TUESDAY, Oct. 2, 2012 — Encouraging hand-washing in classrooms can reduce the spread of germs at school, according to a study released today by Kimberly-Clark Professional (KCP), the workplace division of personal-care company Kimberly Clark.
Experts say hand-washing can become an inherent habit, especially in people who embrace it at a young age. That's why KCP targeted elementary schools for this seven-month study.
Hygienists tested for germs on the most commonly touched objects at six Atlanta-area schools, including bathroom stall door locks, desks, and water fountains. Specifically, they measured the amount of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a molecule found in all animal, vegetable, bacteria, yeast, and mold cells. They obtained baseline results and continued to monitor contamination levels in two-week intervals over the course of the study. During that time, each school implemented the Super Germ Fighters education program for students.
The kids learned how to properly wash their hands, to use hand sanitizer, and to wipe down their desks daily.
Scientists consider objects with ATP readings of 300 or higher at high risk for germ transmission. At baseline, average ATP levels on bathroom stall door locks, desks, door handles, cafeteria tables, computer mice, and water fountain buttons all scored far above 300. Bathroom stall locks were the highest, at an average ATP level of 974.
After seven months, ATP counts dropped on objects throughout the schools as follows:
- 76 percent on bathroom stall door locks
- 71 percent on students' desks
- 53 percent on door handles
- 45 percent on cafeteria tables
- 41 percent on computer mice
- 34 percent on water fountain buttons
For Kelly Arehart, PhD, a program leader at Kimberly-Clark Professional, this study wasn't necessarily about what objects were most or least contaminated. It was about how high the researchers found contamination levels at the start.
"We've done a lot of spotting in offices and public areas and the levels of contamination we got back far outweighed anything we'd seen before, to the point where we thought our meters were broken," Dr. Arehart says.
It may not be that hygiene habits have decreased among kids, says Arehart, but many schools — like many offices — are becoming more crowded, "getting by with less space and more kids." That may heighten the breeding ground for germs.
KCP researchers also surveyed parents and teachers, and found that when kids brought their new hand-washing habits home, it encouraged their parents.
While the study did not measure the number of sick days taken by students during the observation period, it did prove that education could in fact reduce germ transmission that occurs between germ hot spots.