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Post Info TOPIC: 9/28 - Article of the Day: Many Don't Wash Hands After Using the Bathroom
Irene


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9/28 - Article of the Day: Many Don't Wash Hands After Using the Bathroom
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September 27, 2005 Many Don't Wash Hands After Using the Bathroom By NICHOLAS BAKALAR Most people say they wash their hands after using the bathroom. But a new study suggests that many of them are not telling the truth. The researchers demonstrated that people were not as conscientious as they say they were by comparing answers given in a telephone poll to observed behavior. In the nationwide poll, conducted from Aug. 19 to Aug. 22 by Harris Interactive, 1,013 adults were interviewed about their hand washing habits. Then observers were sent into public restrooms to see what actually happened. Ninety-one percent of adults claimed in the poll that they washed their hands after using a public restroom. But of the 6,336 adults whose behavior was observed, only 82 percent actually did so. Women, the study found, were more diligent than men: 90 percent washed their hands, compared with only 75 percent of the men. Michael T. Osterholm, chairman of the public health committee of the American Society of Microbiologists, which commissioned the survey, said he could not explain what accounted for the difference. "I don't think anyone knows why men are so much less likely to wash than women," he said. "People who use urinals probably think they don't need to wash their hands. But the overall message is that most Americans do wash their hands after using the bathroom, even though we have a long way to go." Dr. Osterholm is also a professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. The observations for the study were made at restrooms in six locations: Turner Field in Atlanta, the Museum of Science and Industry and the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station in New York, and the Ferry Terminal Farmers Market in San Francisco. At Turner Field in Atlanta, home field of the Atlanta Braves, people were less likely to wash when they left a public bathroom than at any other location. Only 74 percent of baseball fans washed up, an even lower percentage than among commuters at Penn Station in New York, where 79 percent washed their hands. San Franciscans are apparently very hygienic: 88 percent of people using public bathrooms at the Farmers Market stopped to wash before leaving. The only people more sanitary were those at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago: 89 percent washed their hands before leaving. The telephone poll asked about hand washing in other situations as well. Fewer than half of adults said they always washed after touching a pet, sneezing or handling money. Washing hands after changing a baby's diaper is also far from a universal habit, with only 64 percent of men and 82 percent of women reporting that they did so. And most people wash up before handling food, but by no means all: 23 percent of adults said they regularly handled food without first washing. In all these situations, women reported more hand washing than men. Education and income level have something to do with hand washing practices, but it is not clear exactly what the differences mean. Among those who make less than $40,000 a year, 24 percent said they washed their hands after handling money. But only 18 percent of those who make more than $40,000 consider money dirty enough to require washing after touching it. The telephone survey found that people who have been to college are slightly more likely than those who only finished high school to report that they wash their hands after using a public bathroom. Yet people with more education are less likely to say they wash up after touching a pet, coughing, or sneezing. Education made little difference in whether a person reported hand washing after changing a diaper. About 25 percent of people, whether they went to college or not and no matter how much they earned, said they do not bother to wash after performing this chore. "It's not about education," said Dr. Osterholm. "It's about hygiene education. We have a problem at hospitals with doctors and nurses who don't wash their hands after seeing a patient. You can't get more educated than that."

-- Edited by Irene at 13:34, 2005-09-28

-- Edited by Irene at 12:15, 2005-10-11

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erin


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RE: Article of the Day: Many Don't Wash Hands After Using the Bathroom
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SO disgusting! my old roommate used to not wash her hands after going to the bathroom. i asked her about it once and she said it "wasn't necessary."

i chastise my hub all the time for this, too, because he thinks liquid soap is gross, so he wants to use the bar soap from the shower. (which he will only grab if i am in the room, to be sure. i am certain he just "washes with water!" when i am not around)

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kenzie


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erin wrote:
SO disgusting! my old roommate used to not wash her hands after going to the bathroom. i asked her about it once and she said it "wasn't necessary."




I used to have a friend who did this, too. So nasty. I wash my hands obsessively and use antibacterial lotion!

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Maddie


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I never wash my hands. I think it's unhealthy and totally unnecesary. I attribute my excellent immune system to the fact that my body is comfortable with lots of bacteria and stuff. I'll usually wash my hands after going to the bathroom, but otherwise pretty much only if they're dirty. Also, people are way more likely to wash their hands in a public restroom than at their house. I would guess that the statistics for hand washing in private are way lower. It wouldn't even cross my mind to wash them after handling money. And unless an animal was dirty, I wouldn't wash my hands after petting one. And I never get sick.

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laken1


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I usually don't wash my hands in a public restroom situation - i just think it's unsanitary. I have seen too many shows where there were entirely more germs on the sink handles & in that bathroom than anything I could do to myself unless I peed on my hand or something - and really, that doesn't happen!! I flush the toilet with my foot & have as little contact as necessary in a public restroom. And I carry around anti-bacterial lotion that I use obsessively, so I don't think it's gross. I think it's much more disgusting to touch stuff in that bathroom.

Reading that back it sounds really bad - like i would pee on my hand (LOL)- my point is - what are you doing in there that is more unsanitary than being in contact with other people's bathroom germs?

And Maddie, if you ever worked in a bank as a teller or someone who handles a lot of cash, it would indeed occur to you to wash after you fool with it - it is SO GROSS. I imagine it's similar for people in retail.

I don't wash my hands after i deal with my animals, because i'd be washing them all day long, but I do if i touch someone else's pet just to be safe.

-- Edited by laken1 at 14:18, 2005-09-28

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member


Hermes

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I wash my hands all the time! After using the washroom, eating, handling money - all the time. My hands feel gross if I don't. So many woman where I work don't wash their hands after they use the bathroom which I just find gross. And I think it's gross that guys don't wash their hands after using a urinal!

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laken1


Hermes

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shopchicago33 wrote:
And I think it's gross that guys don't wash their hands after using a urinal!


My husband says in a public restroom that he knows that his wee wee is cleaner than that bathroom, he knows where it's been & he's not risking touching that bathroom for the same public bathroom germ reasons that I have. I can't say i disagree, but again, use the anti-bacterial after.


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bex


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my BF and I were at the airport yesterday and he went to the bathroom- when he came out- he said he was glad there was not a door on the bathroom b/c every guy that walked out of there didn't wash their hands!!!!!!!!!!! how gross!!!!! i can't NOT wash my hands after i use the bathroom...

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Pepper


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I do wash my hands after every use to the bathroom. In public bathrooms I never flush the toilet with my hands - I use my foot. The thought of so many people wiping their *sses then flushing it - yuck.







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laken1


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Pepper wrote:
I do wash my hands after every use to the bathroom. In public bathrooms I never flush the toilet with my hands - I use my foot. The thought of so many people wiping their *sses then flushing it - yuck.



See, that's my point though, after they wipe their *ss then flush, if they wash their hands they also touch the water knob & the lever to get out paper towels - so to me that's the exact same thing. Other people bathroom germs - yuck


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bex


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laken1 wrote:

Pepper wrote:
I do wash my hands after every use to the bathroom. In public bathrooms I never flush the toilet with my hands - I use my foot. The thought of so many people wiping their *sses then flushing it - yuck.



See, that's my point though, after they wipe their *ss then flush, if they wash their hands they also touch the water knob & the lever to get out paper towels - so to me that's the exact same thing. Other people bathroom germs - yuck


do you not turn on the faucets, wash hands, get paper towels, then turn off water and open door with paper towels?

luckily a LOT of places are switching to the automatic faucets, soap dispensers and paper towel machines... *sigh* no issues except for how to open the door anymore!

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lynnie


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Maddie wrote:

I never wash my hands. I think it's unhealthy and totally unnecesary. I attribute my excellent immune system to the fact that my body is comfortable with lots of bacteria and stuff. I'll usually wash my hands after going to the bathroom, but otherwise pretty much only if they're dirty. Also, people are way more likely to wash their hands in a public restroom than at their house. I would guess that the statistics for hand washing in private are way lower. It wouldn't even cross my mind to wash them after handling money. And unless an animal was dirty, I wouldn't wash my hands after petting one. And I never get sick.
I agree.  I don't think there is anything wrong with not always washing your hands and i've heard bad things about constantly using anti-bacterial stuff.  I don't think its gross at all.  I'm not going to touch my face or my eyes without washing my hands though, or cook and eat (obviously).  In a restroom- i'm more concerned with touching things (door handles, faucets) then I am with washing my hands (though i always do.)

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sephorablue


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bex wrote:

do you not turn on the faucets, wash hands, get paper towels, then turn off water and open door with paper towels? luckily a LOT of places are switching to the automatic faucets, soap dispensers and paper towel machines... *sigh* no issues except for how to open the door anymore!

See, here's the thing. I know a lot of people do this, but to me it doesn't make sense, because once you walk out of the bathroom, everything ELSE you touch is covered with germs, too. Every door handle: germs. Every elevator button: germs. Every stair railing and subway seat and subway handlebar: germs. People's phones, desks and keyboards are CRAWLING with germs, even if you try to clean yours regularly. Everything in public is covered with germs--in fact I think I've heard that public bathrooms (unless they are filthy gas station ones, I mean like decent public bathrooms) are actually cleaner than a lot of other places, because they're cleaned and sanitized every day.


I think the main thing is to wash before eating, and like someone else said to try to keep from touching your face or eyes if you haven't washed recently, but other than that, there just doesn't seem much point because there are germs everywhere, on everything. I mean, the surface of our BODIES is covered with germs--bacteria, whatever--even when you shower regularly you've still got bacteria all over your skin. There's no way to totally avoid it, so, aside from basic sanitation (which def. includes washing after the bathroom), I just don't try.



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theotherjess


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EEWWW.  I didn't even read the article because I know it would freak me out, but the title says enough.  That is disgusting. I don't want to touch the door knob after you touched it with your pee hands.  Groooooss.

-- Edited by theotherjess at 21:16, 2005-09-28

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blubirde


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I'm so freaked out by public bathrooms. Really. I get so OCD about it. I'll hold it (to my detriment) to avoid using one. I ALWAYS wash my hands and never touch anything after I've washed them. I use towels to turn off the sink and open the door on my way out.


Doctors say that the act of swishing your hands around under the water (as if there is soap on them) is almost just as effective as actually using soap as far as getting rid of germs on your hand. I prefer soap but if it's not available, at least I know I'm still doing good.


But I don't really care for anti-bacterial stuff because I think it causes super bacteria. I only use that stuff when I'm traveling and I don't know what options I'm going to have available to me. Oh, and to debug a hotel room.


If someone doesn't wash their hands, I always joke that they're going to get the "eye-syph" or the "mouth clap" or something. It's sufficiently disgusting to make most people rethink their stance on washing.



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jj


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blubirde wrote:

If someone doesn't wash their hands, I always joke that they're going to get the "eye-syph" or the "mouth clap" or something. It's sufficiently disgusting to make most people rethink their stance on washing.


OMG that's brilliant! I am going to use that with my yucky coworkers who don't wash their hands!

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dc


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Remind me never to eat at any of your houses who don't wash your hands!  LOL...


It's not always about protecting yourself, but also out of consideration to others. It is BECAUSE some people don't wash their hands in bathrooms that the rest of us don't want to touch anything.  Blech.  It's just about personal hygiene. 


I am a chronic hand-washer (after touching pets, after blowing my nose, after handling money, after going to starbucks/touchnig all of those filthy doorhandles before I touch my scone -at home/work, makes no difference whether anyone's gonig to see me or not) and rarely get sick, btw (which I attribute to a general healthy lifestyle). 



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kenzie


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dc wrote:


Remind me never to eat at any of your houses who don't wash your hands!  LOL... It's not always about protecting yourself, but also out of consideration to others. It is BECAUSE some people don't wash their hands in bathrooms that the rest of us don't want to touch anything.  Blech.  It's just about personal hygiene.  I am a chronic hand-washer (after touching pets, after blowing my nose, after handling money, after going to starbucks/touchnig all of those filthy doorhandles before I touch my scone -at home/work, makes no difference whether anyone's gonig to see me or not) and rarely get sick, btw (which I attribute to a general healthy lifestyle). 


I agree on all of your points, dc!  Everything all around us is full of germs, but how does that happen in the first place? It's because people don't wash their hands.


I remember watching a news report about germs and they actually found fecal matter on an escalator handle.  The only way that could have gotten there was from someone not washing their hands. Whether it was from one person who went to the bathroom to the escalator and didn't wash or if someone else was in the bathroom and touched something that someone else who hadn't washed had touched and took the germs from there. 


Bottom line, lots of germs come from people not washing their hands.  And not just after using the bathroom, after sneezing, coughing, etc.  And money is disgusting. I was constantly washing my hands when I worked in retail. Gross.



-- Edited by NylaBelle at 14:18, 2005-10-03

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jj


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When I worked in retail and counted the money at the end of the day, afterward I would make a bee-line to the restroom to wash my hands.  The amount of dirt that came off was DISGUSTING.


I'm OCD when it comes to hand washing, but Nylabelle's right, germs are everywhere, so in addition to washing my hands, I have become compulsive about never touching my face, scratching my nose or rubbing my eyes.  It seems like it's the only way to keep from getting sick.



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Andrea Julia


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NylaBelle wrote:

 It's because people don't wash their hands. I remember watching a news report about germs and they actually found fecal matter on an escalator handle.  The only way that could have gotten there was from someone not washing their hands.
Oh gross!  How can somebody actually get fecal matter on their hands?  I don't understand this.  I do wash my hands after going to the bathroom, but it is because I am just washing off germs in general, not because I actually got anything on my hands while going to the bathroom.  Do these people wipe with their bare hands?

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