Handwashing behaviour among Chinese adults: a cross-sectional study in five provinces

To describe the patterns of handwashing behaviour among Chinese adults, and assess their associations with sociodemographic factors and knowledge of hand hygiene.

A representative sample (n = 6159) of Chinese adults aged 18-60 years in five provinces was attained by multiple-stage, stratified sampling mainly based on geographical location and economic status. Data on handwashing behaviour, knowledge of hand hygiene and sociodemographic factors were collected through self-administrated questionnaires.

Associations between handwashing behaviour and sociodemographic factors were tested in logistic models. Path analysis was applied to examine the associations between sociodemographic factors, knowledge of hand hygiene and proper handwashing behaviour in order to evaluate the relative magnitude of these determinants and internal relationships.

This study found that 52.7% (rural vs urban: 44.6% vs 56.8%) and 67.3% (rural vs urban: 59.7% vs 71.1%) of Chinese adults reported they always washed hands before eating and after defaecation, and 30.0% (rural vs urban: 25.1% vs 32.8%) of adults always used soap or other sanitizers during washing. Using the criteria of 'always or very often washing hands with soap before eating and after defaecation without sharing a towel with family members after washing', only 47.2% (rural vs urban: 23.8% vs 59.1%) of the adults were graded to practice proper handwashing behaviour. Urban area, high level of education level, high level of knowledge about diseases, female gender and older age were protective factors for good hand hygiene; of these, area was found to be associated most strongly with handwashing behaviour.

Adherence to an appropriate handwashing method and duration of handwashing are critical problems among Chinese adults. Area difference, level of education and level of knowledge of hand hygiene were most strongly associated with handwashing behaviour, and should be targeted in future health education.