Patient, family, and visitor hand hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and practices at pediatric and maternity hospitals: A descriptive study.
Hand hygiene
Infection prevention
Survey
Theoretical domains framework
Journal
American journal of infection control
ISSN: 1527-3296
Titre abrégé: Am J Infect Control
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 8004854
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
08 2021
08 2021
Historique:
received:
03
12
2020
revised:
17
02
2021
accepted:
18
02
2021
pubmed:
5
3
2021
medline:
13
8
2021
entrez:
4
3
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Patient, family, and visitor hand hygiene can prevent health care-associated infections, but little is known about their hand hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and practices. We aimed to assess patient, family, and visitor hand hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and practices at a pediatric and maternity hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Surveys based on the Theoretical Domains Framework were distributed to patients, families, and visitors to provide cross-sectional qualitative and quantitative data. This was supplemented with covert observations by trained medical students to determine patient, family, and visitor hand hygiene rates. Of 348 survey respondents, there was a clear preference for hand washing with soap and water over use of alcohol-based hand rub. Beliefs about consequences were the main driver for hand hygiene. Self-reported hand hygiene rates were higher than observed rates. The overall hand hygiene rate was observed to be 10.3% (72/701), with soap and water used for 75% of hand hygiene events. There are misconceptions regarding hand hygiene practices and low hand hygiene rates among patients, families, and visitors. Development of interventions to improve hand hygiene should focus on correcting misconceptions and emphasizing consequences of failing to perform hand hygiene in the health care setting.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Patient, family, and visitor hand hygiene can prevent health care-associated infections, but little is known about their hand hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and practices. We aimed to assess patient, family, and visitor hand hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and practices at a pediatric and maternity hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
METHODS
Surveys based on the Theoretical Domains Framework were distributed to patients, families, and visitors to provide cross-sectional qualitative and quantitative data. This was supplemented with covert observations by trained medical students to determine patient, family, and visitor hand hygiene rates.
RESULTS
Of 348 survey respondents, there was a clear preference for hand washing with soap and water over use of alcohol-based hand rub. Beliefs about consequences were the main driver for hand hygiene. Self-reported hand hygiene rates were higher than observed rates. The overall hand hygiene rate was observed to be 10.3% (72/701), with soap and water used for 75% of hand hygiene events.
CONCLUSION
There are misconceptions regarding hand hygiene practices and low hand hygiene rates among patients, families, and visitors. Development of interventions to improve hand hygiene should focus on correcting misconceptions and emphasizing consequences of failing to perform hand hygiene in the health care setting.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33662474
pii: S0196-6553(21)00092-4
doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.02.015
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
1000-1007Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2021 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.