Hygiene and health: systematic review of handwashing practices worldwide and update of health effects
Estimates the global prevalence of handwashing with soap and derives an estimate of the effect of hygiene on diarrhoeal diseases
Abstract
This study estimates the global prevalence of handwashing with soap and derives a pooled estimate of the effect of hygiene on diarrhoeal diseases, based on a systematic search of the literature. Meta-regression of risk estimates suggests that handwashing reduces the risk of diarrhoeal disease by 40% (risk ratio 0.60, 95% CI 0.53–0.68); and by 23% (risk ratio 0.77, 95% CI 0.32–1.86), when adjusted for unblinded studies.
Citation
Freeman, M.C.; Stocks, M.E.; Cumming, O.; Jeandron, A.; Higgins, J.P.T.; Wolf, J.; Pruss-Ustun, A.; Bonjour, S.; Hunter, P.R.; Fewtrell, L.; Curtis, V. Hygiene and health: systematic review of handwashing practices worldwide and update of health effects. Tropical Medicine and International Health (2014) : [DOI: 10.1111/tmi.12339]