Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety (한국식품위생안전성학회지)

The Korean Society of Food Hygiene and Safety (한국식품위생안전성학회)
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A Study on the Hand-washing Awareness and Practices of Female University Students

여자 대학생의 손 씻기 의식과 실천에 관한 연구

  • Kim, Jong-Gyu (Department of Public Health, Keimyung University) ;
  • Kim, Joong-Soon (Department of Industrial & Management Engineering, Keimyung University)
  • Published : 2009.06.30
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Abstract

Hand-washing is one of the most important factors in infection control and in preventing cross-contamination. The objective of this study was to investigate female university students' awareness of hand-washing, their hand washing practices, and the difference between their awareness and practices. A self-administered questionnaire survey and direct observation in restrooms were separately carried out in a university campus and over four weeks' period. A total of 97.4% of the survey respondents claimed to wash their hands after using toilet, and 98.2% of the observed students actually did so according to the unnoticed observational study. However, only 6.3% of the students who washed their hands in the direct observation washed for more than 10 seconds, although 46.4% of respondents in the survey reported that they usually wash their hands for more than 10 seconds. Among the observed students who washed their hands, only 0.9% used soap, and 0.9% washed four parts of their hands. Paper towel was the most common hand-drying method in the direct observation and also in the survey. Significant differences were found in duration, use of soap, part of washing, and hand-drying method between the questionnaire survey and the direct observation (p<0.05). This study indicates that there is a noticeable difference between the awareness of hand-washing and hand-washing practices among female university students. Further research should examine hand-washing practices of female university students in restrooms outside the university campus.

본 연구는 여자 대학생의 손 씻기 의식, 실천/이행, 그리고 그 차이를 알아보고자 수행되었다. 한 대학교의 여자 대학생들에 대하여 손 씻기 의식에 관한 설문조사를 수행하고, 동 대학교 캠퍼스 내의 화장실에서 손 씻기 실천/이행을 직접 관찰조사를 통하여 수행하였으며, 그 차이 여부를 검증하였다. 조사대상 여자 대학생들은 설문조사에서 손 씻기 빈도, 손 씻는 제제사용 여부, 손 씻는 부위/범위 및 손 말리는 방법 등에서 전공분야별로 차이를 보였으나 화장실 사용 후 손 씻기에 대한 의식에는 차이를 보이지 않았다. 또 화장실 사용 후 손 씻기에 대한 의식(97.4%)과 실천/이행(98.2%)은 높은 편이었다. 그러나 설문조사에서 10초 이상 손을 씻는다는 응답(46.4%)에 비하여 관찰조사에서 실제로 10초 이상 씻은 사람은 6.3%에 불과하였다. 관찰조사에서 비누를 사용한 사람은 0.9%로 설문조사의 60.9%에 비하여 아주 저조하였고 손 씻는 부위/범위에 있어 네 부위를 씻은 사람도 0.9%에 불과하였다. 손을 씻은 후 말리는 방법으로는 설문조사와 관찰조사에서 모두 휴지/종이타올을 선호하였다. 손 씻는 시간, 비누 사용여부, 손 씻는 부위/범위 및 손 말리는 방법 등 주요항목에서 관찰조사와 설문조사 사이에 매우 유의한 차이가 나타나(p<0.01) 조사대상 여자 대학생들의 경우 손씻기 의식과 그 실천/이행에는 차이가 있음을 알 수 있다. 그러나 손 씻기 행동을 대학 캠퍼스 이외의 화장실에서 장기간 관찰해볼 필요가 있다.

Keywords

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