NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Teach students about the importance of washing their hands after going to the bathroom, and you could cut absenteeism by half, study findings suggest.

In the report, a group of Pennsylvania researchers demonstrate that elementary school-age students who were taught about the importance of hand hygiene and were provided with a hand-sanitizing lotion logged 51% fewer absences during a 3-month period than students who went without the hand hygiene program.

Students included in the program sat through a 10-minute talk, during which they were told about how hand washing can reduce illness and prevent the spread of microorganisms like bacteria and viruses. Furthermore, the presenter explained when it is best to wash your hands, or to remind a buddy to wash his or her hands. The students then watched a short video presentation on germs and completed drawing or word exercises related to hand washing.

All classrooms included in the hygiene program also were given water-free hand sanitizers, and children were taught how to properly wash their hands.

A total of 290 students in kindergarten through third grade participated in the study. The entire educational program lasted one hour.

Absenteeism is a significant problem in schools, the authors note in the recent issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, with another recent report showing that the vast majority of teachers say it is the biggest problem they face.

Reducing absenteeism can also save money, according to the researchers led by Maryellen Guinan of the University of Pennsylvania. They found that reducing absenteeism by 51% would lead to savings of $167 per student each year, even factoring in the cost associated with the hand hygiene program.

Previous studies have shown that scheduling hand washing in elementary schools can reduce the number of children who stay home because of infectious illnesses.

"Since hands are the primary vehicle of transmission of many infectious diseases, teaching children appropriate hand hygiene and providing accessible hand sanitizer in the classroom can be an effective program for potentially decreasing absenteeism," Guinan and her colleagues write.

SOURCE: American Journal of Infection Control 2002;30:217-220.

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