This document discusses hand washing benefits and cleanliness beliefs. It covers three main factors: proper hand washing procedures, disease prevention through hand washing, and the use of hand sanitizer alongside hand washing. It also compares hand washing perspectives and practices in the US (individualist culture with abundant water access) versus India (more collectivist culture where water conservation is important). The document includes an interview with someone from India discussing these cultural differences. Overall, it finds that proper hand washing can significantly reduce disease transmission, but practices vary between cultures based on beliefs and resource availability.

1. By: Kirsten Pressel and Valerie Fine
HAND WASHING BENEFITS
AND CLEANLINESS BELIEFS

2. INTRODUCTION
• Research indicates that hand washing contributes to the
well being, health and safety of preschoolers and their
teachers.
• Hand washing is accepted as the most effective method in
reducing the spread of infectious diseases, and the result of
fewer days absent from school and loss of learning.
• Therefore both children and adults can benefit from hand
washing.

3. FACTOR ONE – PROPER HAND
WASHING PROCEDURE AND
VARIOUS STEPS INVOLVED
• 1. Turn on the water
• 2. Place hands under the water until they are wet
• 3. Turn off the water
• 4. Apply soap
• 5. Scrub your hands with friction. Focus on the front, the
back, and between the fingers
• 6. Scrub for two minutes. Sing Happy Birthday if you want!
• 7. Turn on water
• 8. Rinse the soap off
• 9. Turn off water
• 10. Dry hands thoroughly

4. FACTOR TWO- DISEASE
PREVENTION
• The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that millions of
school days are missed every year due to colds and flu.
• These illnesses and more (including MRSA) can be prevented
with proper hand washing.
• It is estimated that over 3.8 million children under the age of
five die from respiratory tract infections every year. Proper
hand washing can help prevent some of these deaths.
• The World Health Organization and the CDC cite routine hand
washing as a cost effective way to prevent communicable
disease.

5. FACTOR 3 – HAND SANITIZER USED
IN CONJUNCTION WITH HAND
WASHING
• Hand sanitizer can be used when there is no running water
available such as when away from home or in the car.
• It can also be used if the sinks are the wrong height or can’t
easily be reached by younger children.
• Sometimes sinks are hard to turn on. They have two
handled spigots which require advanced fine motor skills.
Young children may not have these skills yet.

6. HAND WASHING IN THE USA
• The United States is viewed as an individualist country.
• We believe that individual needs are more important than
group needs.
• We strive for independence and push our children to be
independent from a young age.
• Water is readily available and the majority don’t worry about
running out or conservation.

7. HAND WASHING IN INDIA
• India is viewed as a more collectivist family-centered
culture ( ie everyone is involved in babies birth and
development).
• Emphasizes group success
• Individual ambitions are set aside for the attainment of
group goals.
• Water can scarce during droughts and at other times, so
conservation is key.

8. INTERVEIW
COUNTRY OF ORGIN: INDIA
• What is your countries cultural perspective on hand
washing?.
• “Hand washing is viewed as necessary in my country. It is very important to wash hands
before praying and before touching holy items in temples. Family members wash hands
right away when entering a home so they don’t contaminate the food. Also, hand washing
in the kitchen is very important. One person usually prepares and serves the food. Hands
are washed before eating because we eat with their hands. While eating if the hands
touch the mouth they have been contaminated with germs.”
• Does your country/family follow hand washing guild lines
and procedures?
• “We work together to teach children hand washing procedures. There is no agency that
helps with hand washing techniques. We believe if the hands are dirty, then wash them.”

9. INTERVIEW CONTINUED
• Length of time in USA?
• “12 years”
• Differences in Indian Culture and US culture?
• “In my culture water is very precious. Sometimes it is not always available. When water is
available, it is collected in water tanks in the city (Bombay). In the countryside people
carry water to their homes. We must boil water and carry it to the bathroom for cleaning.
Water must be conserved because we have times of dryness. Hand sanitizer is kept to a
minimum because of chemicals. In India I see more water conservation. In the U.S.
people don’t turn off the facets when washing and leave the water running. People don’t
know how precious water is because its always available. There is much wasted water in
America. When there is a drought in India, or people use more water than their water
tanks can hold, there is nothing to wash with. We know we have to conserve.”

10. FINAL COMMENTS
• We both read, summarized, and discussed our empirical
articles
• Kirsten and Valerie developed the questionnaire together
• Kirsten typed questionnaire, Valerie proofed and made
corrections as needed.
• Both distributed surveys and collected them
• Valerie conducted interview
• Kirsten and Valerie developed PowerPoint together
• Kirsten put PowerPoint together, Valerie proofed it
• Kirsten and Valerie both presented the PowerPoint together
• Good work team!

11. RESULTS
Participants Race/Ethnicity Sex Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q10
P1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2
P2 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 3
P3 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 2
P4 2 1 2 2 3 2 3 3 3 3 2 3
P5 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2
P6 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 2
P7 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 3
P8 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 3 1 1 3
P9 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2
P10 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 2
P11 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 1
P12 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2
P13 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2
P14 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1
P15 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2

12. REFERENCES
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Anderson, K. (2009) Germ Wars. American School & University, 81.6.
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Observed hand clealiness and other measures of handwashing behavior in rural
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Obeng, C. (2008). Personal Cleanliness Activities in Preschool Classrooms. Early Childhood
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Schultz, A., Morton, J., (2004). Healthy Hands: Use of Alcohol Gel as an Adjunct to
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