Research & Results

Diarrhoea: Why children are still dying and what can be done Adobe Acrobat
The objective of this WHO/UNICEF report is to focus attention on the prevention and management of diarrhoeal diseases as central to improving child survival. It examines the latest available information on the burden and distribution of childhood diarrhoea.
UNICEF/WHO Report 14 October, 2009

Biggest child-killers- pneumonia and diarrhea Adobe Acrobat
Global spending on maternal, newborn and child health was about $3.5 billion in 2006, according to a report by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. That same year, nearly $9 billion was devoted to HIV and AIDS, according to UNAIDS
Associated Press

Swine Flu Information Adobe Acrobat
Important information and instructions for individuals and families about the recent epidemic of swine flu. The article includes facts about swine flu, ways you can stay healthy, and contact information in case you believe you have contracted swine flu. Excerpt: "Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze."
 The Soap and Detergent Association, 2009

The role of hand washing in improving hygiene and health in low-income countries Adobe Acrobat
This article reviews the results of interventions promoting hand washing in communities with a high incidence of diarrhea and examines the roles of public health institutions and soap manufacturers in extending the benefits of hand washing to these communities. Excerpt: "The good news is that hand washing with soap, a low-cost intervention for which persons are generally willing to pay, reduces the incidence of one of the largest killers of young children worldwide."
AJPH, Luby, 2001

Prevention and Control of Diarrheal Diseases
An overview of diarrheal disease, its etiology and transmission in persons afflicted with the disease. Also includes an overview of the symptoms, treatment and prevention of diarrheal disease. Excerpt: "Eighty-five percent of diarrheal deaths occur during the first year of life, and approximately 4.6 million children under the age of five in developing countries die from diarrheal diseases each year."
IH 887, Baysac, Beilstein, 1999

Effect of Intensive Hand washing Promotion on Childhood Diarrhea in High-Risk Communities in Pakistan
A study designed to evaluate the effect of promoting household hand washing with soap among children at the highest risk of death from diarrhea. Excerpt: "Children younger than 15 years living in households that received hand washing promotion and plain soap had a 53% lower incidence of diarrhea compared with children living in control neighborhoods."
JAMA, Luby, Agboatwalla, Painter, Altaf, Billhimer, Hoekstra, 2004

Editorial: Hand washing with soap – a new way to prevent ARIs? Adobe Acrobat
An editorial citing evidence linking hand washing with the reduction in acute respiratory infection cases. Excerpt: The link between hand washing and ARI is more than a hypothesis for speculation. A quick search of the literature found six studies, all showing that hand washing reduced the risk of ARIs to a significant degree.
Tropical Medicine and International Health, Cairncross, 2003

Effect of washing hands with soap on diarrhea risk in the community: A systematic review Adobe Acrobat
This study set out to determine the impact of washing hands with soap against the risk of contracting diarrheal diseases in communities around the world. Excerpt: "On current evidence, washing hands with soap can reduce the risk of diarrhoeal diseases by 42–47% and interventions to promote handwashing might save a million lives."
The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Curtis, Cairncross, 2003

WELL Fact Sheet: Health impact of handwashing with soap
A collective gathering of evidence detailing the health impact of the promotion of hand washing with soap has in developing countries. Excerpt: "Though many hygiene practices can assist in preventing disease, the one with the strongest evidence for effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in developing countries is hand washing with soap."
WELL Website, Ensink, Curtis

Effect of hand washing on child health: a randomized controlled trial Adobe Acrobat
With more than 3.5 million children aged less than 5 years dying from diarrhea and acute lower respiratory-tract infection every year, this study had a very important task ahead of them and performed a trial to assess the effects of hand washing promotion with soap. Excerpt: "Hand washing with soap prevents the two clinical syndromes that cause the largest number of childhood deaths globally—namely, diarrhea and acute lower respiratory infections. Hand washing with daily bathing also prevents impetigo."
The Lancet, Luby, Agboatwalla, Feikin, Painter, Billhimer, Altaf, Hoekstra, 2005

Health in Your Hands: Lessons from Building Public - Private Partnerships for Washing Hands with Soap Adobe Acrobat
A document outlining the approach taken by a small team from the Water and Sanitation Program, the World Bank and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to answer the question, “Can the expertise and resources of Industry and Governments be coupled to design and deliver large-scale, high-impact handwash promotion programs?” Excerpt: "The Kerala results showed that those who did not use soap to wash their hands after using the toilet reported diarrhea five times more often than those who did."
Health in your Hands, Curtis, 2002

Cochrane Column: Hand washing for preventing Diarrhea Adobe Acrobat
This article, along with its commentaries, reviews the results of interventions promoting hand washing in communities with a high incidence of diarrhea and examines the roles of public health institutions and soap manufacturers in extending the benefits of hand washing to these communities. Excerpt: "Hand washing can reduce diarrhea episodes by about 30%. This significant reduction is comparable to the effect of providing clean water in low-income areas."
International Journal of Epidemiology, Ejemot, Ehiri, Meremikwu, Critchley, Curtis, Luby, 2008

 

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