Sun Young Jeong1, Kyung Mi Kim2. 1. Konyang University College of Nursing, Daejeon, South Korea. 2. The Catholic University of Korea College of Nursing, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address: icpkim@catholic.ac.kr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hand hygiene is the single most important measure to prevent transmission of infection, but the compliance rate of healthcare workers is relatively low. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to identify the knowledge, beliefs, behavior, and affecting factors about hand hygiene among nursing students. DESIGN: A descriptive survey study. SETTINGS: The study was carried out in two South Korean nursing schools. PARTICIPANTS: A total 208 nursing students participated in this study. METHODS: Questionnaires were used to collect data. RESULTS: The percentage of correct answers in the survey section concerning hand hygiene knowledge was 68.1%. No significant difference in the knowledge, behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, or control beliefs data was found related to general characteristics. Behavioral beliefs correlated with normative beliefs (r=.25, p<.001) and hand hygiene behavior (r=.17, p=.017), and control beliefs correlated with hand hygiene behavior (r=.18, p=.010). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that knowledge is not enough to change the beliefs related to hand hygiene; positive behavioral beliefs and strong control beliefs are also needed to increase hand hygiene compliance.
BACKGROUND: Hand hygiene is the single most important measure to prevent transmission of infection, but the compliance rate of healthcare workers is relatively low. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to identify the knowledge, beliefs, behavior, and affecting factors about hand hygiene among nursing students. DESIGN: A descriptive survey study. SETTINGS: The study was carried out in two South Korean nursing schools. PARTICIPANTS: A total 208 nursing students participated in this study. METHODS: Questionnaires were used to collect data. RESULTS: The percentage of correct answers in the survey section concerning hand hygiene knowledge was 68.1%. No significant difference in the knowledge, behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, or control beliefs data was found related to general characteristics. Behavioral beliefs correlated with normative beliefs (r=.25, p<.001) and hand hygiene behavior (r=.17, p=.017), and control beliefs correlated with hand hygiene behavior (r=.18, p=.010). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that knowledge is not enough to change the beliefs related to hand hygiene; positive behavioral beliefs and strong control beliefs are also needed to increase hand hygiene compliance.
Authors: Atefeh Esfandiari; Hedayat Salari; Arash Rashidian; Hossein Masoumi Asl; Abbas Rahimi Foroushani; Ali Akbari Sari Journal: Int J Health Policy Manag Date: 2018-01-01