With MERS cases showing up throughout the Arabian Peninsula, a national hand washing survey reveals the majority of Emiratis improve their hand washing habits in response to news coverage about airborne or food-borne illnesses. 51 percent of those polled say they wash their hands more frequently and 34 percent wash more thoroughly or longer after news stories about infections and viruses.

Emiratis also worry about other illnesses. Two-thirds of respondents say they are now more concerned about contracting the flu virus than they were a year ago.

The findings are part of an online Healthy Hand Washing Survey conducted by Bradley Corporation, a leading manufacturer of commercial plumbing fixtures, washroom accessories, partition cubicles, emergency fixtures and solid plastic lockers.

The survey found that 80 percent of Emiratis say they always wash their hands after using a public toilet. However, 17 percent admit they sometimes skip that important action.

“Hand washing is a simple thing to do and it’s the best way to prevent the spread of infection and illness,” says Jon Dommisse, director of global marketing & strategic development for Bradley Corporation. “It’s important that everyone knows and understands the benefits of hand washing.”

Public toilet aggravations hurt businesses  

Unfortunately, 74 percent of those polled say they’ve had a particularly unpleasant experience in a public toilet due to the condition of the facilities. A bad smell, water on the floor, and an old, dirty or unkempt appearance top the list of problems. The survey also highlighted public toilet experiences that elicit the highest level of personal frustration: having to walk across a wet restroom floor is the action most likely to irritate public toilet users, followed by the need to reach over someone to access a soap dispenser and having to wait for an available hand dryer.

For businesses, an unclean toilet has negative implications. The majority of respondents say a messy facility indicates poor management or shows the establishment doesn’t care about its customers. An unpleasant toilet can also translate into lost revenue since 62 percent of respondents say they will either not use the business again or think twice before doing so. Almost 40 percent said they have left the facility immediately without completing their intended transaction or told a friend about the experience and named the location. 

Germ aversions in public toilets

Over half of the respondents reported taking specific actions to evade germs in public toilets. The most common germ avoidance behaviors in public toilets involve the use of paper towels to avoid hand contact with door handles, flushers and taps. 

Germ concerns tied to hand washing in specific facilities are also on the mind of Emiratis. Restaurants and medical facilities are the primary places where more than half of all respondents are most concerned about others not washing their hands. 

Toilets in workplaces are no exception to hand washing sensitivities. When they know a co-worker or colleague is sick, 88 percent of respondents will take some kind of action to avoid their germs, such as using more hand sanitizer, washing one’s own hands more thoroughly and simply avoiding the sick person. On the topic of workplaces, one-third say they at least occasionally see co-workers leaving the toilets without washing their hands at all.   

The Healthy Hand Washing Survey asked 550 adults May 5-9, 2014 about their hand washing habits in public toilets. Participants were from around the UAE, ranged in age from 18 to 54, and were split between men (45 percent) and women (55 percent).