Regina L T Lee1, Cynthia Leung2, Wah Kun Tong3, Hong Chen4, Paul H Lee5. 1. World Health Organization Collaborating Centre, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: regina.lee@polyu.edu.hk. 2. Department of Applied and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China. 3. Hospital Authority Infectious Disease Centre, Princess Margaret Hospital, New Territory, Hong Kong, China. 4. Center for Health Protection, Hong Kong, China. 5. World Health Organization Collaborating Centre, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Infectious diseases are common among schoolchildren as a result of their poor hand hygiene, especially in those who have developmental disabilities. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study using a pre- to post-test design with a control group was used to test the feasibility and sustainability of simplified 5-step handwashing techniques to measure the hand hygiene outcome for students with mild intellectual disability. Sickness-related school absenteeism was compared. RESULTS: The intervention group experienced a significant increase in the rating of their handwashing quality in both hands from pre- to post-test: left dorsum (+1.05, P < .001); right dorsum (+1.00, P < .001); left palm (+0.98, P < .001); and right palm (+1.09, P < .001). The pre- to post-test difference in the intervention group (+1.03, P < .001) was significantly greater than the difference in the control group (+0.34, P = .001). There were no differences between the post-test and the sustainability assessment in the intervention group. The intervention school experienced a significantly lower absenteeism rate (0.0167) than the control group in the same year (0.028, P = .04).Students in this study showed better performance in simplified handwashing techniques and experienced lower absenteeism than those using usual practice in special education school settings. CONCLUSION: The simplified 5-step hand hygiene technique has been proven effective in reducing the spread of infectious diseases.
BACKGROUND:Infectious diseases are common among schoolchildren as a result of their poor hand hygiene, especially in those who have developmental disabilities. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study using a pre- to post-test design with a control group was used to test the feasibility and sustainability of simplified 5-step handwashing techniques to measure the hand hygiene outcome for students with mild intellectual disability. Sickness-related school absenteeism was compared. RESULTS: The intervention group experienced a significant increase in the rating of their handwashing quality in both hands from pre- to post-test: left dorsum (+1.05, P < .001); right dorsum (+1.00, P < .001); left palm (+0.98, P < .001); and right palm (+1.09, P < .001). The pre- to post-test difference in the intervention group (+1.03, P < .001) was significantly greater than the difference in the control group (+0.34, P = .001). There were no differences between the post-test and the sustainability assessment in the intervention group. The intervention school experienced a significantly lower absenteeism rate (0.0167) than the control group in the same year (0.028, P = .04).Students in this study showed better performance in simplified handwashing techniques and experienced lower absenteeism than those using usual practice in special education school settings. CONCLUSION: The simplified 5-step hand hygiene technique has been proven effective in reducing the spread of infectious diseases.
Authors: Nurul Azmawati Mohamed; Mohd Dzulkhairi Mohd Rani; Tengku Zetty Maztura Tengku Jamaluddin; Zarini Ismail; Shalinawati Ramli; Habibah Faroque; Farisha Nur Abd Samad; Abdul Rashid Ariffien; Aisyah Ar Redha Che Amir Farid; Ilina Isahak Journal: World J Pediatr Date: 2019-07-08 Impact factor: 2.764
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