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Always Be Clean: Decreased Germs = Increased Attendance

CSEF · 2002 Microbiology

Gwyneth Lynn Baynham · St. Mary of the Angels, Ukiah

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective is to determine if the use of a hand sanitizer three times per day by students results in the decreased the spread of communicable illnesses in classrooms, resulting in decreased student absenteeism due to illnesses. Methods/Materials One classroom participated as an #experimental group# and two classrooms were used as blind control groups. All classrooms were from the same school and represent similar socio-economic groups. The experimental group used a non-alcohol hand sanitizer three times per day, prior to times when they traditionally ate. At the end of 38 calendar days the absences from the experimental group and control groups were tallied. An absence was counted only if it was for an acute illness. The rate of absenteeism was compared between the experimental and control groups Results The experimental group had a much lower absentee rate when compared to the control groups. The absentee rate for the Experimental Group was 1%. Control Group 1 had an absentee rate of 2.4% and Control Group 2 had a rate of 4%. In comparison, the Experimental Group had 59% less absentees than Control Group 1 and 75% less absentees than Control Group 2. The use of the hand sanitizer was well accepted by both the students and the teacher. Conclusions/Discussion The use of hand sanitizer decreased absentees an average of 67%. The results are similar to classroom studies conducted by Woodward Laboratories, their studies showed a decrease of 33% of absentees.

Summary statement

My project is about preventing the spread of communicable diseases in classrooms by the use of a hand sanitizer resulting in decreased illness and the reduction of absences due to this intervention.

Help received

My mother helped define topic, type and edit. Woodward Laboratories provided technical assistance and donated the hand sanitizer. Mrs. Kutz, the teacher of the experimental group, assisted by participating and making sure her students used the hand sanitizer at the appropriate times each day.

Competition history

  • CSEF 2002 Microbiology · Entry J1302

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