Self-reported practices of hand hygiene among the trainees of a teaching hospital in a resource limited country.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the compliance of hand hygiene among the trainee physicians of a tertiary care teaching hospital; and to identify physicians' opinion regarding various obstacles in adhering to the hand hygiene principles.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey was conducted among the Interns (House Officers) and Post Graduate trainee physicians of a tertiary care teaching hospital in a resource limited country. Subjects were consented and selected through non probability convenient sampling. A self-administered questionnaire, based on the hand hygiene guidelines laid down by the World Health Organization (WHO) was used.


RESULTS
A total of 211 questionnaires were completed. Only 4.7% of the physicians reported to decontaminate their hands before having direct contact with their patients. Only 17% claimed to be aware of the WHO recommendations on hand hygiene. Majority of subjects considered "lack of sinks, soap, water and disposable towel" as a major barrier towards hand hygiene adherence. Overall compliance of hand hygiene was found to be 38.8% but it widely varied as a function of patient care activity.


CONCLUSIONS
Hand hygiene practices among trainee physicians were not in line with WHO recommendations. To make a difference, interventions taken to improve awareness alone, won't be sufficient; they have to be supported with improving facilities for hand hygiene.
Anwar
Muhammad Ali
MA
Department of Medicine, Dow Medical College and Civil Hospital, Karachi.
Rabbi
Sana
S
Masroor
Muhammad
M
Majeed
Fouad
F
Andrades
Marie
M
Baqi
Shehla
S
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000592:standards; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene / Q000592:standards; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014944:World Health Organization; D055815:Young Adult