In the lead up to Global Handwashing Day, 15 October 2024, the Food Safety Information Council today released their latest report card showing there is still a significant difference in handwashing between men and women.

Lydia Buchtmann, Food Safety Information Council CEO, said good handwashing, using running water, soap and drying hands thoroughly is a critical public health message and reduces your chance of becoming one of the estimated 4.67 million cases of food poisoning in Australia each year that result in 47,900 hospitalisations, 38 deaths and costing the economy $2.1 billion.

‘This year’s Omnipoll consumer research also found that 19% of Australians say they don’t always wash their hands after going to the toilet (up from 17% last year) and 42% admit they don’t always wash before touching food (up from 34% last year).

‘There was a slight improvement in handwashing during COVID-19 but now Australians seem to be slipping back into old habits. Here is this year’s handwashing report card:

Blokes need to do better. The research continues to show gender differences as men are less likely than women to always wash their hands after going to the toilet (80% of men versus 83% of women) or before touching food (55% of men versus 62% of women).

Older Australians are best. Young people were less likely than older age groups to always wash their hands after going to the toilet (69% under 34 years old versus 86% over 65 years). Age made little difference when washing hands before touching food (67% under 34 versus 66% over 65).

A big jump in middle age. Once people hit 35 overall their handwashing improves. This is possibly due to parenthood focussing people on cleanliness (or that people become more sensible!)

Youngest group shows some hope. There is a slight glimmer of hope where the youngest group of 18 to 24 year olds performed better in always washing hands after going to the toilet (76%) compared with the next oldest 25 to 34 year age group with 69%. Also, the younger group was better washing after handling raw meat (81%) compared with 73% for 25 to 34 year olds.

‘The Food Safety Information Council’s advice is to always wash and dry your hands:
• before handling, preparing and eating food
• after touching raw meat, fish, seafood, shell eggs or poultry
• after using the toilet, attending to children’s (or others’) toileting and changing nappies
• after blowing your nose
• after touching a pet or cleaning cat litter trays, and
• after gardening

‘Follow these 4 simple tips for hand washing correctly:
1. Wet your hands and rub them together well to build up a good lather with soap for at least 20 seconds and don’t forget to wash between your fingers and under your nails. You might have to use a nail brush.
2. Rinse well under running water to remove the bugs from your hands.
3. Dry your hands thoroughly on a clean towel for at least 20 seconds. Touching surfaces with moist hands encourages bugs to spread from the surface to your hands.
4. If no running water is available use an alcohol gel hand rub.

‘We have a handwashing education package including a video that can be downloaded from our website and we encourage people to watch the video and to put up the posters at home, in their workplace, or at school,’ Ms Buchtmann concluded.

The Food Safety Information Council would like to thank their member Accord Australasia who sponsored this research.

Accord Australasia is the peak national industry association representing manufacturers and suppliers of hygiene, personal care and specialty products, their raw materials suppliers and service providers. Their industry’s products are used every day across the nation in homes, public places, commercial premises, institutions, industry and farms. https://accord.asn.au/

The Omnipoll research was conducted nationally online over the period August 22-27, 2024, among a sample of 1229 people aged 18 years and over. To reflect the overall population distribution, results were post-weighted to Australian Bureau of Statistics data (Census 2021) on age, sex, area and highest level of schooling completed.

Media contacts:
Lydia Buchtmann, Food Safety Information Council, 0407 626 688 or info@foodsafety.asn.au

Craig Brock, Accord, 0422 363 646

Take our handwashing survey