Worries about the H1N1 virus haven't changed most Americans' hand washing habits, says a national survey by Bradley Corporation, a leading manufacturer of commercial bathroom and locker room furnishings.
In Bradley's first Healthy Hand Washing Survey, 54 percent said they "wash their hands no more or less frequently" in public restrooms since the H1N1 virus emerged.
"We were extremely surprised by that response especially since the medical community calls hand washing the best defense against the spread of cold and flu viruses," says Jon Dommisse, director of marketing and product development at Bradley Corporation.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says, "Hand washing is a simple thing to do and it's the best way to prevent infection and illness." And for proper hand washing, the CDC says nothing beats soap and water.
Bradley's survey, conducted online July 28-31, queried 1,020 Americans about hand washing in public restrooms. The respondents were from around the country, ranged in age from 18 to 65-plus and were equally divided by gender.
Although 87 percent said they did wash their hands after using public lavatories, other responses indicated some may have exaggerated how often they did the job correctly. When asked if they had also used soap, the numbers declined slightly to 86 percent; yet 55 percent of the group admitted on occasion they've simply rinsed, without using soap.