ADRA/LLU Hand Washing Research Presented at American Public Health Association

Research findings on “Hand washing, perception and practices among Cambodian Rural poor” we presented by Dr. Leonard Uisetiawan on October 29 at the World Federation of Public Health Associations/ American Public Health Association (WFPHA/APHA) International Health Annual Breakfast in San Diego. Leonard is the advisor to four current health projects operated by Adventist Development and Relief Agency Cambodia (ADRA) and has conducted this research as part of his Masters in Public Health coursework with Loma Linda University. The study was funded by Colgate-Palmolive through the American Public Health Association “Excellence in Student Research Program” with a grant awarded to Loma Linda University and sub granted to ADRA Cambodia.

ADRA Cambodia has been active in Cambodia since 1988 in the three main sectors of Health, Water and Sanitation, and Food Security. Among ten current projects, the Hand Washing research project has been conducted over the past year under the Child Friendly Village “Phum Mittapheap Koma” project funded by NZAID and ADRA New Zealand.

Cambodia is known for the ancient temples of Angkor Wat and is still recovering from the long term effects of the Khmer Rouge regime which killed at least more than 1.5 million Cambodians and left it one of the poorest countries in the world destroying the fabric of society. Recent data shows that 8.6% of all Cambodian children born die before they turn 5, with diarrhea as one of the leading causes of death. (CDHS 2005).

According to the researcher, Dr. Leonard Uisetiawan, the project has found that only 25.34% of rural Cambodians practice appropriate hand washing and regardless of increased access to clean water and hygiene knowledge only 5.94% of child caretakers properly washed their hands after cleaning a child's bottom or after defecating themselves.

Mr Sin Satha, Public Relations Officer for ADRA Cambodia says, “To prevent from all kinds of disease, parents should know how to teach their children how to clean their hands properly. The question is, how can the parent learn how to clean hand properly?”

The research has found that hand washing practices in homes are not dependent on the availability of soap, water, buckets, accessibility to handwashing places, household size, number of children and mother’s occupation. As well, a mother’s previous formal education attainment has no bearing on hand washing practices. There is a belief that hand washing with soap is a waste of money, water and time.

In working together on this research with Loma Linda University, APHA and Palmolive-Colgate Company, ADRA has obtained information to help parents to improve the lives of their children, promoting good habits as role models.