'Hand-washing police' find one-third of men still fail to wash up after bathroom use

[crystals]

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE

CHICAGO (AP) - The gender gap has widened when it comes to hygiene, according to the latest stakeout by the "hand washing police."

One-third of men didn't bother to wash after using the bathroom, compared with 12 per cent of women, said the researchers who spy on people in public restrooms. They reported their latest findings Monday at a meeting of infectious disease scientists.

Two years ago, the last time the survey was done, only one-quarter of men didn't wash, compared with 10 per cent of women.

"Guys need to step up to the sink," said Brian Sansoni, spokesman for the Soap and Detergent Association, which co-sponsors the survey and related education campaigns.

The latest study was based on observations last month of more than 6,000 people in four big cities.

Frequent hand washing is the single best thing people can do to avoid getting sick, from colds and the flu to germs lurking in food, doctors say. And a recent Harris Interactive survey found 92 per cent of Americans said they always wash up after using the bathroom.

But researchers for the American Society for Microbiology found that only 77 per cent actually do, when it comes to public restrooms. That's a six per cent decline from a similar study in 2005.

The dirty details:

-Atlanta's Turner Field baseball stadium again was the worst. Only 57 per cent of guys there washed up, compared to 95 per cent of women.

-New York was Second City to Chicago in cleanliness. In restrooms at the Windy City's Shedd Aquarium and Museum of Science and Industry, 81 per cent of men and women combined washed their hands, compared to 79 per cent at the Big Apple's Penn and Grand Central train stations.

-At San Francisco's Ferry Terminal Farmers Market, 62.5 per cent of men lathered up. Women did better, with 84 per cent.

Carry sanitizer gels and wipes in case the means to wash your hands aren't handy, suggested microbiologist Judy Daly of Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City, who led the project.

"These are a marvellous addition to plain soap and water," she said.

Telephone surveys by the research firm Harris Interactive show little shift in attitudes over previous polls in 2003 and 2005. The latest was of 1,001 adults from Aug. 17-20.

Nearly three-fourths of Americans said they always wash up after changing a diaper, 78 per cent said they do so after handling or eating food; 42 per cent after petting a dog or cat, 25 per cent after handling money, and 34 per cent after coughing or sneezing.

http://ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/health...r_bathroom_use

[Ireneparalegal]

I read that yesterday.


uke: That is just gross and nasty. One main reason I carry those small bottles of hand sanitizer. I sure as hell don't want to touch the remnants of someone's pee on a door handle or anything else.

[Mikado]

YECHHHHHHH I always wash my hands..and often the knobs of the washsinks, just to be sure! ( I wash my hands at least 15 times a day @_@ )

[sweetdiggity]

That's disgusting!!! Is it so hard to wash your hands?

[dawsongirl]

That's so nasty. Just because you don't necessarily wipe, guys, wash your @!&*$# hands anyway. Ugh.

[catlover79]

I know I'm shocked by this.

[Buffyboy323]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I sure as hell don't want to touch the remnants of someone's pee on a door handle or anything else.

That is why I NEVER take mints on my way out of a restaraunt. On their way out, many people go to the bathroom, then take a mint. Nasty.

[Buffyboy323]

Originally Posted by Mikado

YECHHHHHHH I always wash my hands..and often the knobs of the washsinks, just to be sure! ( I wash my hands at least 15 times a day @_@ )

As do I. I've had obsessive compulsive disorder since I was a little kid. I don't even touch doorknobs. They scare me.

[Mikado]

Originally Posted by Buffyboy323

As do I. I've had obsessive compulsive disorder since I was a little kid. I don't even touch doorknobs. They scare me.

Ummm, well, I'm not quite that bad, I do however wash my hands after things like blowing my nose ( most people dont (eww) ) or handling meat ( while preparing chicken i might wash my hands up to 5 times so that i can handle the other food im cooking, in between )....but, now you deffinately have me thinking second thoughts about those mints!

[Buffyboy323]

Originally Posted by Mikado

Ummm, well, I'm not quite that bad, I do however wash my hands after things like blowing my nose ( most people dont (eww) ) or handling meat ( while preparing chicken i might wash my hands up to 5 times so that i can handle the other food im cooking, in between )....but, now you deffinately have me thinking second thoughts about those mints!

Yeah, I remember hearing about those mints, years ago. I would hope one washes their hands after they blow their nose...And I can't even imagine touching anything on public transportation. There was this one time I actually saw a woman sneeze, then grab onto the railing of the bus.

[Mikado]

EWW

[dawsongirl]

Originally Posted by Mikado

Ummm, well, I'm not quite that bad, I do however wash my hands after things like blowing my nose ( most people dont (eww) ) or handling meat ( while preparing chicken i might wash my hands up to 5 times so that i can handle the other food im cooking, in between )....but, now you deffinately have me thinking second thoughts about those mints!

Oh my goodness...I was making hamburgers the other night, and I bet I washed my hands at least 10 times. I cannot stand the thought of having raw meat juices on my hands. Ick.

I also work with a first grade teacher who makes her students wash their hands if they sneeze. So someone is trying to promote good hygiene! Or is it hygeine? Anyway...

[friendcarr]

maybe sicko's should stop stalking people.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Buffyboy323

Yeah, I remember hearing about those mints, years ago. I would hope one washes their hands after they blow their nose...And I can't even imagine touching anything on public transportation. There was this one time I actually saw a woman sneeze, then grab onto the railing of the bus.

On Tuesday we took our son to the doctor. This one kid was coughing and hacking away while covering his mouth, which was good, HOWEVER, there he was playing with the toys in the waiting room, touching the door knob, etc. Oh God, I told my boyfriend to keep our son right outside and I would call them in when our son was called in. THEN, as soon as we went into the room, we all washed our hands and used hand sanitizer. I then grabbed some towels that were there to dry your hands with. So that when we left, I used those towels to grab the handle of the two door knobs that kid had touched. Ewwwwww.

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by friendcarr

maybe sicko's should stop stalking people.

What are you talking about?