How Specialised Messages Increase the Take-up of Male Hand Washing

WHY EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN HEALTH CAMPAIGNS IS VITAL

Hand washing compliance can be increased from 77% to 86% of males adopting effective hand washing measures.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that on average 77% of men wash their hands when leaving the lavatory.

Recent analysis published in Human Communication Research has concluded that this figure can increase to an impressive 86% of men who have been provided with appropriate hand washing focussed messages, reports Science Daily.

They state “The findings suggested that men who are exposed to a relatable message in the bathroom are more likely to wash their hands and ran the water longer than participants not exposed to the messages.”

The article also quotes John Courtright, editor of Human Communication Research and professor at the University of Delaware, who says “This investigation not only advances communication theory in meaningful ways… But it also increases our knowledge about the important role of communication in health campaigns.”

Read the full Science Daily article about male hand washing improvement

Source:
International Communication Association. “Specialized messages increase likelihood of male hand washing.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 11 January 2013. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130111092717.htm.