Gender and ethnic differences in hand hygiene practices among college students

Poor hand hygiene on college campuses can be improved by promoting handwashing behavior. This observational study was conducted to evaluate gender and race/ethnic differences in hand hygiene practices among college students.

Hand hygiene practices in college students were evaluated in 4 settings (soap and water; soap and water and visual prompts; soap and water and hand sanitizers; and soap and water, hand sanitizers, and visual prompts). The degree of hand hygiene (ie, adequate handwashing time, use of hand sanitizer, and hand-drying method) also was evaluated at various locations on campus.

Overall, 72.9% of students washed their hands, 58.3% practiced hand hygiene (using either soap or hand sanitizer), and 26.1% washed their hands adequately. Hand sanitizer use was low when students were given the option, and paper towel was the most common hand-drying method. In general, hand hygiene practices were better in academic buildings than in the student recreation center. Visual prompts improved handwashing behavior only among students in the "other" ethnic category, but not by gender.

Handwashing is the most effective way of preventing the spread of infectious diseases, and our findings have implications for the design of effective hand hygiene education programs in college students.