Nation's handwashing habits need improvement, survey finds
The survey found 69% of adults wash their hands after using the bathroom, 48% when handling food and 39% when handling human or animal waste. Credit: Newsday/William Perlman
Adults in the U.S. still have a lot to learn when it comes to hand hygiene, according to a new national survey.
While 62% said they know washing their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds is the best way to sweep away germs, almost half said they forget or don’t bother to wash up after visiting a doctor’s office, restaurant or hospital.
Proper handwashing can help prevent about 80% of infectious diseases, according to the nonprofit National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, which sponsored the 2025 State of Handwashing report.
"Given the importance of handwashing in infectious disease prevention, the stakes are high — improving hand hygiene can help improve health for all," Dr. Robert H. Hopkins, medical director of the NFID, said in a statement. "While handwashing is an important strategy for disease prevention, and should be complementary to vaccination, it is a critical and often overlooked tool."
Only about 30% of people who responded to the survey said they are likely to wash their hands after sneezing or coughing. The report said this is "concerning, given how easily respiratory diseases such as influenza spread."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wet their hands, lather soap in the front and backs of their hands, between the fingers and under the nails. One way to time yourself for 20 second is to sing the "Happy Birthday" song two times, the agency said.
The survey found 69% of adults wash their hands after using the bathroom, 48% when handling food and 39% when handling human or animal waste.
And 20% of respondents said they are not washing their hands because they don’t think it’s necessary or important while others said they didn’t have time or didn’t want to dry out their hands, according to the survey.
"It’s definitely concerning, but I am not surprised," said Kathy DiBenedetto, a registered nurse and director of infection prevention control at Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip.
"There is daily awareness of hand hygiene in a health care facility but there is no education to the public," she said. While there was attention on hand washing during the COVID-19 pandemic, she said without continuous education "they're not going to think it’s important."
DiBenedetto said people should wash their hands right before leaving a hospital, doctor’s office or restaurant. If they don’t have access to soap and water, hand sanitizer or wipes is an effective substitute.
"In restaurants, people (preparing food) wear gloves behind that counter but I don’t think they are necessarily educated on when they should take them off and change them," she said.
In addition, people should always wash their hands when they enter their homes after being out.
The report said while it’s encouraging that many adults know they need to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, they need to be reminded about how frequently it needs to be done. The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases does its own public awareness campaign called "Hands in for Handwashing" but suggested additional messaging in public places is needed.
Adults in the U.S. still have a lot to learn when it comes to hand hygiene, according to a new national survey.
While 62% said they know washing their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds is the best way to sweep away germs, almost half said they forget or don’t bother to wash up after visiting a doctor’s office, restaurant or hospital.
Proper handwashing can help prevent about 80% of infectious diseases, according to the nonprofit National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, which sponsored the 2025 State of Handwashing report.
"Given the importance of handwashing in infectious disease prevention, the stakes are high — improving hand hygiene can help improve health for all," Dr. Robert H. Hopkins, medical director of the NFID, said in a statement. "While handwashing is an important strategy for disease prevention, and should be complementary to vaccination, it is a critical and often overlooked tool."
Only about 30% of people who responded to the survey said they are likely to wash their hands after sneezing or coughing. The report said this is "concerning, given how easily respiratory diseases such as influenza spread."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wet their hands, lather soap in the front and backs of their hands, between the fingers and under the nails. One way to time yourself for 20 second is to sing the "Happy Birthday" song two times, the agency said.
The survey found 69% of adults wash their hands after using the bathroom, 48% when handling food and 39% when handling human or animal waste.
And 20% of respondents said they are not washing their hands because they don’t think it’s necessary or important while others said they didn’t have time or didn’t want to dry out their hands, according to the survey.
"It’s definitely concerning, but I am not surprised," said Kathy DiBenedetto, a registered nurse and director of infection prevention control at Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip.
"There is daily awareness of hand hygiene in a health care facility but there is no education to the public," she said. While there was attention on hand washing during the COVID-19 pandemic, she said without continuous education "they're not going to think it’s important."
DiBenedetto said people should wash their hands right before leaving a hospital, doctor’s office or restaurant. If they don’t have access to soap and water, hand sanitizer or wipes is an effective substitute.
"In restaurants, people (preparing food) wear gloves behind that counter but I don’t think they are necessarily educated on when they should take them off and change them," she said.
In addition, people should always wash their hands when they enter their homes after being out.
The report said while it’s encouraging that many adults know they need to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, they need to be reminded about how frequently it needs to be done. The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases does its own public awareness campaign called "Hands in for Handwashing" but suggested additional messaging in public places is needed.
Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.
