title: Ask, speak up, and be proactive: Empowering patient infection control to prevent health care-acquired infections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Over the last decade, there has been a slow shift toward the more active engagement of patients and families in preventing health care-associated infections (HCAIs). This pilot study aimed to examine the receptiveness of hospital patients toward a new empowerment tool aimed at increasing awareness and engagement of patients in preventing HCAI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients from the surgical department were recruited and randomized into 2 groups: active and control. Patients in the active arm were given an empowerment tool, whereas control patients continued with normal practices. Pre- and postsurveys were administered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the baseline survey, just over half of the participants were highly willing to assist with infection control strategies. Participants were significantly more likely to be willing to ask a doctor or nurse a factual question then a challenging question. After discharge, 23 of the 60 patients reported discussing a health concern with a staff member; however, only 3 participants asked a staff member to wash their hands.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that patients would like to be more informed about HCAIs and are willing to engage with staff members to assist with the prevention of infections while in the hospital setting. Further work is going to need to be undertaken to ascertain the best strategies to promote engagement and participation in infection control activities.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Community Medicine, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: h.seale@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Seale
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Community Medicine, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Abrar A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Chughtai
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Community Medicine, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Rajneesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Initiatives, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Lyn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Phillipson
authors.affiliation: UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Yuliya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Novytska
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Community Medicine, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Australian Institute of Health Innovation, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Travaglia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000379:methods*; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Empowerment; Health care workers; Health care–acquired infections; Hospital; Infection control; Patient