Baggage Check: Watching Washing

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Dr. Andrea Bonior dives into the world of psychology.

THOSE REPELLED by thoughts of the hideous things growing in public restrooms got plenty of new fodder in a recent study by the American Society for Microbiology. People are even less likely to wash their hands, researchers found, after using the toilet than they were two years ago. Apparently, this lack of practice is not being preached: A much higher percentage of people actually claim they wash than really do.

Women can pat themselves on the back — with cleaner hands — since more of them (88 percent) were likely to wash up than men (66 percent). But why the decline across the board? And does the insistence on claiming one always washes represent lying to save face, or flat-out confusion? Are people having hallucinations of washing?

Though excessive and irrational, fear of germs can be a problem in and of itself, and though there is evidence that the overuse of antibacterial products can actually cause bigger, nastier, more Sylvester Stallone-esque germs to evolve, the fact remains that the best defense against the spread of infectious illnesses — everything from colds to flu to "something wasn't right about that burrito" — is to wash one's hands.

From a public health standpoint, the best direction for research at this point is not to have more undercover bathroom hoverers — Larry Craig should be relieved! — but to figure out what the mental barriers are to actually turning on the faucet. Do us all a favor, guys, as we gear up for flu season — saunter on over to the sink, if only because a microbiologist might be watching.

Talk back to Dr. Andrea by leaving a comment below. To ask a question for Baggage Check in the Express print edition, e-mail baggage@readexpress.com or submit an anonymous question here.