Hand hygiene among patients: attitudes, perceptions, and willingness to participate.
BACKGROUND
Patient participation has been proven to increase hand hygiene compliance of health care workers. The objective of the study is to better understand patients' attitudes and perceptions toward hand hygiene, and to identify patients with the highest motivation to participate in hand hygiene.


METHODS
A 2-week, cross-sectional survey of hospitalized patients and their family members was conducted using an anonymous, self-reporting questionnaire in a large teaching hospital in Taiwan.


RESULTS
Of the 859 respondents, 89.8% considered hand hygiene important, and 75.9% would take hand hygiene practices into consideration when they choose a hospital. Most respondents (78.4%) would like more information on hand hygiene, particularly persons who have had experience with health care-associated infection (odds ratio, 2.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.57-3.89; P < .001). Respondents would be more willing to ask a doctor or nurse to wash his or her hands if they knew that the doctor or nurse would appreciate the reminder (doctor: from 48.9% to 74.6% [P < .001]; nurse: from 50.8% to 76.3% [P < .001]).


CONCLUSIONS
Hand hygiene is considered important by most patients and family members and plays an influential role in their choice of a hospital or doctor. Persons with experience with health care-associated infections have the greatest motivation to participate in hand hygiene.
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Kuan-Sheng
KS
Wu
Susan Shin-Jung
SS
Lee
Jui-Kuang
JK
Chen
Hung-Chin
HC
Tsai
Ching-Hsien
CH
Li
Hsueh-Lan
HL
Chao
Hsueh-Chih
HC
Chou
Yueh-Ju
YJ
Chen
Chin-Mei
CM
Ke
Yu-Hsiu
YH
Huang
Cheng Len
CL
Sy
Yu-Ting
YT
Tseng
Yao-Shen
YS
Chen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D063373:Hand Hygiene / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology