Verified Document

Hand Washing Essay

Handwashing Hand washing is the most fundamental step of hygiene. According to the Centes for Disease Control and Prevention, a million deaths per year could be prevented if everyone in the world washed their hands properly (CDC). Yet only five percent of people are actually washing their hands long enough and with the proper technique (Jaslow). As many as 15% of men do not wash their hands after using the bathroom! Women are better, but not by much. About seven percent of women do not wash their hands after using the bathroom. More women than men are prone to using soap too. Almost 80% of women, but only fifty percent of men, used soap in one study (Jaslow). Therefore, it is important to be reminded of the importance of hand washing, or why we do it, and also how to wash hands properly so that we are actually preventing disease.

Why Washing Hands is Important

First let's talk about why it is important to wash hands. Washing hands is almost like a vaccine, and in some cases can be considered even more effective because it can eliminate germs that cause a number of different diseases (CDC). The common cold, flu, and even diseases like SARS are spread by contact with hands, making hand washing important for health (Massachusetts Department of Public Health). Respiratory infections, diarrhea, Staphylococcus aureus, and trachoma are all problems that can be prevented by simply washing hands properly (CDC)....

Parts of this document are hidden

View Full Document
svg-one

In addition to saving lives and preserving health, hand washing helps reduce absenteeism in both workplaces and schools (CDC).
What is the Best Way to Wash Hands?

We have established why it is important to wash our hands. Let's also discuss how to do it properly, so we can continue to save lives. Washing hands is one of the simplest tasks you can do. All you need is soap and water. According to the CDC, the five basic steps are "Wet, Lather, Scrub, Rinse, Dry." First, you wet your hands thoroughly with water. Then, you apply soap and rub the hands together to make a lather or foam. This is the most important stage of hand washing, and also the stage that most people get wrong. According to Jaslow, people are not taking enough time to rub their hands together, and are ignoring their fingernails and the webbing between fingers. It is critical to spend at least 20 seconds rubbing the soap all over the hands. Finally, you can rinse off all the soap and dry thoroughly in a hygienic way. That means using an air dryer or an unused towel. If you want to be extra careful, you should use a clean paper towel to open the door after using the facilities. After all, with all those people around who aren't washing their hands, you should not be touching the bathroom door. That would undo all the hard work you did washing your hands.

How Often and When To Wash Hands

When is it important to…

Sources used in this document:
References

CDC. "Hygiene fast facts." 2013 Retrieved online: http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/fast_facts.html

Jaslow, R. 95% of people wash their hands improperly: are you one of them? CBS News. 2013. Retrieved online: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/95-percent-of-people-wash-their-hands-improperly-are-you-one-of-them/

Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Handwashing brochure. 2003

Public Health England. "Handwashing." Retrieved online: http://www.hpa.org.uk/handwashing
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Health Systems Management and Electronic Health Records
Words: 2298 Length: 7 Document Type: Research Paper

Health Systems Management and Electronic Health Records Healthcare is an essential factor or tool in relation to the American society. The society of America has no national socialized healthcare system. In this research paper, the focus will be on the Medicare healthcare system in the context of the United States. The paper will focus on illustration of the concepts of the Medicare healthcare system, various management challenges, problems, and opportunities in

Health Care Law Ethics
Words: 383 Length: 1 Document Type: Essay

Healthcare Health Care Law Ethics Health care over the years has become one of the most important debates to take place within the United States of America. This fact holds particularly true for the major part of the Obama Administrations whose New Health Care policies has been criticized extremely (Zhi Qu, 2010). The world, however, is still waiting for the final curtain to rise and to witness the climax which would be

Health and Health Promotion According to Public
Words: 1507 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

Health and Health Promotion According to Public Health Agency (2001), Health is an ingredient of life that enables individuals to be independent socially, and live economical lives. Health is a concept that emphasizes social and personal resources. All action directed towards health, social and economic development should aim at providing human needs including peace, basic needs, and access to basic human rights. Understanding all the fundamental requirements of health will help

Health Systems Issues and Strategic Planning
Words: 3151 Length: 10 Document Type: Research Paper

Health Systems Issues and Strategic Planning The delivery of high quality healthcare services requires a sophisticated health system infrastructure that provides a multidisciplinary team approach. This health system infrastructure varies from country to country, but there are some common features that characterize health systems that can be used to identify best practices and current trends in healthcare delivery and administration in general and for an elderly American patient in particular. As

Healthcare Economics Overall Healthcare and Economics Healthcare
Words: 1497 Length: 4 Document Type: Research Paper

Healthcare Economics Overall Healthcare And Economics Healthcare economics: Current challenges from a nursing perspective Although the subject of healthcare economics has been hotly-debated, on one issue there is widespread agreement: the aging of the population will substantively increase the demand for healthcare in the near and far future. As the population worldwide is aging and living longer, the need for essential services over a longer lifespan will generate more costs for an already-beleaguered

Healthcare Must Be Provided by the Government to All Citizens Who...
Words: 2176 Length: 6 Document Type: Research Paper

Health Care As human beings, our health and longevity have never been better. Many people today live to 100 years and beyond, and often in good and active health. One of the major reasons for this is better health care and more access to health care for more people. On the other hand, however, many people do not have access to the same health care services as others. Often, the main

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now