Promoting hand hygiene and prudent use of antimicrobials in long-term care facilities.
A multidisciplinary team visited all long-term care facilities (n = 123) for elderly persons in the Central Finland health care district (population, 265,000) during 2004-2005. Use of alcohol-based hand rubs and ongoing systematic antimicrobials were assessed. Thereafter, regional guidelines for prudent use of antimicrobials were published. One year after the visits, a significant increase in the mean amount of alcohol-based hand rubs used was detected while usage of antimicrobials for the prevention of urinary tract reinfections had decreased.
Rummukainen
Maija
M
Department of Hospital Hygiene and Infections, Central Finland Health Care District Jyväskylä, Finland. maija-liisa.rummukainen@ksshp.fi
Jakobsson
Aino
A
Karppi
Pertti
P
Kautiainen
Hannu
H
Lyytikäinen
Outi
O
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000639:trends*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006268:Health Facilities; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents