Why do we fail complying with hand hygiene recommendations in COVID-19 wards?
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Kuniavsky M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9279489 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Why do we fail complying with hand hygiene recommendations in COVID-19 wards?
Kuniavsky Michael M Lubanetz Elina E Chinnitz David D
Intensive & critical care nursing 20220714
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Project description:BackgroundHand hygiene is crucial to avoid healthcare-associated infections and the transmission of COVID-19. Although the WHO has issued global hand hygiene recommendations for healthcare, adherence remains challenging. Considering social-cognitive theories such as the health action process approach (HAPA) can help to improve healthcare workers' adherence. This study aimed to observe adherence and to assess determinants in obstetric hospitals during and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsIn all, 267 observations of behaviour were conducted in two German obstetric university hospitals over three time periods (pre-COVID-19 pandemic, heightened awareness, and strict precautions). In addition, 115 healthcare workers answered questionnaires regarding social-cognitive determinants of hand hygiene behaviour. Multiple regression and multiple mediation analyses were used to analyse associations.ResultsAdherence to hand hygiene recommendations increased from 47 per cent pre-COVID-19 pandemic to 95 per cent just before lockdown while simple measures against the pandemic were taken. Self-efficacy was associated with the intention to sanitise hands (β = .397, p < .001). Coping self-efficacy mediated the association of intention with hand hygiene adherence.ConclusionsObstetric healthcare workers seem to adapt their hand hygiene behaviour to prevent infections facing the global COVID-19 pandemic. To further improve interventions, social-cognitive determinants should be considered, especially intention and (coping) self-efficacy.
| S-EPMC7675238 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundIn the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers (HCWs) have to comply with hygiene conditions and use gloves more frequently and for a longer period of time than they would previously to avoid infection and prevent transmission.AimsWe aimed to characterize the adverse skin reactions occurring after hand hygiene and glove use in HCWs in a tertiary university hospital to determine the possible causative factors and whether the use of these measures is affected.MethodsBetween April 15 and May 1, 2020, a cross-sectional survey was conducted, using online questionnaire, answered by HCWs in a tertiary university hospital.ResultsThe increase in general hand-skin problems during the pandemic period was statistically significant (P = .004). The most common symptom was dryness. During the pandemic period, 67 (24.3%) HCWs thought that the conditions were caused by glove use, and 197 (71.4%) thought that they were due to alcohol-based hand antiseptics. The incidence of other hand-skin conditions except for vesicles was statistically higher in women than in men (P < .001).ConclusionsIncreased number of hand-skin conditions during the pandemic should not be ignored, since hand hygiene and glove use are expected to increase.
| S-EPMC7436475 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Hand hygiene practices are important not only during the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but also critical to prevent the possible spread of other infectious diseases. This study aims to examine the current hand hygiene behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic, post pandemic behavior intentions, and the relationship between behavior, psychosocial and contextual factors. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted from 28 May to 12 June 2020, with 896 valid responses obtained from Indonesian citizens over 18 years old. The survey questions included demographic characteristics, individual practices, risk perceptions, attitude, norm factors and ability factors related to hand hygiene during the COVID-19 pandemic. Descriptive analysis, chi square and multiple logistic regression tests were used to analyse the data. The results showed that 82.32% of female respondents and 73.37% male respondents reported handwashing practice 8 times or more per day during COVID-19 pandemic. Participants who perceived themselves at higher risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 (OR 7.08, 2.26-22.17), had less negative perception toward the practice (OR 1.93, 1.32-2.82), perceived handwashing as an effective preventive measure (OR 1.77, 1.23-2.54), were female (OR 1.71, 1.21-2.41), perceived a more supportive norm (OR 1.68, 1.15-2.44) and noticed more barriers in access to handwashing facilities (OR 1.57, 1.05-2.36) were more likely to engage in hand hygiene practice more frequently during the pandemic. In conclusion, the majority of respondents did increase their frequency of hand hygiene practices during COVID-19 pandemic. In line with previous studies in other pandemic contexts, sex, perceived susceptibility and effectiveness are important predictors of hand hygiene practices, which are similar to findings from previous studies in other pandemic contexts. Addressing social norm related to the perceived hand hygiene practices of friends and important people is a potential health promotion strategy by creating hand hygiene norms in the community.
| S-EPMC8155304 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has affected healthcare workers (HCWs) in their clinical practice. HCWs were challenged with new guidelines and practices to protect themselves from occupational risks.AimTo determine whether hand hygiene behaviour by real-time measurement was related to the dynamic of the epidemic, and the type of patient being cared for in France.MethodsThis study used an automated hand hygiene recording system to measure HCW hand hygiene on entry to and exit from patient rooms throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The correlation between hand hygiene compliance and COVID-19 epidemiological data was analysed. Analysis of variance was performed to compare compliance rate during the different periods of the epidemic.FindingsHCW hand hygiene rate on room entry decreased over time; on room exit, it increased by 13.73% during the first wave of COVID-19, decreased by 9.87% during the post-lockdown period, then rebounded by 2.82% during the second wave of the epidemic. Hand hygiene during patient care and hand hygiene on room exit had a positive relationship with the local COVID-19 epidemic; conversely, hand hygiene on room entry did not depend on the trend of the epidemic, nor on nursing of COVID-19 patients, and it decreased over time.ConclusionHCWs modified their behaviours to face the risk propensity of the pandemic. However, to improve the poor compliance at room entry, reducing confusion between the hand hygiene recommendation and glove recommendation may be necessary; disinfection of gloving hands might solve this issue.
| S-EPMC7948529 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundPoor compliance with hand hygiene practices among medical students poses a risk for cross-infection. It has become more critical during the COVID-19 pandemic than ever before. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes, practices of hand hygiene among final-year medical students. It also explored reported hand hygiene behavior before the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for educational strategies to correct the deficiencies.MethodsA concurrent mixed-method approach was used. In the quantitative strand, a cross-sectional online survey was carried out via a Google form. Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-squared test were used for comparisons. In the qualitative strand, twelve participants were interviewed, based on a semi-structured interview guide and audio recorded. Transcribed data were evaluated with thematic content analysis.ResultsA total of 225 final-year medical students were studied in the quantitative strand. Most were females. The mean score for knowledge was 3.35 ± 0.795 out of six. Of them, 31.6 % of participants scored below 3 points (< 50 % of the total). Most (78.9 %) had positive attitudes (score of > 80 %). Only 36.4 % reported "adequate" hand hygiene performance in all eight dimensions of the behavior domain. Noticeably, fewer participants reported to clean their hands after checking blood pressure (55.6 %), and only 66.2 % stated carrying a hand sanitizer in their pocket. Significant correlations were not found between reported behavior and attitudes (p = 0.821) or knowledge (p = 0.794). The qualitative strand with 12 respondents revealed the positive influence of both hierarchical and non-hierarchal role models. Time constraints, skin irritation, and workload pressures were the main barriers. Frequent reminders, supervision, and interactive teaching were suggested as methods to improve hand hygiene compliance. They also stated that increased enthusiasm was noted on hand hygiene during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period.ConclusionsMost of the participants had positive attitudes towards hand hygiene. Yet, a considerable gap between attitudes and knowledge and reported hand hygiene behavior was evident. Coupling educational programs that use cognitive and behavioral methods, including role modeling, supervision, and frequent reminders, is recommended to bridge the knowledge-attitude-behavior gap.
| S-EPMC8186824 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Continuity of key water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and WASH practices-for example, hand hygiene-are among several critical community preventive and mitigation measures to reduce transmission of infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases. WASH guidance for COVID-19 prevention may combine existing WASH standards and new COVID-19 guidance. Many existing WASH tools can also be modified for targeted WASH assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic. We partnered with local organizations to develop and deploy tools to assess WASH conditions and practices and subsequently implement, monitor, and evaluate WASH interventions to mitigate COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and Africa, focusing on healthcare, community institution, and household settings and hand hygiene specifically. Employing mixed-methods assessments, we observed gaps in access to hand hygiene materials specifically despite most of those settings having access to improved, often onsite, water supplies. Across countries, adherence to hand hygiene among healthcare providers was about twice as high after patient contact compared to before patient contact. Poor or non-existent management of handwashing stations and alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) was common, especially in community institutions. Markets and points of entry (internal or external border crossings) represent congregation spaces, critical for COVID-19 mitigation, where globally-recognized WASH standards are needed. Development, evaluation, deployment, and refinement of new and existing standards can help ensure WASH aspects of community mitigation efforts that remain accessible and functional to enable inclusive preventive behaviors.
| S-EPMC10896259 | biostudies-literature
Project description:We isolated neutrophils from 11 healthy controls, 12 COIVD-19 patients in ICU and 12 COVID-19 patients from ward and submitted the isolated RNA for RNA sequencing. We then performed gene expression profiling analysis using data obtained from RNA-seq of 3 different cohorts. .
2024-06-01 | GSE234207 | GEO
Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic has posed the greatest threat to global health over the last three years. Due to the temporary shortage of appropriate vaccines, a systematic change in human behaviour is necessary to keep the spread of the virus under control, increasing the quality of basic hygiene practices, such as systematic hand hygiene. Nudges are increasingly used in public health interventions to promote critical preventive hygiene behaviours. This review aimed to investigate the effect and the characteristics of nudges on hand hygiene, as a COVID-19 preventive measure. We systematically reviewed the relevant literature from January 2008 to November 2020. A total of 15 articles met the inclusion criteria. The findings of this review showed that most of the nudging interventions had a positive effect on hand hygiene. Nudges should be included in the existing and future public health interventions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and future pandemics, rather than being an alternative and unconventional tool for public health policies.
| S-EPMC10229205 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundPromoting the adoption of personal hygiene behaviors known to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, such as avoiding touching one's face with unwashed hands, is important for limiting the spread of infections.PurposeWe aimed to test the efficacy of a theory-based intervention to promote the avoidance of touching one's face with unwashed hands to reduce the spread of COVID-19.MethodsWe tested effects of an intervention employing imagery, persuasive communication, and planning techniques in two pre-registered studies adopting randomized controlled designs in samples of Australian (N = 254; Study 1) and US (N = 245; Study 2) residents. Participants were randomly assigned to theory-based intervention or education-only conditions (Study 1), or to theory-based intervention, education-only, and no-intervention control conditions (Study 2). The intervention was delivered online and participants completed measures of behavior and theory-based social cognition constructs pre-intervention and one-week postintervention.ResultsMixed-model ANOVAs revealed a significant increase in avoidance of touching the face with unwashed hands from pre-intervention to follow-up irrespective of intervention condition in both studies, but no significant condition effects. Exploratory analyses revealed significant effects of the theory-based intervention on behavior at follow-up in individuals with low pre-intervention risk perceptions in Study 2.ConclusionsResults indicate high adoption of avoiding touching one's face with unwashed hands, with behavior increasing over time independent of the intervention. Future research should confirm risk perceptions as a moderator of the effect theory-based interventions on infection-prevention behaviors.
| S-EPMC9635998 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundHand hygiene is an important measure to prevent disease transmission.ObjectiveTo summarise current international guideline recommendations for hand hygiene in community settings and to assess to what extent they are consistent and evidence based.Eligibility criteriaWe included international guidelines with one or more recommendations on hand hygiene in community settings-categorised as domestic, public or institutional-published by international organisations, in English or French, between 1 January 1990 and 15 November 2021.Data sourcesTo identify relevant guidelines, we searched the WHO Institutional Repository for Information Sharing Database, Google, websites of international organisations, and contacted expert organisations and individuals.Charting methodsRecommendations were mapped to four areas related to hand hygiene: (1) effective hand hygiene; (2) minimum requirements; (3) behaviour change and (4) government measures. Recommendations were assessed for consistency, concordance and whether supported by evidence.ResultsWe identified 51 guidelines containing 923 recommendations published between 1999 and 2021 by multilateral agencies and international non-governmental organisations. Handwashing with soap is consistently recommended as the preferred method for hand hygiene across all community settings. Most guidelines specifically recommend handwashing with plain soap and running water for at least 20 s; single-use paper towels for hand drying; and alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) as a complement or alternative to handwashing. There are inconsistent and discordant recommendations for water quality for handwashing, affordable and effective alternatives to soap and ABHR, and the design of handwashing stations. There are gaps in recommendations on soap and water quantity, behaviour change approaches and government measures required for effective hand hygiene. Less than 10% of recommendations are supported by any cited evidence.ConclusionWhile current international guidelines consistently recommend handwashing with soap across community settings, there remain gaps in recommendations where clear evidence-based guidance might support more effective policy and investment.
| S-EPMC10314431 | biostudies-literature