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More than 90% of interviewees in a Department of Health survey said they had adopted good personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent communicable diseases.
Releasing the findings of the survey today (December 26), the Assistant Director of Health (Health Promotion), Dr Regina Ching, said there was no room for complacency as communicable diseases were still a threat to Hong Kong and could strike if alertness and preparedness were low.
The Personal, Food and Environmental Hygiene Survey was conducted from December, 2005, to January, 2006, and 3,220 people aged 12 and above were interviewed. It represented a response rate of 67%.
The survey gauged public awareness of health campaigns for prevention of communicable diseases; knowledge of and attitude towards preventive measures for the diseases; and their practice of preventive measures. It also identified factors influencing the adoption of these measures.
The findings indicated that about three quarters (74%) of the respondents had good knowledge of personal, food and environmental hygiene. Almost all respondents (98%) stated that maintaining a hygienic environment should be the responsibility of every citizen.
"It is encouraging to see that people are well informed of good hygiene and accept personal responsibility in maintaining a hygienic environment. They are also receptive of adopting effective hygiene practices in protecting their health," Dr Ching said.
She said that more than 90% of the interviewees had good personal hygiene practices such as washing hands after going to the toilet (100%), before eating or handling food (98%), after handling rubbish (94%) and use of liquid soap for hand washing (94%).
Roughly the same proportion (more than 90%) of the respondents had good food hygiene practices such as cooking meat thoroughly (92%), storing raw food and cooked food separately (91%) and washing meat, seafood and vegetables thoroughly before cooking (91%).
The proportion of people using serving chopsticks or spoons when having meals with others has increased from 46% in 2003 to 65% in 2005.
Similarly, more than 90% of them also claimed that they kept windows at home open to maintain good ventilation (98%) and cleaning home (94%).
However, Dr Ching pointed out that a significant proportion of the respondents still did not practise certain basic hygiene measures.
About one third of the respondents (32%) did not handle raw food and cooked food using separate sets of knives and chopping boards. Another 30% of the interviewees did not wash hands after touching public installations or equipment and 10% did not wash hands after coughing or sneezing.
Among those respondents who noticed rubbish black spots or stagnant water at construction sites, 91% of them did not report the problem to the relevant authority.
Dr Ching stressed that in order to minimise the risk of contracting communicable diseases, people should cultivate a habit of strictly observing preventive measures.
"Taking steps to protect oneself from contracting communicable diseases often means protecting your family members and neighbours from acquiring the same infections," Dr Ching said.
She said the Government would continue to raise public awareness and promote hygiene practices to make Hong Kong a cleaner and healthier place to live.
"However, we need full and continuous support and co-operation of members of the public to maximise the effect of our disease prevention work," Dr Ching added.
Ends/Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Issued at HKT 14:30
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