Why 1 in 4 kids in Singapore don’t wash their hands after using the bathroom, root cause of problem & solution identified

You’d think that three years into a global pandemic, everyone has learned the lesson on the importance of handwashing, right? RIGHT?

As it turns out, maybe not. A survey from Lifebuoy, released in time for Global Handwashing Day on October 15, showed that 25 per cent of children in Singapore do not wash their hands after using the bathroom.

Moreover, more than half—56 per cent—neglect to use soap when they do wash their hands.

And the kicker is this: nearly three out of four—or 72 per cent—do not comply with recommended guidelines, which say that hands should be washed for 20 to 30 seconds.

The online survey, the first that Lifebuoy has researched involving Singapore families, showed the expectations of parents and guardians when it comes to handwashing as opposed to what kids actually do.

The findings show that children may need more positive modelling behaviour from parents on handwashing in order to prevent the spread of disease, even though most of them understand that handwashing is important to “keep germs away” and “stop the spread of viruses.”

It appears that parents could benefit from more education as well.

While 81 per cent of parents or guardians who responded to the questions in the survey said their expectations of the number of times their kids should wash their hands has increased, only 25 per cent have actually taught their kids that handwashing should last UNICEF-prescribed duration of 20 to 30 seconds.

Dr Joanne Yoong, the founder of think and do tank Research for Impact Singapore, is quoted as saying “Most children who participated in the Lifebuoy survey did not need further information about the benefits of washing their hands, but instead needed to change their behaviours. Parents and teachers have an important role to play, but evidence shows that children can also learn effectively through their fellow peers, especially in early childhood.”

“Handwashing is one of the most effective ways of protection and one of the most cost-effective solutions to protect communities,” Lifebuoy pointed out. /TISG

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