H

hand washing Frequent hand washing with
soap and warm water is one of the most effective
means of preventing the spread of infectious dis-
eases. Hand contact is a primary method of trans-
mitting bacterial and viral infections. Hand
washing kills or removes most pathogenic agents.
To wash the hands:

• Turn on tap to dispense water that is warm but
  not too hot to hold the hands under its flow.


• Get hands wet.


• Apply soap, preferably liquid soap from a dis-
  penser.


• Work the soap into a lather that covers all sur-
  faces of the hands, taking a full minute.


• Rinse hands under running water.


• If it is not possible to turn off the water without
  touching the faucet handles, leave the water
  temporarily running.


• Dry hands thoroughly using disposable towels
  or a heated air dispenser.


• Use a paper towel to cover the faucet handle,
  then turn off the water.

WHEN TO WASH THE HANDS
after changing a diaper after cleaning dirty dishes
after handling raw meat after holding an infant
or poultry after petting or handling
after sneezing or coughing animals
into the hand after sneezing, coughing, or
after using the bathroom BLOWING THE NOSE
before eating before holding an infant
before preparing food before serving food

It is particularly important to wash the hands
after going to the bathroom. Fecal-to-oral trans-

mission spreads many gastrointestinal infections.

Some studies suggest that many people wash their

hands only when they believe someone is observ-

ing them. Though hand washing sounds like a

simple solution to a complex problem, health

experts project it could significantly reduce infec-

tious diseases.

See also BACTERIA; ENTERITIS; FOODBORNE ILL-

NESSES; GASTROENTERITIS; PERSONAL HYGIENE; TRANS-

MISSION MODES; VIRUS.

health education Health experts consider

instruction about health and disease to be a fun-

damental dimension of preventive medicine.

Health education formalizes such instruction

within structured settings such as schools, work-

shops, and classes. At its most basic level, health

education the form of the fundamental instruction

children receive in school about the functions of

the human body. All states in the United States

have governmentally mandated health education

requirements, typically for kindergarten (K)

through grade 8 or grades K through 12. Other

health education curricula may target college-level

students. Some health education programs focus

on the needs of specific populations, such as child-

birth education classes for pregnant women and

their partners or DIABETES education classes for

people who have diabetes. Businesses may offer

health education programs for their employees

and their families with the dual goals of improving

personal health and reducing time lost to illness or

injury.

See also LIFESTYLE AND HEALTH.

health insurance Health insurance is the finan-

cial platform for health care in the United States.

As such, it plays a significant role in access to

26