Hand Cleansing Research Articles

SOSIALISASI MENJAGA KEBERSIHAN DIRI (PERSONAL HYGIENE) PADA PANTI ASUHAN ANAK LIORA TERANG

For kids, maintaining personal hygiene is crucial because they often get sick due to not paying attention to it. Personal hygiene is the practice of preserving the health and sanitation of children for their physical and mental well-being. Personal hygiene knowledge must be acquired at an early age. The aim is that the child's knowledge about personal hygiene will become more mature, so that the child will get used to practicing personal hygiene. Apart from that, to increase knowledge about maintaining cleanliness in everyday life. In the process of internalizing personal hygiene behavior, there are several behaviors such as washing hands, bathing, shampooing (washing hair), brushing teeth, cutting nails, and cleaning ears. Presentations were utilized to conduct this activity, group discussions with orphanage children, and continued by providing education about the value of good personal hygiene and methods for practicing it in everyday life. This activity took place with a total of 21 participants. The personal hygiene material presented, includes: the benefits of maintaining personal hygiene, how to practice proper personal hygiene, including hand cleansing, tooth flossing, bathing, shampooing, cutting nails, changing clothes and not sharing personal items with other people. Apart from that, environmental hygiene material was also presented including: keeping the house clean, such as cleaning the floor of the house, not piling up dirty clothes and always changing bed linen regularly.

SOSIALISASI MENJAGA KEBERSIHAN DIRI (PERSONAL HYGIENE) PADA PANTI ASUHAN ANAK LIORA TERANG Socialization Of Maintaining Personal Hygiene For Panti Asuhan Anak Liora Terang

For kids, maintaining personal hygiene is crucial because they often get sick due to not paying attention to it. Personal hygiene is the practice of preserving the health and sanitation of children for their physical and mental well-being. Personal hygiene knowledge must be acquired at an early age. The aim is that the child's knowledge about personal hygiene will become more mature, so that the child will get used to practicing personal hygiene. Apart from that, to increase knowledge about maintaining cleanliness in everyday life. In the process of internalizing personal hygiene behavior, there are several behaviors such as washing hands, bathing, shampooing (washing hair), brushing teeth, cutting nails, and cleaning ears. Presentations were utilized to conduct this activity, group discussions with orphanage children, and continued by providing education about the value of good personal hygiene and methods for practicing it in everyday life. This activity took place with a total of 21 participants. The personal hygiene material presented, includes: the benefits of maintaining personal hygiene, how to practice proper personal hygiene, including hand cleansing, tooth flossing, bathing, shampooing, cutting nails, changing clothes and not sharing personal items with other people. Apart from that, environmental hygiene material was also presented including: keeping the house clean, such as cleaning the floor of the house, not piling up dirty clothes and always changing bed linen regularly.

WITHDRAWN: COVID-19: Post infection implications in different age groups, mechanism, diagnosis, effective prevention, treatment, and recommendations

SARS-CoV-2 is a highly contagious pathogen that predominantly caused the COVID-19 pandemic. The persistent effects of COVID-19 are defined as an inflammatory or host response to the virus that begins four weeks after initial infection and persists for an undetermined length of time. Chronic effects are more harmful than acute ones thus, this review explored the long-term effects of the virus on various human organs, including the pulmonary, cardiovascular, and neurological, reproductive, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, endocrine, and lymphoid systems and found that SARS-CoV-2 adversely affects these organs of older adults. Regarding diagnosis, the RT-PCR is a gold standard method of diagnosing COVID-19; however, it requires specialized equipment and personnel for performing assays and a long time for results production. Therefore, to overcome these limitations, artificial intelligence employed in imaging and microfluidics technologies is the most promising in diagnosing COVID-19. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies are the most effective treatment for reducing the persistent impacts of COVID-19 by providing immunity to post-COVID-19 patients by reducing cytokine release syndrome, improving the T cell response, and increasing the circulation of activated natural killer and CD8 T cells in blood and tissues, which ultimately reduces fever, nausea, fatigue, and muscle weakness and pain. Vaccines such as inactivated viral, live attenuated viral, protein subunit, viral vectored, mRNA, DNA, or nanoparticle vaccines significantly reduce the adverse long-term virus effects in post-COVID-19 patients; however, no vaccine was reported to provide lifetime protection against COVID-19; consequently, protective measures such as physical separation, mask use, and hand cleansing are promising strategies. This review provides a comprehensive knowledge of the persistent effects of COVID-19 on people of varying ages, as well as diagnosis, treatment, vaccination, and future preventative measures against the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

Impact of behaviour after using the toilet in the occurrence of typhoid fever: A community based study

Abstract: Introduction: It is very essential for the upkeep of health and for the normal growth of our body. There is a proverb “cleanliness is next to Godliness”. Scrupulous cleansing of hands with soap and water is very essential to prevent spread of infectious diseases like cholera, typhoid, dysentery etc. They should invariably be washed before taking meals and during handling or preparing food and after using the toilet. The classical case of “Typhoid Mary” who spread typhoid fever among those for whom she cooked was thought for dirty and careless housewife. Objective: To examine the effects of practicing and non-practicing the habits of personal hygiene and their relation in the prevalence typhoid fever. To determine the impact of the habit of washing hands (using the material) after defecation in relation to typhoid fever Method: A Pre-typed semi-structured Performa, consisting the questions regarding the hygienic practices while using the toilets and after defecation was prepared for collection of data from subjects. Present study was analyzed through both descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Result: The overall prevalence of typhoid irrespective of hand washing was 7.5% (n=83). Conclusion: It was found here that among those who were not washing their hands after defecation with the soap or any cleansing materials were more sufferers of the diseases

Mental Health and Stigmatization Linked to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has reached an entirely new level of severity. It has jolted the entire world and caused pervasive chaos. A significant portion of the psychological responses thus far have been reactions to events in other countries, worries about the future, and responses to confinement. Initial and prominent responses to the pandemic in India have been appalling, with a sense of impending and palpable danger. Concerns based on facts coexist with those based on the abundance of information and misinformation disseminated by the media, particularly social media. Even with the stringent requirements for testing, many individuals still seek reassurance through testing. Despite the lack of general indications for their use, they stockpile pharmaceuticals out of dread of contracting the disease. In addition to recommendations regarding hand cleansing, there are uncertainties regarding whether to wear a mask, the type of mask to use, the distance to be maintained, and how to disinfect surfaces. There are legitimate concerns regarding employment losses and economic decline during and after the pandemic. Social isolation and social prejudice are not synonymous. Maintaining a distance of 1-2 meters is permissible for security purposes. In terms of status and opportunities, everyone should be treated equally. The situation calls for a cheerful tone of speech. Using expressions such as "the end of the world" and "the plague" is discouraged. Contamination caused by rumors must be avoided. It is essential to promote early detection and prevention. Those who have been afflicted with COVID-19 must share their accounts of compassion and struggle. Before COVID-19, only a minority of individuals with mental health issues were treated. According to studies, the pandemic has widened the mental health treatment divide, and outpatient mental health services have been particularly disrupted.

Assessment of practice of handwashing as Covid-19 preventive measure among medical students of Abia State University Teaching Hospital, (ABSUTH) Aba, Abia State, Nigeria

Background: Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is a communicable disease which is causing morbidity and mortality globally. Hand washing, wearing of a facemask and social distancing are preventive measures that have been options available in our country, Nigeria. The practice of hand washing includes cleansing of hands by rubbing both hands together using and alcohol-based hand sanitizer or washing both hands with soap and water to prevent microbial growth. Objective: This study aimed at assessing the practice of hand washing as a covid-19 preventive measure amongst medical students of ABSUTH, Aba. Method: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among medical students in ABSUTH, Aba, Abia State, A self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was adopted and used to obtain information from the 430 students. Numerical variables were summarized using mean and standard deviation, categorical variables were summarized using frequency and proportions. Association was tested at p-value of 0.05%. Result: There was a non-response rate of 50 (13.8%) as 380 students participated. Mean age of the participants was 24 ± 5.94. Two hundred and eighty-one (73.9%) constituted the majority and was found among the 21 – 25 age range. Female was in majority as 230 (60.5%) of them participated. The level of practice of handwashing was 195 (51.3%). Majority of the students scored above 52% in all the different aspects of handwashing practices and there was statistically significant association between all the hand washing practices and medical students’ participation at a p-value of 0.05%. Conclusion: Medical students showed a good level of practice towards infection and control measures. Social media was major source of information. Some misconceptions were noted regarding minimum duration of handwashing with soap and water and level of practices.

Soap or alcohol-based products? The effect of hand hygiene on skin characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Different strategies for hand skin hygiene have been used to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2. However, frequent hand sanitization has been associated with skin damage. The present study aimed to evaluate hand hygiene habits during the COVID-19 pandemic and the effect of the repetitive use of soap or alcohol-based products on skin characteristics. We conducted a survey regards hand hygiene habits acquired during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, we performed cutometry in a cohort of individuals who cleansed their volar forearms every 30 min, during 4h, using soap or alcohol-based products. We received 138 responses from people with medium-high educational level who reported a 2.5-time increase in the frequency of hand cleansing (p < 0.0001) that resulted in skin damage. An in vivo analysis of skin moisture and elasticity was also performed among 19 health workers and students. In general, skin moisture decreased with every cleansing, mainly after 2h of washing with soap (p < 0.01), while skin elasticity only reduced after 4h of treatment (p < 0.05). Alcohol-based solution or alcohol-based gel (70% ethanol, both) did not affect skin moisture or elasticity during testing. It is known that the excessive use of soap or alcohol-based products causes dermatological issues. The present study demonstrates that non-medicated soap significantly affects skin moisture and elasticity, probably because the soap removes the hydrolipidic protective barrier, favoring transepidermal water loss, where the lack of the appropriate stratum corneum hydration also affects skin elasticity, mainly associated with changes in epidermal structure.

Compliance with hygiene practices among healthcare workers at an academic hospital emergency department.

IntroductionHealthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are an important contributor to patient morbidity and mortality. Healthcare workers (HCWs) hands are the chief mode of transmission of HCAIs. The emergency centre (EC) is frequently the first point of contact for patients within the health care system. The aim of this study is to determine compliance with hygiene practices among healthcare workers at a tertiary hospital EC.MethodsHygiene practices of staff were observed over a six-week period. Data pertaining to compliance rates with hand cleansing and other hygiene practices was collected. Consent was obtained retrospectively to avoid influencing participant behaviour.ResultsFrom a total of 477 potential hygiene opportunities, compliance with hand hygiene was only 34.4% (n = 164). Hand cleansing with an alcohol-based hand rub was observed in 87 (26.7%) of the 326 (68.3%) opportunities where it was indicated, while handwashing with soap and water was observed in 35 (23.2%) of the 151 opportunities where this was indicated. Compliance to each of the six steps of handwashing ranged between 62.2% and 83.5%, with there being a gradual deterioration in compliance from step one through to step six. Compliance with ‘bare below the elbows’ was observed in 242 (50.7%) opportunities while disposable surgical gloves were worn on 85 (44.7%) of the 190 opportunities where this was indicated.ConclusionCompliance with hygiene practices among EC HCWs is suboptimal. Various strategies including ongoing systematic training and regular audits may improve overall hygiene practices among EC staff.

The Covid 19 pandemic as a factor of compliance with the rules of hand hygiene of hospital staff

Introduction. Hand cleansing and disinfection is the most effi- cient method for reducing the rates of hospital-acquired infections which are a serious medical and economic problem. Striving to ensure the maximum safety of the therapeutic process, we decided to promote hand hygiene by implementing the educational pro- gram titled “Clean Care is a Safer Care”. The occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic affected the compliance with procedures related to the sanitary regime, including the frequency and accu- racy of hand decontamination by medical personnel. Objective. The objective of the study was to assess the useful- ness of the educational program titled “Clean Care is a Safer Care” as a tool for increasing compliance with hand hygiene principles. Methods. We monitored the compliance with the hygiene proce- dure before implementation of the program as well as during the hand hygiene campaign by means of direct observation as well as the disinfectant consumption rates. Results. In the initial self-assessment survey, the hospital had scored 270/500 points (54%). Preliminary audit revealed the hygiene compliance rate at the level of 49%. After broad-scaled educational efforts, the semi-annual audit revealed an increase in hand hygiene compliance rate up to 81% (hospital average) while the final audit carried out after one year of campaigning revealed a compliance rate of 77%. The final score for the hospi- tal increased to 435/500 points. Conclusions. COVID-19 pandemic dramatically increased accu- racy of proper hand hygiene procedures and consumption of dis- infectant agents. The educational program has succeeded to reach its goal; however, long-term educational efforts are required to maintain and improve the quality of provided services.

Prevention of Irritant Contact Dermatitis Due to Hand Hygiene in The Era of COVID 19 Pandemic

Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) is an inflammatory epidermal disorder associated with physical or immunological provocation that results in impaired skin barrier. The prevalence of ICD is found to be 17-30% in healthcare workers compared to general population. The first-line management strategies of ICD is based on prevention. Intensive hand cleansing is one of the causes of ICD. Hand hygiene is general term that refers to any action of hand cleansing. Hand hygiene practices include hand washing and hand rubbing with antiseptics. Hand hygiene is the most effective preventive measure in preventing infection control, especially in the era of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) since December 2019. This disease is transmitted through inhalation or contact with infected droplets. Prevention and mitigation actions are key in controlling infection.

Compliance with hygiene practices among healthcare workers in the intensive care unit.

Intensive care unit (ICU)-related healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are two to three times higher in lower-income countries than in higher-income ones. Hand cleansing and other hygiene measures have been documented as one of the most effective measures in combating the transmission of HCAIs. There is a paucity of data pertaining to hygiene practices in the ICU in developing countries. To determine compliance with hygiene practices among healthcare workers in a tertiary hospital ICU. Hygiene practices of healthcare workers in a tertiary academic hospital ICU in Johannesburg, South Africa, were discreetly observed over an 8-week period. Compliance with hand cleansing and other hygiene practices was documented and analysed. Retrospective consent was obtained, and subject confidentiality was maintained. A total of 745 hygiene opportunities were observed. Of the 156 opportunities where handwashing with soap and water was indicated (20.9%), compliance was noted in 89 cases (57.1%), while an alcohol-based hand rub was inappropriately used in 34 cases (21.8%) and no hand hygiene was performed in the remaining 33 cases (21.1%). Of the 589 opportunities where an alcohol-based hand-rub was indicated, it was used in 312 cases (53.0%). Compliance with the donning of disposable surgical gloves, disposable plastic aprons and being 'bare below the elbows' was noted in 114 (90.6%), 108 (71.1%) and 355 (47.7%) opportunities, respectively, where these were indicated. Overall compliance with hygiene measures among healthcare workers in the ICU was suboptimal in this study, but in keeping with general international trends. Regular retraining of staff, frequent reminders, peer oversight and regular audits may improve compliance.

Safe handling of clothing and hygiene of patients and health professionals: Scoping review

IntroducciónEn enero del 2020 aparece en China un brote de neumonía causada por un virus zoonótico (SARS-CoV-2). Se considera que la ruta principal de transmisión es por inhalación de grandes gotas respiratorias, por deposición en las mucosas y las manos o los fómites contaminados. El objetivo es identificar las intervenciones a realizar durante la hospitalización para un manejo correcto y seguro de la ropa e higiene de los pacientes y profesionales sanitarios.MétodoScoping review realizada sin delimitación cronológica ni de idioma en las bases de datos PUBMED y Cochrane. Rastreo de normas y recomendaciones de entidades gubernamentales nacionales e internacionales, para responder a la pregunta de investigación sobre el manejo seguro de la ropa y la higiene de la piel en pacientes y en profesionales sanitarios, para evitar el contagio por COVID-19. El análisis de los datos fue realizado en 2 etapas: en la primera, identificación y categorización de los estudios, y en la segunda, análisis de contenido como criterio informativo y clasificatorio.ResultadosSe han seleccionado 14 documentos, principalmente de entidades gubernamentales. Las recomendaciones se estructuran en 5 epígrafes sobre manejo de ropa e higiene de la piel de pacientes infectados y profesionales sanitarios, en el ámbito hospitalario.ConclusiónLa ropa de los pacientes y del personal sanitario son vehículos transmisores de la enfermedad. Su correcto tratamiento ayuda a mejorar el control de la misma y a una correcta utilización de los recursos disponibles en estos momentos. La adecuada higiene de la piel, en especial la limpieza de las manos, constituye uno de los pilares básicos para la prevención y el control de la infección. Destacamos la semejanza de algunas de las pautas recogidas y proporcionadas por los diferentes organismos consultados.

Dermatological concerns of healthcare workers (Hcws) amidst the covid-19 pandemic

At present, the whole world is going through the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which is taking its toll on healthcare workers (HCWs) as well as patients. In fact, HCWs are not only at risk of acquiring the disease but also suffer from various problems related to prolonged work in a stressful situation with full personal protective equipment (PPE), which may lead to adverse cutaneous effects We used search engines to look for data on the dermatological problems in HCWs owing to frequent handwashing and to the use of PPE. The search terms used were ‘COVID-19’, ‘healthcare worker’, ‘dermatoses’, ‘personal protective equipment’, and ‘hand hygiene.’ Healthcare workers are susceptible to various dermatoses caused by multiple confluent factors including working for long hours in PPE, which is usually snug-fitting and includes headgear, masks, goggles, gloves, boot covers, and surgical gowns. They also are subjected to frequent hand cleansing, often more than 20 times a day. All this has led to various dermatoses caused by friction, pressure, humidity, irritation, as well as allergic responses to the equipment used in almost all those who work for prolonged periods in PPE, as shown by various case series and reports. Steps are being formulated to minimize these adverse cutaneous effects through appropriate measures that must be taken by HCWs. Healthcare workers are susceptible to various dermatoses caused by excessive hand hygiene practices and prolonged usage of PPE. Proper counseling minimizes the morbidity by promoting protective measures.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Workers of Gulab Devi Chest Hospital Lahore, Pakistan

Background: Hand hygiene is a general term referring to any action of hand cleansing by using water and detergent and for the removal of transient microorganisms from hands. Hand hygiene is recognized as the leading measure to prevent cross-transmission of microorganisms and to reduce the incidence of healthcare associated infections. There are many experiences that the lack of knowledge, attitude and poor practice in hand hygiene in healthcare workers transmit infection in patients and in other healthcare workers.&#x0D; Methodology: This descriptive study was conducted in Gulab Devi Chest Hospital. I had taken 100 healthcare workers to complete my research. The sampling technique of my research was cross-sectional sampling technique, use to collect the data.&#x0D; Results: In this research knowledge was not good in all HCWs, Overall knowledge of hand hygiene by all HCWs was less than 50%. The attitude in nurses and medical student in this research was moderate doctors and technologists have poor attitude in hand hygiene. The practices among HCWs in Gulab Devi Chest Hospital were also poor which was less than 50%.&#x0D; Conclusion: The HCWs in Gulab Devi Hospital had poor knowledge, practices on hand hygiene. However, attitudes of medical student and nursing had satisfactory.

The Seroprevalence of Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease in Preschool Children

AbstractHand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) is a systemic and mostly uncomplicated infectious disease caused by the virus of the enterovirus family and manifests as skin and mucosal lesions. Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and coxsackievirus A16 (CA16) are the most commonly detected infectious agents. It is generally observed in children under 5 years of age. In this study, our objective was to determine the seroprevalence of HFMD in preschool children in Sakarya region. A total of 380 children between 1 and 6 years of age were included in the study. Sociodemographic information, clinical findings, and possible risk factors were recorded on a data collection form. Later, serum anti-EV71 and anti-CA16 IgG (immunoglobulin G) antibodies were measured by ELISA. Amongst the 380 children, EV71 IgG positivity was 57.9% and CA16 IgG antibody positivity was 57.4%. There was no difference in seroprevalence between the genders (p &gt; 0.05). Anti-EV71 and anti-CA16 IgG antibody positivity was significantly higher in children aged 1, 2, 3, and 4 years than in 5-year olds (p &lt; 0.05). Seroprevalence was significantly lower in children of mothers who washed their hands before feeding (p &lt; 0.01). High HFMD seroprevalence (&gt; 50%) was observed in the preschool period in the Sakarya region, especially in children aged 1 to 4 years. To prevent infections for which there is no specific treatment, it is very important that the hygiene rules are complied with; in particular, children and their caregivers should pay attention to hand cleansing. We believe that more seroprevalence studies should be performed from different regions to show the status of the disease in our country.

Penile Prosthesis Infection: Myths and Realities.

Penile prosthesis infection is the most significant complication following prosthesis implant surgery leading to postoperative morbidity, increased health care costs, and psychological stress for the patient. We aimed to identify risk factors associated with increased postoperative penile prosthesis infection. A review of the literature was performed via PubMed using search terms including inflatable penile prosthesis, penile implant, and infection. Articles were given a level of evidence score using the 2011 Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Guidelines. Multiple factors were associated with increased risk of post-prosthesis placement infection (Level of Evidence Rating) including smoking tobacco (Level 1), CD4 T-cell count <300 (Level 4), Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage (Level 2), revision surgery (Level 2), prior spinal cord injury (Level 3), and hemoglobin A1c level >8.5 (Level 2). Factors with no effect on infection rate include: preoperative cleansing with antiseptic (Level 4), history of prior radiation (Level 3), history of urinary diversion (Level 4), obesity (Level 3), concomitant circumcision (Level 3), immunosuppression (Level 4), age >75 (Level 4), type of hand cleansing (Level 1), post-surgical drain placement (Level 3), and surgical approach (Level 4). Factors associated with decreased rates of infection included: surgeon experience (Level 2), “No Touch” technique (Level 3), preoperative parenteral antibiotics (Level 2), antibiotic coated devices (Level 2), and operative field hair removal with clippers (Level 1). Optimization of pre-surgical and intraoperative risk factors is imperative to reduce the rate of postoperative penile prosthesis infection. Additional research is needed to elucidate risk factors and maximize benefit.

HAND HYGIENE KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICE AND FACILITIES UTILIZATION OF PUPILS IN BATANGAS CITY, PHILIPPINES: BASIS FOR PROPOSED HAND HYGIENE ACTIVITIES

This study assessed the hand hygiene knowledge, practice and facilities utilization of pupils in Batangas City, Philippines during academic year 2016-2017. Using a self-structured questionnaire, the researchers selected one thousand one hundred eighteen (1,118) pupils as participants in this research. They analyzed the responses of the pupils through the use of frequency counts, weighted mean, t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to determine the difference of responses among grade levels and school type. The study found out school type had the most influence on pupils’ learning concepts about hand hygiene as well as its implementation and the provision of adequate supplies & facilities. Public school pupils showed higher scores in hand hygiene knowledge, practice and facilities utilization as well as greater interest on the proposed hand hygiene activities. These included, among others, conduct of health teaching on proper hand hygiene technique with disease education and preparation of individual hygiene kit for pupils. On the other hand, grade level was determined not to have significant difference on the pupils’ know-how in hand cleansing. This is because regardless of the pupils grade level their knowledge, practice and facilities utilization including interest on the suggested hand hygiene health activities remain the same. It is further recommended that school administrators take action on the pupils’ interest regarding hand hygiene health activities proposed in the study. Article DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.20319/lijhls.2018.33.88116 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

Hand hygiene practices among doctors in health facility in a semi-urban setting

INTRODUCTION: Hand hygiene is an integral part of personal hygiene; poor hand hygiene practice may result not only in self-hurt but also may serve as a vehicle for transmission of infection among patients. Hence, knowledge of proper hand hygiene practice will significantly reduce the burden of infectious diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving doctors at Federal Medical Centre Birnin Kebbi; it was conducted from September 2015 to November 2015. Convenience sampling method was adopted. Pretested self-administered questionnaire based was used; relevant information such as age, sex, profession, years of working experience, awareness of Global HandWashing Day, hand-washing technique, steps in hand washing, ability to list the five moments in hand washing, and principles of hand washing were obtained. RESULTS: There were 33 males and 12 females with a male to female ratio of 2.8:1. All respondents believed hand washing reduces the risk of transmitting or contracting infections. Soap and water was the most common agent for hand cleansing, majority of the respondents (86.7%) had been taught on the technique of hand washing; however, only 19 (42.2%) of them wash their hands before examining patients; but all the respondents (100%) wash their hands after examining patient or handling their secretions; similarly, they all reported washing their hands after using the restroom. Almost all of the respondents (97.8%) use water and soap for hand washing. Furthermore, only 44.4% of the respondents had their personal hand rub. CONCLUSION: Soap and water was the most common agent for hand cleansing, and there was poor utilization of hand rub; and most respondents did not wash their hands before patient contact.

Hand Hygiene Facilities in the Clinical Laboratories of a Tertiary Health Facility in a Lassa Fever Endemic Country

Hand hygiene is a general term referring to any action of hand cleansing. It basically includes hand washing and hand rubbing. It is considered the most important simple measure for preventing the spread of pathogens generally and particularly in health-care setting. The objective of the survey was to evaluate the availability and accessibility of hand hygiene facilities in the clinical laboratories of a tertiary health facility in south west Nigeria. A previously used survey checklist assessing the condition of sink and other hand hygiene facilities in a health care setting was further modified and employed for data collection. Descriptive data analysis was done by calculating the frequencies. There were sixteen sinks in the laboratories where the survey was conducted. All the sixteen sinks were accessible to the users and were physically intact. Four (25%) of the sinks had damaged draining pipes. Half of the sinks had hand-held faucet. There was no sink with automated faucet. None of the faucets had water flowing when turned on at the time of the survey. Also, none had water flowed through it in the past 72 hours prior the survey according to users’ interview. Soap was available in only 6 (37.5%) of the sinks and there was no hand rub/ hand disinfectant or hand drying materials available. The survey has shown that there was a gross lack of hand hygiene facilities in the clinical laboratories of the tertiary health facility. There is an urgent need for critical stakeholders in the health sector to give policy and financial priority to provision of adequate modern hand hygiene facilities in all health care settings.

Evidence appraisal of Takalkar YP, Namdeo Garale M, Somasundaram S, Venkataramani K, Gothwal KN, Pandrowala SA. Comparison of efficacy of chlorhexidine alcohol scrub and povidone iodine scrub in hand cleansing in elective clean surgery.: Int Surg J. 2016;3(4):1937-1941.

Evidence appraisal of Takalkar YP, Namdeo Garale M, Somasundaram S, Venkataramani K, Gothwal KN, Pandrowala SA. Comparison of efficacy of chlorhexidine alcohol scrub and povidone iodine scrub in hand cleansing in elective clean surgery.: Int Surg J. 2016;3(4):1937-1941.