One Simple Step to Fewer Illnesses

Handwashing is important for your health and for the health of people around you and it is one of the easiest and most effective infection control methods. Although it is common knowledge that we should wash our hands, not enough of us do. And of those who do make the effort, many of them don't do it often enough or do it incorrectly. But the truth is, dirty hands spread disease and illness. Several different kinds of bacteria and viruses can be transmitted by dirty hands such as staphylococcus aureus, salmonella, various respiratory infections, Hepatitis A, and the viruses that cause colds and the flu. Although advancements in health have obviously cut the number of people who die from these types of infections, communicable disease is still the number one cause of death worldwide and it is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Food related illnesses outbreaks are often the result of poorly washed hands, which is estimated to cost the United States $22 each year from health care costs and loss of productivity. It is likely that most gastrointestinal problems (i.e. diarrhea) are caused by bacteria passed from dirty hands to the mouth of the victim. It is a common misconception that cold viruses are passed through sneezing and coughing, but it is more likely to be passed from hand to hand contact. These kinds of illnesses take a toll on everyone, not just people who forget to wash their hands because we all share many surfaces. Most of us would think of toilet seats and dirty dishes as vectors for disease, but if the people around you are not washing their hands, ordinary surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches, and railings can host just as many, if not more, nasty germs. Handwashing also helps decrease the overuse of antibiotics which as become a problem recently do to resistant strains of bacteria and viruses. If we wash our hands, we'll get sick less, use antibiotics less, which creates fewer resistant strains, which helps us fight off infections better when they do occur.

Andrea Rhodus