• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.89-99
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• 2016

Objectives: This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the prevalence and factors relating to handwashing with soap among Korean adults. Methods: Study subjects consist of 755 adults who have been contacted in September 2013 via telephone surveys. The data collected has been analyzed using descriptive statistics, a chi-square test and a logistic regression analysis. A primary purpose is to understand the prevalence of handwashing with soap more than 8 times daily and for 30 seconds per wash among adults. Independent variables include socioeconomic levels, the participants' perception and knowledge of handwashing and their educational experiences relating to handwashing. Results: The overall percentile of people who wash their hands with soap 8 time per day for 30 seconds or more per wash was 16.0%, which is 121 people out of 755 study subjects. In univariate analysis, age, education levels, monthly average income, handwashing habits, perceptions relate to the importance of handwashing, self-assessment of handwashing, environment of public toilet, and the completion of handwashing education shows significant result. Significant differences also appear (p<0.05) in logistic regression analysis on binary variables. There is a strong correlation between daily frequency of handwashing and willingness to wash hands while outside. For example, people who wash their hands very often while outside are 2.24 times (95% C.I. 1.29-3.87) more likely to practice handwashing with soap 8 times per day for 30 seconds or more per wash than those people who only intermittently wash their hands while outside. Furthermore, people with general unwillingness to wash their hands while outside are 4.61 times (95% C.I. 1.22-3.28) less likely to practice handwashing with soap 8 times per day for 30 seconds or more per wash than those with general willingness. Conclusions: This study has been carried out to identify the decision factors in practicing handwashing with soap for Korean adults. In univariate analysis, age, education level, monthly average income, handwashing habits, handwashing self-assessment, public toilet environment, completion of handwashing education and so forth have been identified to be the decision factors. This study result shows that the overall level of cleanliness of public toilet perceives to be poor and it suggests that the environment of public toilet needs to be enhanced. As the handwashing habits and handwashing-self assessment have been identified to be the significant decision factors for handwashing, there search and approach in these factors need to be developed further.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.217-224
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• 2015

OBJECTIVES Handwashing rate of Korean people was lower than the rates of people in developed countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate handwashing rate, the factors influence people's handwashing behaviors during use of public restroom. METHODS This study used the data of '2013 Korea National Handwashing Survey'. The survey was done through direct observation on the user of subway and train station restroom from September 10 to 12, 2013. RESULTS Factors influencing handwashing with soap were administrative region(OR 0.490-2.255), purpose of toilet use(urination 1.000, defecation 2.505), drying method after handwashing(OR 0.497-3.107). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study will provide the evidence data of national handwashing promotion activities for preventing and controlling communicable diseases.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.372-386
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to prove related practice factors of handwashing with soap and its practices by students in South Korea. Method: The subjects consisted of 700 students. Data were collected in Sep 2013 and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and logistic regression analysis. Results: Total number of handwashing times was 7.5 per day. 65.1% of the students used soap and most of the students washed their hands for 20 seconds(31.1%). Self-evaluation, awareness of effect for prevention of infectious disease, and need for handwashing education were positive, but evaluation of toilet environment was negative. Most of the students washed their hands for 21 seconds(%), and methods of handwashing were not appropriate. Level of awareness was over 85% in most items. Practice differed significantly according to locations, pattern of school, self-evaluation, awareness of effect for prevention of infectious disease, need for education handwashing, and toilet environment. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the students learned methods of handwashing for its practice in South Korea, and they were considered as general characteristics of handwashing from students. In addition, results mentioned above will be reflected in development of educational programs for improvement of handwashing efficiency.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.143-154
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• 1998

Background : There have been very few studies conducted on the number and type of microorganisms that remain on the ring finger after handwashing. This study was performed to investigate whether there were changes and differences in the type and number of microorganisms on the ring finger before and after handwashing. Method : The subjects of the study were 15 MICU and SICU staff nurses who were wearing rings. I swabbed two different fingers of the same hand with cotton balls. One finger which had a ring and the other with no ring. I swabbed the fingers of each subject three times(before handwashing, after handwashing with soap, and after handwashing with bethadine solution). After storing them for 48 hours in an incubator, I sent them to the laboratory and recorded the culture results. Results : There was no difference in the type of microorganism, but a major difference in the number of the microorganisms that existed on the finger ring. The results showed that there were much more microorganisms on the ring fingers than on the fingers that did not have rings both before and after handwashing. This tendency was consistent regardless of the handwashing agent. I therefore recommend that all nursing staff who work in general nursing units, as well as nurses who work in the ICU, remove their rings when taking care of the patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.229-243
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• 1997

Especially in NICU(Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), handwashing is an important factor in decresing nosocomial infections due to reduced immunity, prematurity and various invasive procedures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the basic characteristics related to handwashing by NICU nurses. It was composed of three parts ; questionnaire survey I (genoral characteristics of handwashing), questionnaire survey II(the awareness degree of handwashing importance) and actual performance. This study was performed from Oct. 8 to 14 in 1994. The results of this study were as follows ; 1. Frequency of handwashing were different by shift of working about 47.1% of the respondents. They were washing most frequently during day-shift about 75% of above. According to self evaluation to handwashing frequency, 64.7% of the respondents said their frequency of handwashing was inadequate, because of being too busy.(45.1%), bothering caused by detergent or disinfectant(17.6%), and too far from handwashing facilities(17.6%). 2. The most common handwashing agent was soap(88.2%), 52.9% of the subjects experienced adverse effects after handwashing ; rough hand(44.5%), dryness(33.3%) All subjects washed their hands with running water, and 70.6% of the subjects washed upto wrist. In duration of handwashing, 52.9% of subjects washed hands 5 to 10 seconds, 29.5% of them did 11 to 15 seconds. 3. 29.4% among subjects had participated to take in the handwashing educational program. About 60% responded they would like to take the course of handwashing if possible. 4. The important nursing activities that need handwashing were chaning of caring ostomy, suctioning, chaning IV dressing site. On the other hand, they responded handwashing was not essential before dealing with omitus, before and after transfering machine, before chaning diaper(stool) 5. Handwashing performance was 61.7%. Among seven nursing activities, suctioning(73.4%) was the highest, the next was dealing with discharge or sampling(71.1%), the lowest was bathing(34.6%). The performance was better after(70.2%) nursing activities that before(52.5%), and day(63.6%) or evening(68.3%) shift than night(56.7%)

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.449-456
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• 2013

Objectives : The objectives of this study were to investigate the handwashing and practice of health science college students and emphasize the importance of handwashing and infection control precaution to the students. Methods : This study was conducted by 586 health science college students through self-reported survey. All data were analyzed using SPSS/PC 13.0 program. Results : 1. Female students washed hands more frequently(7 times per day) than male students(6 times per day). Female students washed hands for 39 seconds in the meanwhile male students washed hands for 28 seconds. 2. Handwashing after using toilet accounted for 79.6% and 72.0% in female and male students, respectively. 3. Most of the handwashing was performed with faucet water (82.1%). The others were tepid water (54.3%), running water (98.1%) and water with soap bar (66.7%). 4. The reason for not practicing handwashing was due to annoyingness (36.3%). Conclusions : Health science college students' tended to wash their hands frequently. However, there existed a gap between the handwashing perception and practice in the previous reports because the observed practice was different from self-estimated perception.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.63-71
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• 2018

This survey is to compare the handwashing recognition and practice of middle school students in Korea and Nepal, according to the report that handwashing practice rate of Korea was significantly lower than those of developed countries. The handwashing survey tools of Korean CDC were used. As a result of analyzing data using SPSS/Win 23.0, there were differences in residential state, disease experience, and parental education level of subjects, handwashing practice was significantly higher in Nepal while higher handwashing recognition of Korea(p<.001). Among contents of handwashing practice, there were significant differences in drying methods, number of it with soap, time required, number of receiving education for it, and education methods. It is necessary to take measures to increase handwashing practice rate of Korea, while Nepal's is increasing by supplementing equipment and education even their handwashing recognition was low. This results are from a few middle school students in both countries by convenience sampling, therefore it is needed repeated studies with wider range of subjects.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.5-16
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• 1996

The purpose of this study is to identify the handwashing knowledge and attitudes of resistered nurses on general wards. Subjects for this study include 182 nurses working in general wards of a hospital in Seoul area. Data were collected by a questionnaire from July 30 to August 10,1996. Statistical analyses were done by the SPSS/PC program. The techniques used in this sudy included frequencies, chi-square test. The results of this study are summarized as follows. 1. 34.6% of the respondents reported that they washed their hand an average of 5 to 7 times during the work day. 2. 38.5% of the respondents reported always washing after each patient contact. Only 9.9% always washed before contact with a patient. 3. 56.6% of the respondents reported a washing time of 10 to 20 seconds, whereas 29.1% washed 21 to 30 seconds. Chi-square tests were employed to determine any differences in handwashing frequency and duration by age, working years, work position. There were no satistically significant differences among the variables. 4. 95.6% of the subjects used water and plain soap during the washing process. The respondents washed the palms of the hands, the backs of their hands and between their fingers(33%). Only 17.6% removed rings before handwashing. Similarly, 11% removed their wristwatch. The majority(96.2%) reported that they used communal textile towel to dry their hands. When asked what method they used to turn off the water faucet after washing, 98.4% reported using direct hand-to-faucet contact. 5. Nursing activities that showed the highest handwashing rates was after wound dressing(22.9%), followed by suctioning(21.4%), injection(21.2%), inserting catheter(18%). 6. Reasons cited for reduced handwashing frequency included being too busy to wash more often(74.7%), no need to wash more often(11.0%) and dry skin caused by frequent handwashing(3.3%). 7. When asked where they obtained their current knowledge of handwashing techniques, they reported professors(73.6%), resisted nurses(14.8%) and supervisor(6.6%). 8. Nursing staff thought that proper handwashing was important factor in decreasing nosocomical infections(72.4%).

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.1-22
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• 2007

Objectives: This study attempted to understand the relationship between handwashing knowledge, attitude and practice of middle school students and to provide the basic information for handwashing training of the students and help them to form a healthy habit. Methods: Data was collected by a standardized self-administered questionnaire between Sep. 20 to Oct. 6 2006 with a total of 710 students in 1, 2, 3 grades at 6 middle schools in metropolitan cities(490 students from four schools situated in an urban center, 220 from 2 in a suburban district). The data was then analyzed using the SPSS WIN 12.0 program, employing many statistical techniques such as chi-square($x^2$) test, t-test, ANOVA analysis with post hoc test, correlations analysis, and regression analysis. Results: The results of the study were as follows. First, total number of handwashing times of middle school students is 6.69 per day. 66.1% of the students used soap and most of the students washed hands for $6{\sim}10$ seconds(44.7%). Second, in the knowledge of handwashing, "both of the parents"(p<0.01), "catholic", "city"(p<0.05) were the highest and the practice of handwashing was active with "city", "high economic level"(p<0.05) and "both of the parents"(p<0.01). In the experience of teaching handwashing, "Yes" was 24.3% which was statistically significant with handwashing knowledge(p<0.05), attitude and practice(p<0.01). Third, in the correlation of handwashing knowledge, attitude and practice, there was statistical significancy between handwashing attitude and knowledge(p<0.01) and showed positive correlation with the knowledge(.534). The practice of handwashing has meaningful difference from the knowledge and the attitude and the coefficient of correlation shows positive co-relation in knowledge(.335) and attitude(0525). Fourth, based on the result for regression analysis with handwashing knowledge, attitude and practice as dependent variables, handwashing knowledge showed statistical significancy with sex, type of school(p<0.05) and residential area(p<0.01). There were also statistical significancy between handwashing attitude and knowledge(p<0.01) and between handwashing practice and religion, knowledge(p<0.05) and economic level, attitude(p<0.01). Conclusion: There were consistent results with handwashing knowledge, attitude and practice. If they had better knowledge, their attitude was more positive and if they had better knowledge and more positive attitude, their practice was active. The knowledge, attitude and practice of the students who learned about handwashing were higher than those of the students who had no experience of learning handwashing. To enhance handwashing habit of middle school students, the handwashing environment should be maintained. The training plans should also be made according to sex, type of school, economic level, residential area, and the consistent study on handwashing training is required.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.214-220
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• 2020

Handwashing with soap is an important practice to reduce the transmission of potentially pathogenic microorganisms, but liquid soaps with refillable dispensers are prone to extrinsic bacterial contamination. This study investigated the bacterial contamination of liquid soaps in 58 public restrooms in six buildings. The bacteria were identified by a biochemical test and MALDI-TOF mass spectrophotometry. The antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using the Vitek II system. Of the 58 restrooms examined, 27(46.55%) were using a refill dispenser, of which 25(92.59%) were contaminated with bacteria. The bacteria recovered from the soaps ranged from 1.6×10³ to 2.7×10⁵ CFU/mL. Serratia liquefaciens (12), Achromobacter xylosoxidans (9), S. marcescens (4), Staphylococcus pastueri (1), and Achromobacter spanius (1) were isolated. Except for one A. xylosoxidans, bacteria of the same species isolated in the same building showed a unique resistance pattern. In conclusion, handwashing with contaminated soap may play a role in the transmission of bacteria in public health settings. Therefore, it is necessary to limit the use of refillable liquid soaps in the restrooms of hospitals used by patients with reduced immunity.