
The purpose of this article was to obtain key inputs for the development of the first regional and global estimates of handwashing with soap following faecal exposure, in
view of updating the estimates of the burden of disease for the impact of this behaviour on diarrhoeal disease. The authors systematically reviewed the prevalence of the relevant hand dhygiene practices worldwide and updated the evidence linking hand hygiene practices to the prevention of diarrhoea. In both cases, they present adjusted estimates
due to known biases. The results provide a basis for estimating the global burden of disease from inadequate hand hygiene practices.
Freeman, M. C., Stocks, M. E., Cumming, O., Jeandron, A., Higgins, J. P. T., Wolf, J., Prüss-Ustün, A., Bonjour, S., Hunter, P. R., Fewtrell, L. and Curtis, V. (2014), Hygiene and health: systematic review of handwashing practices worldwide and update of health effects. Tropical Medicine & International Health. doi: 10.1111/tmi.12339