Shocking Report Reveals 1 in 5 Australians Skip Handwashing After Toilet Use, with Women Leading in Hygiene Practices
Perth (The Conversation): Do you wash your hands every time you use the toilet? How about before you handle food? Be honest. Australia’s Food Safety Information Council has released its latest report card on the country’s hand-washing habits. It found that 19 percent of Australians don’t wash their hands every time they use the toilet. Close to half (42 percent) admit they don’t always wash hands before handling food.
Who’s doing well in Hand Hygiene?
The new report surveyed hand washing practices of 1,229 people. Results were consistent with what we’ve learned from similar surveys. Once again, women do better than men at washing their hands after using the toilet, although only slightly (80 percent of men say they do every time, versus 83 percent of women). Just 55 percent of men wash their hands before touching food, compared to 62 percent of women. Age also seemed to make a difference. Under 34 years old, 69 percent of people washed their hands every time they used the toilet. Over age 65, that jumped to 86 percent.
Why Don’t People Wash Their Hands?
Public health messaging often focuses on how to wash hands well. But there’s less research that follows up on how widely people actually adopt these practices. One study that looked at this question in India asked school children about barriers to hand washing. The vast majority (91 percent) had low “illness threat perception”. In other words, they simply didn’t perceive a risk of getting sick from not washing their hands after going to the toilet.
The Risks of Skipping Handwashing
Urine and faeces contain millions of germs, especially faeces, which have more than 100 billion germs per gram. When you use the toilet and touch surfaces in the bathroom, you will pick up germs. People who skip the hand washing step on the way out take those germs with them when they leave, depositing them on each surface they touch afterwards. You may not get sick yourself, but you’re increasing the spread of bacteria, raising the risk of infection and illness for others, particularly vulnerable groups.
Correct Hand Washing Technique
- Wet your hands and rub them together well to build up a good lather with soap for at least 20 seconds, ensuring to wash between your fingers and under your nails.
- Rinse well under running water to remove the bugs from your hands.
- Dry your hands thoroughly on a clean towel for at least 20 seconds to prevent bugs from spreading.
What About Hand Sanitiser?
If no running water is available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser, which can quickly kill many germs. However, if your hands are visibly dirty, soap and water are preferred.
The bottom line is hand washing is a simple yet crucial intervention that protects you and those around you — but only if correctly practiced.
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.