BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hand washing prevents communicable illness. We evaluated the effect of a mandatory, scheduled hand-washing program in elementary school children on absenteeism due to acute communicable illness. METHODS: The study was conducted at Trombley Elementary School in Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. The intervention group, approximately half of the school children (n = 143, including all grades 1-5), washed their hands a minimum of four scheduled times a day. The control group (n = 162) continued hand-washing practices as usual. RESULTS: Of the 37 school days examined, children in the hand-washing group were absent fewer days than the control group due to all acute communicable illness (relative risk = .75). There were less days of absence due to gastrointestinal symptoms (relative risk = .43). The difference in absence due to respiratory symptoms was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: A scheduled hand-washing program will reduce acute communicable (gastrointestinal) illnesses in elementary school-age children.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hand washing prevents communicable illness. We evaluated the effect of a mandatory, scheduled hand-washing program in elementary school children on absenteeism due to acute communicable illness. METHODS: The study was conducted at Trombley Elementary School in Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. The intervention group, approximately half of the school children (n = 143, including all grades 1-5), washed their hands a minimum of four scheduled times a day. The control group (n = 162) continued hand-washing practices as usual. RESULTS: Of the 37 school days examined, children in the hand-washing group were absent fewer days than the control group due to all acute communicable illness (relative risk = .75). There were less days of absence due to gastrointestinal symptoms (relative risk = .43). The difference in absence due to respiratory symptoms was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: A scheduled hand-washing program will reduce acute communicable (gastrointestinal) illnesses in elementary school-age children.
Authors: Tom Jefferson; Chris B Del Mar; Liz Dooley; Eliana Ferroni; Lubna A Al-Ansary; Ghada A Bawazeer; Mieke L van Driel; Sreekumaran Nair; Mark A Jones; Sarah Thorning; John M Conly Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2011-07-06
Authors: Farhana Sultana; Fosiul A Nizame; Dorothy L Southern; Leanne Unicomb; Peter J Winch; Stephen P Luby Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2017-10-12 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Stephen P Luby; Amal K Halder; Tarique M N Huda; Leanne Unicomb; Richard B Johnston Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2011-11 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Regina I Ejemot-Nwadiaro; John E Ehiri; Dachi Arikpo; Martin M Meremikwu; Julia A Critchley Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2021-01-06
Authors: Tom Jefferson; Chris Del Mar; Liz Dooley; Eliana Ferroni; Lubna A Al-Ansary; Ghada A Bawazeer; Mieke L van Driel; Ruth Foxlee; Alessandro Rivetti Journal: BMJ Date: 2009-09-21