SCA study shows a third of us still fail to wash our hands

More than a third of UK adults are still are not washing their hands regularly despite the ever-present threat of swine flu, according to a study by Tork manufacturer SCA. And nearly eight out of 10 British parents are failing to ensure their children wash their hands before eating.

Nearly 5000 people from nine countries across the globe were polled in the latest SCA Hygiene Matters survey. The study showed that only 21% of parents ensured their child’s hands were washed before eating, while around 34% of adults failed to wash their hands a recommended six times per day.

Furthermore, around 14% of 16-24 year-olds did not wash their hands after using the toilet at home while 55% of the UK population failed to wash their hands after sneezing or blowing their nose.

Regular hand washing with soap and water is being advised by all key health organisations in the fight to halt the spread of swine flu.

Most health bodies also emphasise the need to wash the hands after using the washroom, after sneezing or blowing the nose, and before and after eating.
SCA invited Professor Norman Noah, expert on communicable diseases from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, to comment on the research findings. “Most people know that hand washing prevents gastrointestinal infections but they forget it can also prevent respiratory infection,” he said. “With the UK population currently being warned against the risk of cross-contamination, regular hand washing becomes even more essential to curtail the spread of germs.
Children’s hands can be especially dirty and at school they are more likely to pick up infections as well as transmit them to others.”

SCA’s Hygiene Matters research was commissioned to provide a greater understanding of personal hygiene methods and behaviours worldwide.
Jan Johansson, CEO of SCA Group, said: “We hope this research will alert both decision-makers and the general public about the importance of hygiene and put a sharper focus on what is increasingly becoming one of the most important public health issues for people across the globe.”

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