title: Intensive care physicians' and nurses' perception that hand hygiene prevents pathogen transmission: Belief strength and associations with other cognitive factors.
abstract: Besides habituation, conscious decision-making remains important for healthcare workers' hand hygiene compliance. This study compared 307 physicians and 348 nurses in intensive care at a German university medical centre regarding their belief that hand disinfection prevents pathogen transmission. Physicians perceived less risk reduction ( p < 0.001; variance explained: 4%), a comparison outscored only by lower self-rated guideline knowledge (8%). In both groups, the transmission-preventive belief was associated with high response efficacy, behavioural intention and self-efficacy, but not with self-rated knowledge. Consistent with the Health Action Process Approach, hand hygiene interventions targeting risk reduction beliefs may promote high motivation, but not action control.
authors.affiliation: 1 Hannover Medical School, Medical Psychology Unit, Germany.
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lutze
authors.affiliation: 2 Hannover Medical School, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology, Germany.
authors.forename: Iris F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Chaberny
authors.affiliation: 2 Hannover Medical School, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology, Germany.
authors.forename: Karolin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Graf
authors.affiliation: 3 Hannover Medical School, Institute for Epidemiology, Social Medicine and Health Systems Research, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krauth
authors.affiliation: 1 Hannover Medical School, Medical Psychology Unit, Germany.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.affiliation: 2 Hannover Medical School, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology, Germany.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schwadtke
authors.affiliation: 3 Hannover Medical School, Institute for Epidemiology, Social Medicine and Health Systems Research, Germany.
authors.forename: Jona
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stahmeyer
authors.affiliation: 1 Hannover Medical School, Medical Psychology Unit, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: von Lengerke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003422:Critical Care; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D063373:Hand Hygiene; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital
keywords: adherence; beliefs; healthcare; risk estimation; self-efficacy