Researchers, led by Regina Ejemot of the University of Caliber, in Nigeria reviewed the results of 14 studies of hygiene promotion practices in institutions, community organizations and homes involving more than 8,000 people.
Their review found that while hand washing reduced diarrhea episodes by 29 percent in high-income countries that those episodes were reduced by 31 percent in communities in low and middle income countries.
Only the limitation of clean water for people to wash their hands in limited the practice of hand washing to improve sanitation, Ejemot said.
In a statement released by Newswise, Ejemot said that "common sense would suggest that there has to be water for hand washing to happen, regardless of community awareness of benefits or willingness to wash hands."
Ejemot's findings are in line with earlier studies done in the United States.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lack of adequate hand washing contributes to food-related illnesses, such as salmonella and E. coli infection.
It calls keeping hands clean one of the most important ways to avoid becoming sick or spreading germs to others. The CDC advises people to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and clean running water for 20 seconds.
The review of Egemot's findings appears in the current issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of the international organization that evaluates health care research.
