title: Impact of environmental olfactory cues on hand hygiene behaviour in a simulated hospital environment: a randomized study.
abstract: This study investigated the impact of a fresh scent on the rate of hand hygiene compliance (HHC) among novice healthcare providers. In all, 165 participants examined a standardized patient with one sample exposed to fresh scent (N = 79) and the other exposed to the standard environment (N = 86). Hand hygiene behaviours were tracked before patient contact using video surveillance. The standard environment group had an HHC rate of 51% whereas participants in the fresh scent group had a higher HHC rate of 80% (P < 0.001). These data demonstrate that hand hygiene behaviour may be subconsciously influenced by cues in the environment.
authors.affiliation: UM-JMH Center for Patient Safety, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA. dbirnbach@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Birnbach
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vlaev
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Harvey
mesh_terms: D001519:Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D003463:Cues; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D063373:Hand Hygiene / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D012903:Smell; D013337:Students, Medical
keywords: Behavioural assessment; Hand hygiene; Patient safety; Priming; Scent; Simulation