Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine (대한예방의학회)
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A Nationwide Survey on the Hand Washing Behavior and Awareness

전 국민의 손씻기 이행 및 인식 실태

  • Jeong, Jae-Sim (Department of Clinical Nursing, University of Ulsan College of Medicine) ;
  • Choi, Jun-Kil (Communicable Disease Control Team, Korean Centers for Disease Control) ;
  • Jeong, Ihn-Sook (College of Nursing, Pusan National University) ;
  • In, Hye-Kyung (Communicable Disease Control Team, Korean Centers for Disease Control) ;
  • Park, Ki-Dong (Communicable Disease Control Team, Korean Centers for Disease Control) ;
  • Paek, Kyong-Ran (Division of Infectious Diseases, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine)
  • 정재심 (울산대학교 의과대학 임상전문간호학) ;
  • 최준길 (질병관리본부 전염병관리팀) ;
  • 정인숙 (부산대학교 간호대학) ;
  • 인혜경 (질병관리본부 전염병관리팀) ;
  • 박기동 (질병관리본부 전염병관리팀) ;
  • 백경란 (성균관대학교 의과대학 삼성서울병원 감염내과)
  • Published : 2007.05.31
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Abstract

Objectives : This study was conducted to evaluate the public's awareness of the importance of hand washing and to compare perceptions on the habit of hand washing with actual hand washing behavior. Methods : Data were collected by observing 2,800 participants washing their hands after using public restrooms in seven cities nationwide and by surveying 1,000 respondents (age > 14 years) through telephone interviews using a structured questionnaire. Results : Although 94% of the survey respondents claimed to mostly or always wash their hands after using public restrooms, only 63.4% of the observed participants did wash their hands after using public restrooms. Significant factors related to increased adherence to hand washing were female gender, approximate ages of 20 to 39 years by their appearance, and the presence of other people from the observation. About 79% of the survey respondents always washed their hands after using bathrooms at home, 73% washed their hands before handling food, and 67% washed their hands upon returning to their home. However, 93.2% and 86.3% of the survey respondents did not wash their hands after coughing or sneezing and after handling money, respectively. Although most of the survey respondents (77.6%) were aware that hand washing is helpful in preventing communicable diseases, 39.6% of the survey respondents did not do so because they were 'not accustomed' to washing their hands and 30.2% thought that washing their hands is 'annoying'. Conclusions : This is the first comprehensive report on hand washing behavior and awareness of the general population in Korea. The result of this study in terms of individual behavior and awareness of hand washing are comparable with similar studies conducted in other countries. However adherence to hand washing is still low and needs to be increased. The results of this study can be used as a baseline in setting up strategies and activities to promote adherence to hand washing.

Keywords

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