Kids, dads almost flunk hand washing

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- A report card on hand hygiene found U.S. school nurses, teachers and mothers do best, but fathers and children barely pass.

The grades on hand hygiene were devised from the third annual Clean Hands Report Card issued by The Soap and Detergent Association, which found everyone could do better when it comes to hand washing.

School nurses/health professionals received an average of B-plus, while teachers earned a B-minus and parents received a C -- mothers scoring a B-minus, while dads just scraped by with a D-plus.

Students needed to do the most hand washing homework -- they received a grade of D.

Twenty-two percent of children said they do not wash their hands every time they use the bathroom; 31 percent said they seldom or never wash their hands before eating lunch; and 41 percent seldom or never wash their hands after coughing or sneezing.

The report card is based on a telephone survey of 664 parents/guardians of school-age children, and surveys taken at conferences attended by teachers, school nurses/health professionals and students. The survey has a margin of error of plus/minus 3.8 percent.