than men, as they had in 2005, they still suffered a two point drop from 90 percent two years ago. Men’s numbers have diminished by a greater margin: in 2005 three-quarters (75 percent) of men had been observed lathering up.

 

"Gender differences aside, hand hygiene is a serious matter," said ASM spokesperson Dr. Judy Daly in a public statement. "According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the single most important thing we can all do to keep from getting infectious diseases and spreading them to others is to clean our hands." Daly is the Director of the Microbiology Laboratories at the Primary Children's Medical Center, Salt Lake City.

How did hand washers perform by region? Feel free to shake hands with most citizens of the Windy City; Chicago rated the highest, with 81 percent of adults washing up. The Big Apple was a close second with 79 percent of New Yorkers hand washing, followed by Atlanta, at 75 percent. Finally, 73 percent of San Franciscan adults were observed scrubbing up.

Proper hand washing involves more than a quick rinse under the water. "There's no doubt about it -- we need to do a better job of washing with soap and water," said Brian Sansoni, SDA Vice President of Communication in a press release. "Getting beyond the grossness factor here, we need to be smarter about our health and take the 20 seconds to lather up. And if soap and water aren't available, reach for the hand sanitizer or the hand wipes."

The effects of filthy hands can be devastating on the public’s health. "Many cases of colds, flu, and foodborne illness are spread by unclean hands, and these diseases are responsible for billions of dollars each year in health care expenditures and productivity losses in the United States," Dr. Daly explained. "Worldwide, infectious diseases remain the leading cause of illness and death."

There are obvious instances in which it is most imperative to wash up. "We need to remember the common sense times to clean our hands," said SDA's Sansoni. "For example: after using the bathroom, after coughing or sneezing into our hands, before food preparation and when we eat, after changing diapers, after petting your dog or cat, and after taking out the trash."

When asked to report hand washing habits, the study revealed a “do as I say, not as I do,” attitude among the public, a discrepancy consistent with the previous study. While nearly all phone poll respondents (92 percent) stated that they wash up every time or usually after using the bathroom, study observers only measured 77 percent of subjects actually doing so.