Hand Hygiene Practices Research Articles

Investigating the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Iraqi Intensive Care Nursing Staff Regarding Hand Hygiene

Background: Hospital-acquired infections are recognized as a major risk factor in healthcare settings. Hand hygiene as the first stage of infection control plays an important role in reducing these infections. This study assesses the knowledge, attitudes, and practice regarding hand hygiene among nurses in intensive care units (ICUs) of Basrah City and Dhi Qar City, Iraq. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study targeted 231 ICU nursing staff working in hospitals of Al-Basra and Dhi-Qar in Iraq in 2022. The subjects were recruited through the census. To assess the nurses’ hand hygiene knowledge, attitude, and practice, electronic questionnaires were administered via WhatsApp. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (absolute and relative frequency, Mean±SD) and inferential statistics (independent t-test, chi-square test, and Fisher test). The data analysis was performed using the SPSS software, version 22. Meanwhile, a significance level of <0.05 was considered for all statistical tests. Results: The mean scores (ranges) of nurses’ hand hygiene knowledge, attitude, and practice were 4.74±1.82 (1-10), 77.25±7.89 (55-95), and 49.80±12.23 (21-70), respectively. There was a significant relationship between hand hygiene knowledge and gender, with female nurses’ knowledge being higher compared to male nurses (P=0.03). Furthermore, nurses with less than 5 years of practical experience in the ICU had a higher mean score of attitudes toward hand hygiene compared to nurses with 5-10 years of practical experience (P=0.015). Additionally, nurses with less than 5 years of experience in the ICU showed a higher mean score of hand hygiene practice compared to nurses with more than 10 years of practical experience (P=0.028). Conclusion: According to the findings, the knowledge, attitude, and practice of ICU nurses about hand hygiene were inappropriate. It is necessary to implement educational programs to improve the knowledge, attitude, and practice of Iraqi ICU nurses in this area.

Knowledge and practice about hand hygiene among medical and health science students in a clinical setting during the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionDuring the era of coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19), hand hygiene has become more essential than ever before. Poor knowledge and practice of hand hygiene medical and health science students lead to burdens hospitalized patients and increase cases in the intensive care unit. ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of medical and health science students in a clinical setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsAn institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from June 1 to July 15/2021. A stratified sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Data were collected by using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. To explain study variables; frequency tables and percentages were used. Logistic regression analysis was used to see the association between independent and dependent variables. ResultOut of the total 387 respondents; 18.3 % had poor knowledge, similarly; 64.1 % of them had poor practice about hand hygiene. Factors such as knowing hand hygiene guidelines (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.18, 95 % CI (0.09-0.34)) were significantly associated with poor knowledge of hand hygiene, whereas poor knowledge of hand hygiene (AOR = 0.65, 95 % CI (0.39–89)) was significantly associated with the poor practice of hand hygiene. ConclusionIn this study participant, about 18.3% had poor knowledge, whereas 64.1% had poor practice about hand hygiene during the COVID-19 pandemic. Training about hand hygiene, and didn't know hand hygiene guidelines were found to have significantly associated with poor knowledge. Giving additional training, and initiating to read guidelines can improve the knowledge as well practice of participants towards hand hygiene.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of hand hygiene among health workers in primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia: a systematic review

The most common unfavorable outcome of hospital care are infections linked to healthcare, which significantly endanger patient safety and financially strain society. Increasing adherence to hand hygiene (HH) protocols must be a top concern for health authorities and all healthcare facilities. This systematic review aimed to study the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of HH among Saudi healthcare workers (HCWs). PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Science Direct were systematically searched for relevant literature. Rayyan QRCI was employed throughout this comprehensive process. Twelve studies with 10,412 participants, and 6,806 (56.4%) females were included. All of the included studies were cross-sectional. Few research observed gaps or insufficient scores, but most of the included studies showed excellent knowledge, attitudes, and practice among HCWs. HH compliance was impacted by the availability of hand rubs, training initiatives, a demanding job, and dry skin following alcohol use. Unexpectedly, nurses complied with HH measures at a higher rate than physicians. HH was one of the first precautions recommended when the COVID-19 outbreak began growing and attracting attention from the general public and medical professionals. Thus, this would be the ideal time to use this unique opportunity to protect everyone from potentially infectious diseases and to better equip them for such medical catastrophes.

Socio-economic dimensions of handwashing knowledge in student populations at Ukhiya subdistrict of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

The critical role of handwashing in preventing infectious disease transmission, particularly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, underscores the importance of understanding and enhancing hand hygiene practices in developing countries like Bangladesh. This research aims to identify the socio-economic factors affecting handwashing knowledge among students, thereby informing targeted public health interventions to improve hygiene practices and reduce disease spread. A cross-sectional study was conducted across ten government primary schools in Ukhiya between March and April 2022. The sample comprised 400 students, selected using systematic sampling techniques, excluding those with learning disabilities or unwilling to participate. Data were collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and Stata, with handwashing knowledge scores categorized as 'poor' or 'good' based on responses to 16 questions. The results revealed a high level of handwashing knowledge among students, with 90.5% categorized as having 'good' knowledge. No significant gender differences were observed in handwashing knowledge. However, a strong correlation was found between the educational levels of the students' mothers and handwashing knowledge, highlighting the influence of maternal education on health behaviors. Additionally, the occupational background of students' fathers and hygiene and sanitation clubs in the community were significantly associated with handwashing knowledge. The findings underscore the pivotal role of family and community resources in shaping hand hygiene practices among students. This study concludes that handwashing knowledge among students in Ukhiya is generally high, reflecting effective public health education. However, the influence of socio-economic factors, such as parental education and community resources, suggests that targeted interventions could further enhance hand hygiene practices. Future efforts should aim to translate this high level of handwashing knowledge into consistent practice across diverse socio-economic contexts, contributing to the community's overall well-being.

Hand Hygiene Compliance and Its Associated Factors Among Health Care Workers at Mogadishu Somali Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Training and Research in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Hand hygiene is a critical preventive measure for controlling infections, particularly in underdeveloped nations. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia, from January to March 2024. This study aimed to assess compliance with hand hygiene practices and related factors among healthcare professionals. The study population comprised 52% men and 47.3% women. Most participants held bachelor's degrees, with the majority being nurses or midwives. A significant proportion had over five years of work experience. Almost all participants were knowledgeable about hand hygiene. Most reported cleaning and drying their hands before, during, and after contact with bodily fluids during aseptic procedures. Age, gender, educational status, marriage, working experience, type of occupation, receiving hand hygiene training and knowledge, and having the availability of water, soap, alcohol, and gloves significantly affected the overall uptake of infection control measures in Mogadishu (p<0.05). The findings highlight an urgent need for targeted interventions to enhance hand hygiene practices in Somalia. Addressing training gaps and resource shortages is crucial for reducing infection rates and safeguarding patient health in this high-risk setting.

Evaluating hand hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and practices among healthcare workers in post-pandemic H1N1 influenza control: a cross-sectional study from China.

This study evaluates the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of hand hygiene among healthcare workers, crucial for preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in medical facilities. This cross-sectional study assessed hand hygiene KAP among healthcare workers across various settings in Hubei, China utilizing a stratified random sampling approach from, December 25, 2023-to-April 25, 2024. A bilingual electronic survey, adapted from validated tools, was disseminated via email and social media to ensure a broad reach. Participants included diverse healthcare professionals who met specific inclusion criteria. Responses were analyzed using R software, employing descriptive and inferential statistics to identify key predictors of hand hygiene behavior and to confirm the reliability of the survey instrument. The survey of 2,265 healthcare workers revealed that 77% demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of hand hygiene, 80% exhibited positive attitudes, and 94% practiced effective hand hygiene. Notable findings include a significant understanding of hand hygiene's role in preventing respiratory illnesses (58%) and HAIs (41% agreed, 39% unsure). High compliance in practices like washing hands for at least 20 s was evident (84%), though gaps in confidence about hand hygiene techniques were noted (33% confident, 56% unsure). Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that younger healthcare workers (21-30 years) were more likely to exhibit both knowledge (OR = 7.4, 95% CI = 1.44-136, p = 0.059) and positive attitudes (OR = 4.48, 95% CI = 1.73-11.8, p < 0.001) compared to other age groups. Significant associations were found between higher income levels and positive attitudes toward hand hygiene (OR for ≥80,000 = 3.19, 95% CI = 2.05-5.02, p < 0.001), and between knowledge and practices, suggesting that well-informed individuals are more likely to adhere to recommended practices. The findings reveal robust hand hygiene knowledge but uncover critical confidence gaps among healthcare workers, urging immediate, targeted educational interventions to fortify adherence and prevent infection outbreaks.

Impact of conducting hand hygiene audits during the COVID-19 pandemic in an intensive care unit at a tertiary care centre in Kerala, India.

The COVID-19 pandemic era had witnessed an upsurge of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in COVID intensive care units (ICUs), which can be reduced by following proper hand hygiene (HH) practice. Performing HH auditing in COVID ICUs and providing timely feedback to the stake holders is crucial to reduce HAIs. From July 2021 to December 2021, HH auditing was conducted in COVID ICUs. Hand hygiene (HH) complete adherence rate (HHCAR), HH partial adherence rate (HHPAR) and HH total adherence rate (HHTAR) were analysed. Profession-specific HHTAR and moment-specific HHTAR (for each WHO moment) were also calculated. HHCAR, HHPAR and HHTAR were found to be 47%, 19% and 66%, respectively. There was a significant increase in the monthly HHTAR from 62.2% to 72.2% (p<.001). The profession-specific hand-hygiene adherence rate (HHAR) was found to be highest among nurses (67%), and the moment-specific HHAR of WHO-moments 2 (90%) and 3 (94.8%) had the highest HH adherence. Auditing HH and providing timely feedback significantly improved HH adherence. The greatest need now is to regularly conduct HH auditing in COVID locations of all healthcare facilities to reduce the HAI rate among the COVID-19 infected patients in ICUs.

Effectiveness of health education package on hand hygiene knowledge, attitude, and practices among food handlers in a tertiary care hospital in Delhi.

Food handlers can serve as a medium for potential foodborne infections through contaminated hands, posing a public health hazard. Poor handwashing practices among them can be a source of foodborne illnesses through cross-contamination. Health education intervention using multiple channels is one of the most effective tools for improving hand hygiene behavior. This study aimed to determine the change in hand hygiene knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) among study participants following the implementation of a health education intervention package. A before-and-after intervention study on 111 food handlers of food establishments in a tertiary care hospital in Delhi was conducted in 2021-2022. A tool was prepared with a scoring system to rate the hand hygiene KAP of food handlers. Health education was given to all, and scores on the same tool were reassessed after 8 weeks using an interview schedule and observational checklist based on the World Health Organization (WHO)'s five keys and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines. The intervention package included a health talk, audiovisual aids, and a demonstration of handwashing steps. The mean scores of hand hygiene KAP improved significantly after the intervention with a difference of 5.24 ± 0.95 (P = 0.02), 3.14 ± 0.42 (P = 0.03), and 4.18 ± 1.97 (P = 0.03) out of total scores of 7, 5, and 15, respectively, with maximum improvement seen in practices of a duration of handwashing >20 seconds improving from 6.3% to 81.1% (P < 0.05) after the intervention and least improvement in use of towel or napkin to turn off tap improving from 2.7% to 4.5% after the intervention, respectively. The study findings conclude that handwashing with soap and water and following the steps of handwashing are one of the most important practices to improve hand hygiene practices. It emphasizes the need to ensure the implementation of the existing guidelines for food establishments strictly in medical institutions. Thus, education on hand hygiene using a combination of channels in medical institutions should be meticulously planned and held at regular intervals to achieve the desired change.

High school students show some reluctance to COVID-19 guidelines

With the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the general population followed the COVID-19 guidelines to safeguard themselves against the virus. Over time, even after COVID-19 has been officially downgraded from the status of a health emergency, people still followed the COVID-19 guidelines to some extent. However, are they keeping themselves ready and looking for cues to protect themselves from the next pandemic? In this research we hypothesized that high school students are still following the COVID-19 guidelines even after COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency regardless of their gender or geographic location. We surveyed high school students in Punjab, Pakistan, and Santa Clara County, California, USA. The survey results showed that the students had adequate knowledge of how COVID-19 spread and the protection measures against the virus. More males than females considered getting COVID not a significant health concern. We reported that 40.7–55.9% of the students had reverted to their pre-pandemic hand hygiene practice and that there was resistance to wear masks even in cases where there was contact with sick people. The percentage of students who mentioned that they don’t wear masks anymore was 28.1–36.1%. The survey showed that 30.6% of the Punjab students are using less alcohol based sanitizers now than their use before the start of the COVID-19 emergency but that percentage was only 8.5% in the US survey. We observed that a notable number of students were suffering from pandemic fatigue and, thus, had stopped following COVID-19 protection measures or built their own beliefs on how to deal with the pandemic. These findings suggest that we will face a resistance in following protection measures if we face a new pandemic or even another serious wave of this pandemic.

Prevalence of Hand Eczema Owing to Hand Hygiene Practices among Healthcare Workers Managing COVID-19 Patients: A Cross-sectional Study Haryana, India

Introduction: Healthcare Workers (HCWs) have borne the major brunt of the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, being at the forefront. With the disease being enigmatic and no proven treatment or vaccine available during the initial stages, personal protection in general, and hand hygiene, in particular, have been the mainstays for protection against the disease, exposing HCWs to more wet work. Wet work exposure is considered a major risk factor for the occurrence of Hand Eczema (HE). Aim: To estimate the prevalence of hand dermatitis and ascertain the risk factors among HCWs exposed to wet work while caring for COVID-19 patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among HCWs managing COVID-19 patients in a dedicated COVID-19 hospital from July to December 2020. The diagnosis of HE was based on medical history and clinical examination. Clinical features like itching, redness, scaling, clustered papulovesicles, hyperkeratosis, or fissuring largely confined to the hands, with none or only minor involvement of other areas, were used in diagnosing HE. An association of various wet work exposures with HE among study participants was analysed. Categorical variables were analysed using the Chi-square test, and a p-value &lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 390 HCWs, of which 203 (52.1%) were females, participated in the study. The majority, i.e., 329 (84.4%) of participants, were in the age range of 21-35 years. A total of 244 (62.6%) HCWs were performing duties for 30-40 hours per week. Among all 390 HCWs studied, 102 (26.2%) were found to have features of HE. High frequency of alcoholic hand disinfectant use (&gt;20 times daily) was significantly associated with the occurrence of HE. Similarly, the high frequency of hand washing with soap at work (&gt;20 times) significantly increased the risk of developing HE. A prior history of atopic diathesis was found to be a significant risk factor for fresh episodes of HE. Conclusion: The present study concludes that intensive hand hygiene during the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic leads to the occurrence of HE among HCWs.

Stakeholders' perceptions towards patients' participation in promoting hand hygiene among health care workers in Wakiso district, Uganda.

Hand hygiene compliance is one of the key performance indicators for infection prevention and control programmes, patient safety and quality of health services. WHO guidelines and the patient centred approach stress the need to increase patient involvement in hand hygiene promotion in healthcare settings. Patients' and health care workers' perspectives are critical for developing interventions to foster patient involvement in promoting hand hygiene. This study explored perceptions of health care workers and patients towards patients' involvement in hand hygiene promotion. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted in four health facilities: three public, and one private non-profit in central Uganda. We conducted key informant interviews (KIIs) with health care workers and focus group discussions (FGDs) with patients. Respondents were asked their views about a patient reminding a health care worker to practice hand hygiene and how best this can be done. Interviews were audio-recorded, and transcribed. Thematic content analysis was used. We led seven FGDs grouped by sex (6 participants each), with patients from different units of the study health care facilities and 23 KIIs with the in-charges of the health care facilities, wards, and infection control committee members. The majority of the KIIs were in the age category 30 to 45 years (10/23), females (14/23), and 7/23 were nurses by cadre. For the FGD participants, the majority were aged 30 to 45 years (23/42), 24/42 were females, 21/42 had attained secondary education as their highest level of education and 21/42 were Catholics. The health care workers' and patients' views towards patients' participation in promoting hand hygiene among health care workers are presented according to the four themes that emerged: i) Patients reminding health care workers to practice hand hygiene was offensive; ii) Patients fear of negative response from health care workers, including being denied or receiving poor quality services; iii) Role of management in influencing hand hygiene (patient reminding a health care workers to wash hands could be acceptable in private health facilities compared to the public ones); iv) Suggestions on how patients' reminders to health care workers can be done, included empowering patients to do the reminders in a friendly and polite approach to the HCW. Patients are reluctant to remind health workers to practice hand hygiene, because they feel it is confrontational and embarrassing, while health care workers find it offensive. Patient involvement seems to threaten patient-provider relationships. However patient empowerment was reported to be critical in promoting it and this is in-line with the hand hygiene guidelines.

Hand hygiene beliefs and practices and five indications-oriented hand hygiene observation results among healthcare professionals: a retrospective study

Aim: The present study attempted to retrospectively depict hand hygiene beliefs and practices and five indications-oriented hand hygiene observation results among physicians and nurses employed in the internal, surgical, emergency, and intensive care units of a district state hospital. Methods: While the target population consists of healthcare professionals deployed in the internal, surgical, emergency, and intensive care units of a district hospital (n = 426), we carried out this study with 122 nurses and 53 physicians (n = 175). We collected the data using a demographic information form, the Hand Hygiene Beliefs Scale (HHBS), and Hand Hygiene Practices Inventory (HHPI). Results: The findings revealed the participants’ mean scores to be 93.05±13.08 on the HHBS (61.86±9.01 on the hand hygiene importance subscale and 27.18±5.31 on the hand hygiene beliefs subscale) and 68.04±5.01 on the HHPI. We also considered a total of 1,228 notes from hand hygiene observations. While 78.25% of these observations were found to comply with hand hygiene standards, 59.55% (n = 159) of 267 observations regarding non-compliance with hygiene rules were realized to be linked with improper gloves use. Conclusion: Overall, the participating healthcare professionals adopted firmer hand hygiene beliefs and practices, which may be thanks to the achievement of relevant in-service training and the effective planning of the infection control committee. Yet, most of the hygiene non-compliance could be attributed to improper gloves use.

Pregnant Women and Postnatal Mothers Lack Knowledge of COVID-19 and its Preventive Measures.

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic. During any health emergency, the pregnant women and postnatal mothers are more vulnerable for hazards. Hence, it is important to provide them adequate knowledge and good practice guidelines as issued by the World Health Organization. This study was conducted to assess knowledge, attitude and practice against COVID-19 infection among Pregnant and post natal mothers in South Indian population. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the pregnant women who were in their third trimester and in postnatal mothers delivered within past 3 months. Semi structured questionnaire was used to assess 134 subjects. Results: Out of 134 participants 40(29.9%) had adequate, 43(32.1%) had moderate and 51(38.1%) had inadequate knowledge. The level of practice and attitude towards COVID-19 and its prevention was good (94.8% and 93.3% respectively). There was a significant correlation between knowledge &amp;practices(P=0.023) and practices&amp; attitudes(P=0.000) among the study population. The antenatal mothers had significantly more knowledge than their postnatal counterparts (P=0.044). Age had significant association with knowledge, attitude and level of practice while parity was associated with practice levels alone. It is also evident that some practices of hand hygiene and proper breastfeeding hygiene are lacking among antenatal women and postnatal mothers. Conclusion: By virtue of the findings, it is evident that pregnant women and postnatal mothers lack adequate knowledge about COVID-19 pandemic and its preventive measures as issued by the World Health Organization. Since the knowledge &amp; practices and the practices &amp; attitudes towards COVID-19 are correlated, it is essential that meticulous steps are initiated to provide proper knowledge to the antenatal women and postnatal mothers in order to protect them from COVID-19 infection. We also found that some practices of hand hygiene and proper breastfeeding hygiene are lacking among our women. Steps must be taken to educate and encourage antenatal women and post natal mothers with respect to practices of hand hygiene and proper breastfeeding hygiene during this this ongoingCOVID-19pandemic.

An Evaluation of Hand Hygiene Practices and Beliefs of Hospital Cleaning Workers

This study aims to examine the knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors of hospital cleaning workers concerning hand hygiene. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 130 cleaning workers working at a university hospital. The questionnaire forms are individual introduction questionnaire, Hand Hygiene Belief Scale (HHBS), and Hand Hygiene Practices Inventory (HHPI). The median HHBS score was 80.0, and the median HHPI score was 73.0. When we compared the participants' HHBS mean scores with their sociodemographic-occupational characteristics and their knowledge and attitudes about hand hygiene, a statistically significant relationship was found between gender (p= 0.048), total working years (p

Compliance of Hand Hygiene Among Health Care Professionals and Allied Health Workers in the Prevention of Bacterial Contamination

This study examined the compliance of hand hygiene in the operating theatre set-up on how to deter pathogenic microorganisms and prevent transmitting them. Poor hand hygiene practices are unacceptable and breaking the law of our infection control practices thus transmitting microorganisms to our clienteles and fellow health care practitioners. Respondents profile like gender, age, occupation, years of employment, level of respondents’ behaviour in performing proper hand hygiene, feedback on proper hand hygiene and fulfilment on health care supplies and facilities. Survey questionnaires were distributed and SPSS were utilized for the data analysis and fifty-five (55) participants joined the said research study. Each participant answered three (3) page questionnaires formulated by the researchers and confidentiality of their identity was strictly observed. Majority of respondents of this research study are nurses, mostly female, and with 4 to 6 years of experience as operating theatre staff. Feedback on proper hand hygiene were significant and respondents were “Fulfilled” to limited supplies and facilities they have.This study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic to evaluate the adherence of our operating theatre staff to hand hygiene practices along with the supplemental of additional information and knowledge of disease prevention of transmission.

Kepatuhan Perawat Melaksanakan Hand Hygiene

Nosocomial infections are a major problem faced by hospitals and are still quite high in Indonesia. Failure to maintain proper hand hygiene is a major cause of nosocomial infections. Nurses as a central position are very influential on the risk of spreading nosocomial infections because nurses are officers who often make direct contact with patients and must comply with hand hygiene practices. This study aims to determine the relationship between the level of knowledge, attitude, motivation, length of work and emotional intelligence on the compliance of nurses in carrying out hand hygiene in Labuang Baji Hospital. The research design used in this study was an analytical observational research design using a cross sectional approach. The determination of the sample is done by total sampling technique with a sample size of 47 people. The relationship test was carried out using the Chi-square statistical test with a significance level of &lt; 0.05. The results showed that there was a relationship between motivation and nurse compliance in carrying out hand hygiene (ρ-value 0.036). Meanwhile knowledge with compliance (ρ-value 0.635), attitude with compliance (ρ-value 0.404), length of work with compliance (ρ-value 0.317) and emotional intelligence with compliance (ρ-value 1.000) had no relationship with nurses' compliance in carrying out hand hygiene. The conclusion of this study is that there is a relationship between motivation and nurses' compliance in carrying out hand hygiene. While the variables of knowledge, attitude, length of work and emotional intelligence have no relationship with nurses' compliance in carrying out hand hygiene at Labuang Baji Hospital. Suggestion that nurses need to be given an understanding of the importance of hand hygiene so that they carry out hand hygiene.

Impact of an educational intervention on hand hygiene practice among nursing students, with a focus on hand drying efficacy.

Hand hygiene and its significance for reducing the spread of infection is well evidenced and has been brought into sharp focus following the COVID-19 pandemic. Although a crucial clinical skill in ensuring safe healthcare, little is known regarding nursing students' effectiveness of hand hygiene practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on hand hygiene practice, designed by the research team for first year pre-registration nursing students. Particular emphasis was placed upon hand drying technique and time. 825 nursing students were observed and assessed for their hand hygiene practice in a clinical suite at a university setting. Nursing students were observed for compliance against set outcome measures involving hand hygiene preparation, hand and wrist washing technique, hand drying technique and time. Data were analysed quantitatively using SPSS. The educational intervention had a significant impact on the clinical skills learning of nursing students. 779 students passed the assessment at the first attempt (94.4%). Of the 46 students that failed to meet the necessary criteria, 45 satisfied the criteria at the second attempt; giving an overall optimal compliance of 99.9%. 99.6% of students complied with recommended hand drying standards. This study offers an important contribution to the development and delivery of nursing education programmes. The educational intervention improved compliance with recommended hand hygiene technique and practice. Lack of attention to hand drying may negate effective hand hygiene in healthcare.

Respiratory pathogens circulation among non-reactive sars-cov2 patients during the covid-19 pandemic in morocco

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has prompted the implementation of stringent measures to curb viral transmission, including mask mandates, hand hygiene practices, and social distancing. These interventions may also have a substantial impact on the prevalence of other respiratory infections, such as influenza and severe acute respiratory illness. This study aimed to assess the incidence of respiratory pathogens among SARS-CoV-2 negative patients admitted to healthcare facilities during the COVID-19 outbreak. From February to July 2021, nasopharyngeal swabs from 167 adults presenting with COVID-19 syndrome symptoms and negative SARS-CoV-2 tests were collected from seven regional sites across Morocco. Multiplexed nucleic acid testing was employed to simultaneously detect and differentiate 22 respiratory pathogens. Our findings revealed a 43% (n=72) overall prevalence of respiratory pathogens, with Human Rhinovirus (HRV) accounting for 38%, Human Coronavirus OC43 HCoV OC43) for 37%, and Human Parainfluenza3 (HPIV3) for 12%. In contrast to the decline in Influenza A/B, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) detection, a significant increase was observed in HRV and HCoV OC43 prevalence. These observations suggest that SARS-CoV-2 prophylactic measures have significantly altered the dynamics of airborne transmission and epidemic patterns for respiratory pathogens. Our findings provide valuable insights into the impact of COVID-19 containment strategies on respiratory infection epidemiology and can inform future prevention and management strategies.

Hand hygiene among oral health care providers in public institutions in Edo state even in the wake of Lassa fever.

Hand hygiene is recognized as the leading measure to prevent the cross-transmission of microorganisms and to reduce the incidence of healthcare-associated infections. To assess the knowledge and practice of hygiene among dental health workers even in the wake of Lassa fever. This questionnaire-based descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in four public hospitals in Edo state. All data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire after obtaining ethical clearance. 108 of the 120 questionnaires distributed were filled and returned giving a response rate of 90.0%. Overall assessment of respondents' knowledge of hand hygiene revealed that 41.7% of the respondents possessed a good knowledge of hand hygiene, 37.0% had excellent knowledge, 17.6% had moderate and 3.7% had a weak knowledge of hand hygiene. Overall assessment of the practice of hand hygiene showed that the hand hygiene practice of 58.3% of respondents was fair while 37.0% practiced hand hygiene poorly. Only a few (5.6%) respondents had good hand hygiene practices. The outbreak of Lassa fever does not seem to positively influence the practice of hand hygiene among the respondents. While knowledge of hand hygiene is satisfactory in this study, the practice still leaves much to be desired.

Hand and Oral Hygiene Practices of South Korean Adolescents Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Only a few studies have examined the long-term trends of hand and oral hygiene, especially among adolescents. To investigate the 15-year trends in frequency of handwashing and toothbrushing and examine the factors associated with hand and oral hygiene, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study, performed from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2022, used general population-based data from 963 644 individuals in a national representative survey (Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey [KYRBS]). COVID-19 pandemic. Trends in hand and oral hygiene practices were measured by how frequently adolescents washed their hands and whether they fulfilled the recommended guidelines for toothbrushing. An interrupted time series analysis using linear and logistic regression models was performed to assess any associations with the COVID-19 pandemic. Hand and oral hygiene behaviors before and during the pandemic in each sociodemographic subgroup were also compared. In the 963 644 adolescents (495 697 [51.4%] male; mean [range] age, 15.01 [12-18] years) who participated in the KYRBS from 2008 to 2022, a 73.3% (95% CI, 59.4%-97.4%; P < .001) immediate increase was seen in overall hand hygiene behavior at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the prepandemic period, with a sustained decrease thereafter (β = -0.018; 95% CI, -0.022 to -0.015; P < .001). Meanwhile, no immediate increase was observed in terms of overall oral hygiene behavior (0.1%; 95% CI, -0.9% to 1.1%; P = .82); however, there was a sustained decrease during the pandemic (β = -0.018; 95% CI, -0.020 to -0.016; P < .001). Older age, female sex, nonsmoking status, alcohol use, low household economic level, and poor school performance were significantly associated with poor hand hygiene during the pandemic. In this cross-sectional study of South Korean adolescents, an increase in the prevalence of hand hygiene was observed during the early pandemic; however, this prevalence decreased over time. Meanwhile, the decrease in the prevalence of oral hygiene was more pronounced during the pandemic. This study recommends stronger guidelines for adolescent health coaches, such as teachers or public health advisers, regarding hygiene behaviors, even after the COVID-19 pandemic ends.