Impact of hand hygiene intervention on hand washing ability of school-aged children

Objectives.To characterize handwashing behaviors of children and assess the efficacy of a waiting room-based hand hygiene intervention at improving handwashing ability.Design.Prospective randomized pilot study.Setting.Emergency department waiting room at a freestanding urban pediatric hospital.Participants.Children (8–18 years) and their parent.Intervention.Participants were randomized to glow gel hand washing without hand hygiene education or glow gel hand washing with hand hygiene education. After participants washed with glow gel, “dirty areas” were illuminated using a black light, and hands were scored. A questionnaire about handwashing behavior was administered. All subjects returned 2–4 weeks after intervention to repeat glow gel hand washing and the questionnaire.Results.Sixty pediatric patients and 57 parents were recruited, with 77% of patients returning for follow up. Patients were 50% male, 58% Latino, 28% African American, and 8% Caucasian. At the initial visit, 91% of children reported hand washing after using the bathroom and 78% reported hand washing before dinner. On the basis of objective scoring, all children improved handwashing ability when compared with the initial visit (P = .02) and were more likely to use warm water at follow up (P = .01). Parents did not significantly improve in handwashing ability (P = .73).Conclusion.Glow gel hand washing is an effective method to improve children's handwashing ability. This short-term intervention was effective even in the absence of specific hand hygiene education. This intervention could serve as a valuable public health measure to teach hand washing in healthcare settings.

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TRANSMISSION-BASED PRECAUTION EDUCATION ON KNOWLEDGE AND HANDWASHING PRACTICES IN SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN IN THE ERA OF PANDEMI COVID-19

Community Service Journal of Indonesia ◽

10.36720/csji.v2i2.253 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 28-35

Author(s):

Lingga Curnia Dewi ◽

Ika Nur Pratiwi ◽

Rr Dian Tristiana

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Hand Hygiene ◽

Infectious Diseases ◽

School Children ◽

Hand Washing ◽

School Age Children ◽

School Age ◽

School Aged Children ◽

Knowledge And Practice ◽

Hygiene Education

Washing hands is important to prevent various infectious diseases, including Covid-19. School-age children are a population at risk who must practice proper hand hygiene. This study aims to examine the effect of Transmission-Based Precaution (TBP) on knowledge and practice of hand washing in school age children. A total of 20 schoolchildren living in Islamic boarding schools participated in this study. Education is carried out in one meeting. The data was collected by filling out a questionnaire on knowledge and hand washing practices pre and post education. The results showed that providing TPB education increased knowledge about hand washing (p = 0.010), but it was not significant for hand washing practices (p = 0.282). Increasing knowledge should also pay attention to the attitude of school children in hand washing behavior. The process of providing education will be more embedded in school children after repeatedly implementing hand washing properly. The teachers and classmates involved can participate in hygiene education to encourage the hand washing behavior of students in areas at high risk of infectious diseases, especially Covid-19.

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Assessment by WHO’s My 5 moments of Hand Hygiene Shows Inadequate Knowledge and its Translation into Practices for Hand Washing Behavior Among Saudi Medical Students

The International Annals of Medicine ◽

10.24087/iam.2018.2.1.374 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Asma F AlKheraiji ◽

Bashayer B AlMalki ◽

Nuha S AlHammad ◽

Nada K AlOdhilah ◽

Ibrahim Gosadi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Hand Hygiene ◽

Hand Washing ◽

Inadequate Knowledge

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Hand Hygiene Knowledge and Self-Reported Hand Washing Behaviors among Restaurant Kitchen Chefs in Jiangsu Province, China

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18042149 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 2149

Author(s):

Bin Cui ◽

Shao Ying Li ◽

Linda Dong-Ling Wang ◽

Xiang Chen ◽

Jun Ke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hand Hygiene ◽

Regression Models ◽

Restaurant Industry ◽

Jiangsu Province ◽

Hand Washing ◽

Small Scale ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Foodborne Illnesses ◽

Close Attention ◽

Chi Square

Inadequate hand washing among chefs is a major contributor to outbreaks of foodborne illnesses originating in restaurants. Although many studies have evaluated hand hygiene knowledge (HHK) and self-reported hand washing behaviors (HWBs) in restaurant workers in different countries, little is known about HHK and HWBs in restaurant kitchen chefs, particularly in China. In this study, we interviewed 453 restaurant kitchen chefs in Jiangsu Province in China regarding their HHK and HWBs and used Chi-square tests (Fisher exact tests), pairwise comparisons, and linear regression models to analyze the responses and identify determinants of HHK and HWBs. Results reveal that less frequent hand washing after leaving work temporarily and after touching used cutlery were the main issues among restaurant kitchen chefs in Jiangsu Province. Kitchen hands had lower levels of HHK and engaged less frequently in good HWBs than the other type of chefs. Furthermore, working in a large restaurant and having worked in the restaurant industry for a longer amount of time were correlated with better HHK and HWBs. These findings suggest that close attention should be paid to the HWBs of chefs during food preparation, that kitchen hands are the key group of restaurant kitchen workers who need training in HHK, and that regulatory activities should focus on small-scale restaurants.

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Situations Leading to Reduced Effectiveness of Current Hand Hygiene against Infectious Mucus from Influenza Virus-Infected Patients

mSphere ◽

10.1128/msphere.00474-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (5) ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Ryohei Hirose ◽

Takaaki Nakaya ◽

Yuji Naito ◽

Tomo Daidoji ◽

Risa Bandou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hand Hygiene ◽

Physical Properties ◽

Influenza A Virus ◽

Influenza A ◽

Ethanol Concentration ◽

Hand Washing ◽

Hand Rubbing ◽

Time Required ◽

Diffusion Convection ◽

Low Rate

ABSTRACT Both antiseptic hand rubbing (AHR) using ethanol-based disinfectants (EBDs) and antiseptic hand washing (AHW) are important means of infection control to prevent seasonal influenza A virus (IAV) outbreaks. However, previous reports suggest a reduced efficacy of ethanol disinfection against pathogens in mucus. We aimed to elucidate the situations and mechanisms underlying the reduced efficacy of EBDs against IAV in infectious mucus. We evaluated IAV inactivation and ethanol concentration change using IAV-infected patients’ mucus (sputum). Additionally, AHR and AHW effectiveness against infectious mucus adhering to the hands and fingers was evaluated in 10 volunteers. Our clinical study showed that EBD effectiveness against IAV in mucus was extremely reduced compared to IAV in saline. IAV in mucus remained active despite 120 s of AHR; however, IAV in saline was completely inactivated within 30 s. Due to the low rate of diffusion/convection because of the physical properties of mucus as a hydrogel, the time required for the ethanol concentration to reach an IAV inactivation level and thus for EBDs to completely inactivate IAV was approximately eight times longer in mucus than in saline. On the other hand, AHR inactivated IAV in mucus within 30 s when the mucus dried completely because the hydrogel characteristics were lost. Additionally, AHW rapidly inactivated IAV. Until infectious mucus has completely dried, infectious IAV can remain on the hands and fingers, even after appropriate AHR using EBD, thereby increasing the risk of IAV transmission. We clarified the ineffectiveness of EBD use against IAV in infectious mucus. IMPORTANCE Antiseptic hand rubbing (AHR) and antiseptic hand washing (AHW) are important to prevent the spread of influenza A virus (IAV). This study elucidated the situations/mechanisms underlying the reduced efficacy of AHR against infectious mucus derived from IAV-infected individuals and indicated the weaknesses of the current hand hygiene regimens. Due to the low rate of diffusion/convection because of the physical properties of mucus as a hydrogel, the efficacy of AHR using ethanol-based disinfectant against mucus is greatly reduced until infectious mucus adhering to the hands/fingers has completely dried. If there is insufficient time before treating the next patient (i.e., if the infectious mucus is not completely dry), medical staff should be aware that effectiveness of AHR is reduced. Since AHW is effective against both dry and nondry infectious mucus, AHW should be adopted to compensate for these weaknesses of AHR.

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Has the COVID 19 Virus Changed Adherence to Hand Washing among Healthcare Workers?

Behavioral Sciences ◽

10.3390/bs11040053 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 53

Author(s):

Rosalia Ragusa ◽

Marina Marranzano ◽

Alessandro Lombardo ◽

Rosalba Quattrocchi ◽

Maria Alessandra Bellia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hand Hygiene ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Hand Washing ◽

World Health ◽

Patient Contact ◽

Who Guidelines ◽

Descriptive Data ◽

Different Types ◽

Health Organization ◽

Hospital Wards

The aim of the study was to assess adherence to hand washing by healthcare workers (HCWs) and its variations over time in hospital wards. We wanted to check whether the pandemic had changed the behavior of HCWs. The study was conducted between 1 January 2015, and 31 December 2020. The HCWs were observed to assess their compliance with the Five Moments for Hand Hygiene. We described the percentage of adherence to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines stratified per year, per specialty areas, per different types of HCWs. We also observed the use of gloves. Descriptive data were reported as frequencies and percentages. We observed 13,494 hand hygiene opportunities. The majority of observations concerned nurses who were confirmed as the category most frequently involved with patients. Hospital’s global adherence to WHO guidelines did not change in the last six years. During the pandemic, the rate of adherence to the procedure increased significantly only in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). In 2020, the use of gloves increased in pre-patient contact. The hand-washing permanent monitoring confirmed that it is very difficult to obtain the respect of correct hand hygiene in all opportunities, despite the ongoing pandemic and the fear of contagion.

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Addressing Hand Hygiene Compliance in a Low-Resource Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: a Quality Improvement Project

Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society ◽

10.1093/jpids/piy076 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (5) ◽

pp. 408-413 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Arunava Biswas ◽

Sangeeta Das Bhattacharya ◽

Arun Kumarendu Singh ◽

Mallika Saha

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Hand Hygiene ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽

Conceptual Framework ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care ◽

Hand Hygiene Compliance ◽

Hand Washing ◽

Root Cause ◽

Hygiene Compliance

Abstract Objective Our goal for this study was to quantify healthcare provider compliance with hand hygiene protocols and develop a conceptual framework for increasing hand hygiene compliance in a low-resource neonatal intensive care unit. Materials and Methods We developed a 3-phase intervention that involved departmental discussion, audit, and follow-up action. A 4-month unobtrusive audit during night and day shifts was performed. The audit results were presented, and a conceptual framework of barriers to and solutions for increasing hand hygiene compliance was developed collectively. Results A total of 1308 hand hygiene opportunities were observed. Among 1227 planned patient contacts, hand-washing events (707 [58.6%]), hand rub events (442 [36%]), and missed hand hygiene (78 [6.4%]) events were observed. The missed hand hygiene rate was 20% during resuscitation. Missed hand hygiene opportunities occurred 3.2 times (95% confidence interval, 1.9–5.3 times) more often during resuscitation procedures than during planned contact and 6.14 times (95% confidence interval, 2.36–16.01 times) more often when providers moved between patients. Structural and process determinants of hand hygiene noncompliance were identified through a root-cause analysis in which all members of the neonatal intensive care unit team participated. The mean hand-washing duration was 40 seconds. In 83% of cases, drying hands after washing was neglected. Hand recontamination after hand-washing was seen in 77% of the cases. Washing up to elbow level was observed in 27% of hand-wash events. After departmental review of the study results, hand rubs were placed at each bassinet to address these missed opportunities. Conclusions Hand hygiene was suboptimal during resuscitation procedures and between patient contacts. We developed a conceptual framework for improving hand hygiene through a root-cause analysis.

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