Health panel: How well do Brabanders wash their hands?

Publication date: 06-05-2024 at 3:23 PM

May 5 was International Hand Hygiene Day. On this day, attention is drawn to the importance of washing hands properly. This helps prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We asked the members of the health panel of GGD Hart voor Brabant: how well do you wash your hands?

More than three-quarters wash their hands properly

More than 3,400 panel members participated in the survey in April 2024. Most participants consider washing hands important. After seeing a fact sheet from the RIVM, 77% of participants judge that they wash their hands properly. Panel members wash most often after a large errand (93%), when hands are dirty or sticky (86%), or after contact with raw fish or raw meat.

Better hand hygiene due to corona

During the corona pandemic, a lot of attention was paid to hand hygiene. Many participants in the panel study (62%) indicate that they have started washing their hands more often and/or better after the corona pandemic. Coughing or sneezing habits have also changed considerably. Before corona, coughing with the hand in front of the mouth was very normal, but now three-quarters of the cough is in the elbow or arm.

What could be better?

Rinsing your hands with water alone doesn’t make much sense, so just apply some soap. The panel research shows that not everyone washes their hands after blowing their nose, coughing into their hands, before eating, or when caring for the sick. A small number of participants use a cloth handkerchief. This can be washed more often at the end of the day.

Curious about all the results? Check out this infographic.