Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
BMC Public Health. 2019 Oct 22;19(1):1324. doi: 10.1186/s12889-019-7726-9.
Several studies have reported an association between improvements in hand hygiene and the reductions in rates of intestinal parasitic diseases. However, only a some have addressed its link to the frequency of influenza-like illness. The current study aimed to find the correlation between personal hygiene habits and the frequency of influenza-like illness.
A cross-sectional study targeting 3000 participants conducted in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. A systematic random sampling methodology was applied for participant from different part of Riyadh city using a computer generating system. The researcher first started by calling each participant. A full explanation was given to each participant in details (from the purpose of the research, consent to answer the questionnaire, to the explanation of the outcome definition). Each point of the questionnaire was explained to them to make sure they had excellent comprehension, and therefore, respond accurately. Descriptive statistics and Odds Ratio and its 95% confidence intervals were used to determine the association between frequency of influenza-like illness and the studied variables.
Two thousand eighty-two (69.4%) completed the questionnaire. The participants who spent 5-10 s in handwashing with soap and rubbing were at increased risk of more frequent influenza-like illness (odds ratio = 1.37, 1.08-1.75). Handwashing with soap and rubbing after handshaking is an independent protective habit against frequent influenza-like illness (adjusted OR = 0.59, 0.37-0.94).
The decrease of the frequency of influenza-like illness could be done through the following: getting the influenza vaccine annually, washing hands with soap and hand rubbing not less than 15 s after getting out of the bathroom, before and after handshaking and before eating. Soap companies should invent soaps that take less rubbing time to kill bacteria, and subsequently may maximize compliance in the community.
多项研究报告称，手部卫生的改善与肠道寄生虫病发病率的降低之间存在关联。然而，只有少数研究涉及到它与流感样疾病发病率之间的联系。本研究旨在发现个人卫生习惯与流感样疾病发病率之间的相关性。
这是一项在沙特阿拉伯利雅得市进行的针对 3000 名参与者的横断面研究。采用系统随机抽样方法，利用计算机生成系统从利雅得市的不同地区抽取参与者。研究人员首先打电话给每位参与者。向每位参与者详细解释（从研究目的、同意回答问卷、解释结果定义）。向他们解释问卷的每一个要点，以确保他们有很好的理解，并因此准确回答。使用描述性统计和优势比及其 95%置信区间来确定流感样疾病发病率与研究变量之间的关联。
有 2082 人（69.4%）完成了问卷。用肥皂洗手并搓揉 5-10 秒的参与者患流感样疾病的频率更高（优势比=1.37，1.08-1.75）。握手后用肥皂洗手是一种独立的保护习惯，可以预防频繁的流感样疾病（调整后的 OR=0.59，0.37-0.94）。
通过以下措施可以降低流感样疾病的发病率：每年接种流感疫苗、从浴室出来后用肥皂洗手并搓揉不少于 15 秒、在握手前后以及在进食前洗手。肥皂公司应该发明出一种肥皂，这种肥皂需要较少的揉搓时间来杀死细菌，从而最大限度地提高社区的依从性。
