Hand Hygiene Knowledge of College Students (Research AND Reports) (Survey‪)‬

INTRODUCTION Human populations are continually infected with common pathogens that cause respiratory and digestive discomfort. (1-3) The easiest and most effective way to prevent infection and transmission of these pathogens is by the simple act of regular hand washing. (4-6) People that do not, or are not regular hand washers have been shown to have an increased incidence of viral illness that can lead to inevitable bed rest. (7,8) Although it is known that hand washing is the primary way of preventing common communicable illnesses, hand washing is not as common as it should be in the general population. Hand washing after use of the restroom in most populations averages about 60% or less, even in health care settings. (7,9-11) Drankiewicz and Dundes (7) found that 63% of female college students washed their hands after using the bathroom, but only 38% used soap and water, while Anderson et al. 12 found that 58.3% of college students washed their hands or used a hand sanitizer after using the bathroom. Interestingly van de Mortel and Heyman (13) found that hand washing after contact with a patient varied with the job. One group was reported to have 90% of individuals washing their hands, however most of the study groups fell in the 4070% range, with one group reporting only 20% of participants washing their hands.