Hand hygiene compliance spikes when using WHO method, study finds

Despite the knowledge that handwashing helps prevent healthcare-associated infections, hand hygiene compliance rates range between 25 percent and 51 percent, according to a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control.

The study also shows that using a multimodal strategy that includes the World Health Organization's My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene methodology increases handwashing compliance.

Researchers designed a survey to test healthcare workers on their awareness and knowledge surrounding hand hygiene, trained the workers using the WHO method and then monitored the workers' compliance.

Using the WHO method increased healthcare worker hand hygiene compliance from 51.3 percent to 98.6 percent.

"Using this approach can produce a positive social change by reducing preventable disease and decreasing HAIs not only within a facility but also in the community," concluded the study authors.

 

 

More articles on hand hygiene:
10 most popular hand hygiene stories of 2015
Unconventional methods improve hand hygiene in one hospital study
Trading in pens and paper for a 21st century hand hygiene monitoring system

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