Effect of education on hand hygiene beliefs and practices: a 5-year program.
To evaluate infection control and hand hygiene understanding at 3 public hospitals, we surveyed 4,345 healthcare workers (HCWs) 3 times during a 5-year infection control intervention. The preference for the use of alcohol hand rub for hand hygiene increased dramatically; in nurses, it increased from 14% to 34%; in physicians, 4.3% to 51%; and in allied HCWs, 12% to 44%. Study year, infection control interactive education-session attendance, infection control knowledge, and being a physician or allied HCW independently predicted a preference for alcohol hand rub.
Wisniewski
Mary F
MF
John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Wise@aol.com
Kim
Seijeoung
S
Trick
William E
WE
Welbel
Sharon F
SF
Weinstein
Robert A
RA
D000438:Alcohols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000379:methods*; D009726:Nurses; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D010820:Physicians; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000438:Alcohols; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local