Two-Thirds of Americans Concerned About H1N1, But Most Don't Change Hygi...( -- 93% of Adults Surveye...),Health

-- 93% of Adults Surveyed Believe Good Hygiene Will Help Avoid Spread of Flu

-- 68% Report H1N1 Has Not Led to Change in Cleaning Habits

-- Only 8% Say They Clean Hands More Often; Just 4% Clean Surfaces More

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The good news: Americans recognize that good hygiene is an effective line of defense against the H1N1 virus (previously known as Swine Flu).

The bad news: the awareness has not driven a change in how frequently people wash their hands or clean surfaces that they touch all the time, which are important, effective behaviors for avoiding the flu.

In a nationwide survey of 888 adults conducted on behalf of The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA - www.cleaning101.com), respondents were asked about their level of concern about the virus; how that concern has changed their hygiene habits; and whether they believed implementing steps such as good hygiene can help avoid the spread of H1N1 (the survey was conducted by Echo Research from August 6-9, 2009). Among the key survey findings:

• Nearly two-thirds of households surveyed (65%) expressed concern about H1N1 flu (women more than men: 72%, 57%, respectively).
• More than nine out of ten (93%) believe that steps such as good hygiene will help limit its spread.
• Only one-third of respondents said they changed their overall hygiene habits in response to the growing concerns about H1N1.
  

Health authorities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), say that the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus is the predominant influenza virus in circulation worldwide. Consequently, CDC states that H1N1 poses the potential to cause
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