A recent observational study by the American Society for Microbiology reports that while 91 percent of American adults say they always wash their hands after using public washrooms, only 83 percent actually do so. It also found that women washed their hands more often (90 percent) than men (75 percent).
In August 2005, Harris Interactive® observed 6,336 individuals wash their hands - or not - at six public attractions in four major cities: Atlanta (Turner Field), Chicago (Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium), New York City (Grand Central Station, Penn Station), and San Francisco (Ferry Terminal Farmers Market).