The effect of a hand hygiene program featuring tailored religion-relevant interventions on healthcare workers' hand rubbing compliance and beliefs in the United Arab Emirates: A cohort study.

Abstract

Hand hygiene with ABHR is more effective, time-saving and skin-friendly than traditional handwashing. However, alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) use can be an obstacle for specific religions. The study aimed to test the effect of a modified hand hygiene program featuring religion-relevant, culturally-specific interventions on compliance and beliefs about ABHR use. A cohort study design was employed between August and November 2017 at a large tertiary hospital in the United Arab Emirates. Hand hygiene audit data and a cross-sectional survey were used to measure the impact of the modified hand hygiene program on compliance with, and beliefs about, ABHR use. The intervention group had higher mean compliance with overt (p=0.002) and covert (p=0.04) ABHR use post-intervention, and higher mean compliance with overt ABHR use (p=0.002) than the control group. The intervention group had more positive religious beliefs (p=0.01) about ABHR use than the control group. Implementing a hand hygiene program featuring tailored religion-relevant interventions in a culturally appropriate way had a positive effect on compliance with, and beliefs about, ABHR use.