ABSTRACT

Data gaps exist in our understanding of hand-to-mouth touching behavior among adults, despite its relevance for accurately characterizing inadvertent ingestion exposures to chemical and pathogenic microbial agents and consequent associated health risks. The present study describes detailed observations of the frequency and nature of hand-to-mouth and other hand-to-face touching behavior among 14 male and female volunteers in a controlled, quasi-naturalistic setting. Participants performed four 15-min tasks: 1) installation of a brass object as part of a short home improvement project, 2) completion of a pen-and-paper survey, 3) engagement in a telephone conversation, and 4) use of headphones to listen to music. Video recordings of the participants performing each task were reviewed and coded for touches to the face with emphasis on specific regions of the face and palmar versus dorsal contacts. During the installation task, only one of the 14 participants was observed touching his face; this was to the nose, on two separate occasions. Summed across the three non-installation tasks, including palmar and dorsal contacts, participants touched their lips, their mouth, and anywhere on their face on average (range) 5.1 (0–19), 0.4 (0–3), and 27.7 (6–49) times, respectively. Facial contacts during these three non-installation tasks were predominantly with the palmar surface of the hand. The implications of these data are contextually specific, as the potential health impacts of face touching behavior among adults might differ based upon toxicity or virulence of hand contaminants of interest.

摘要

尽管我们的数据准确地表征了化学和病原微生物剂的误食性摄入以及随之而来的相关健康风险，但在我们对成年人的手与嘴接触行为的理解中存在数据空白。本研究描述了在受控的准自然环境下，14名男性和女性志愿者中口对口和其他手面对面接触行为的频率和性质的详细观察结果。参与者执行了四个15分钟的任务：1）作为短期家庭装修项目的一部分，安装黄铜物体； 2）完成笔和纸调查； 3）进行电话交谈；以及4）使用耳机听音乐。审查并记录了执行每项任务的参与者的视频记录，以记录对脸部的触摸，重点放在脸部的特定区域以及手掌与背侧接触。在安装任务期间，仅观察到14位参与者中的一位触摸了他的脸；在两个不同的场合，这真是令人难忘。总结了三个非安装任务，包括手掌和背部接触，参与者平均触摸了他们的嘴唇，嘴巴和脸部任何地方（范围）为5.1（0-19），0.4（0-3）和27.7（ 6–49）次。在这三个非安装任务中，面部接触主要与手掌表面接触。这些数据的含义是因地制宜的，