Update: follow-up study showing post-pandemic decline in hand sanitiser use, New Zealand, December 2009.
This study aimed to measure rates of hand sanitiser use in a hospital entrance foyer four months after a baseline study during New Zealand s influenza pandemic. Of the 743 people observed over one (summer) day in December 2009, 8.2% used the hand sanitiser, which was significantly lower (p<0.0001) than the 18.0% reported in the August (winter) study. Health authorities may need to intensify promotion of hand hygiene to reduce the impact of future influenza pandemic waves.
Manning
S
S
Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.
Barry
T
T
Wilson
N
N
Baker
Mg
M
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006801:Humans; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient / Q000517:prevention & control; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000187:drug effects; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors