Survey: Americans’ hand-washing habits haven’t changed

MILWAUKEE Worries about the H1N1 virus haven’t changed most Americans’ hand-washing habits, according to a national survey released by Bradley Corp. Tuesday morning.

In Bradley’s first Healthy Hand Washing Survey, 54% of respondents reported they “wash their hands no more or less frequently” in public restrooms since the H1N1 virus emerged.

“We were extremely surprised by that response especially since the medical community calls hand washing the best defense against the spread of cold and flu viruses,” stated Jon Dommisse, director of marketing and product development at Bradley Corporation.

Bradley’s survey, conducted online July 28-31, queried 1,020 Americans about hand washing in public restrooms. The respondents were from around the country, ranged in age from 18 to over 65 and were equally divided by gender.

Although 87% said they did wash their hands after using public lavatories, other responses indicated some may have exaggerated how often they did the job correctly. When asked if they had also used soap, the numbers declined slightly to 86%; yet 55% of the group admitted on occasion they’ve simply rinsed, without using soap.

In contrast to what people say they do, numerous observational studies have reported what Americans actually do. In 2007, researchers from the American Society for Microbiology found only 77% washed their hands after using a public restroom.

Hand-washing among school-age children is especially important since at least 22 million school days are lost every year due to the common cold, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Hand-washing is a lifetime health practice,” says Dommisse. “Children should understand its benefits and take that knowledge into adulthood.”