[Fighting the flu with soap and water. Hand washing as an infection control recommendation to the population--7 hypotheses from a qualitative study about hygiene, flu and pandemic].
Medical interventions like vaccination and antiviral prophylaxis are only two ways of protecting the population from infectious diseases. A third and decisive method is to apply non-pharmaceutical interventions like hand hygiene. A qualitative study identified the role hand washing actually plays in the daily life of the population. Based on the results, seven hypotheses are proposed which point to the need for further research about promotion of hand hygiene, e.g. the conception and evaluation of hand washing advertising campaigns. HYPOTHESIS 1: Health tips are more likely to be followed if they communicate clearly and understandably the personal relevance of the information to the recipients. HYPOTHESIS 2: For many, hygiene serves above all to make them feel good and more comfortable around others. HYPOTHESIS 3: The feeling of disgust is an emotional connection between health and hygiene. HYPOTHESIS 4: People mainly wash their hands ritually and when they actually feel the need to clean their hands. HYPOTHESIS 5: As far as most people are aware, the means of transmission of influenza and other respiratory diseases are only the ones they can observe, namely coughing, sneezing, and the resulting visible droplets. HYPOTHESIS 6: People are more motivated to wash their hands after learning that infections can be spread via the hands. HYPOTHESIS 7: A pandemic situation increases the population's demand for information and people's willingness to protect themselves from infection.
Meilicke
G
G
Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, BRD. meilickeg@rki.de
Weissenborn
A
A
Biederbick
W
W
Bartels
C
C
D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005192:Family Health; D005858:Germany; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012915:Soaps
D012915:Soaps