A survey of hand hygiene practices on a residential college campus

Background Upper respiratory tract infections and gastrointestinal tract infections are the cause of a significant level of illness on college campuses. However, preventative measures such as handwashing and hand sanitation are often not well-supported, understood, or practiced on campus. Methods A confidential, self-administered on-line survey was performed during April–May 2006. Results Nine hundred and ninety-four participants completed the survey. Of these, 49% were undergraduates, 30% were graduates, and 34% lived in residence halls on campus. Conclusions We recommend the importance of creating an awareness of proper hand hygiene practices as they relate to the everyday context of a college campus. In addition, we believe there is a need for hand hygiene education targeted at students. Finally, we strongly recommend that college authorities provide soap and a means of hand drying in all residential bathrooms.