J Ubheeram1, S D Biranjia-Hurdoyal2. 1. Medical Laboratory Technologist, Ministry of Health & Quality of Life, Mauritius. 2. Department of Health Sciences, University of Mauritius, Mauritius.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The effectiveness of hand hygiene education was investigated by studying the hand hygiene awareness and bacterial hand contamination among a random sample of 170 women in the community. METHODS: Questionnaire was used to assess the hand hygiene awareness score, followed by swabbing of the dominant hand. Bacterial identification was done by conventional biochemical tests. RESULTS: Better hand hygiene awareness score was significantly associated with age, scarce bacterial growth and absence of potential pathogen (p < 0.05). Out of the 170 hand samples, bacterial growth was noted in 155 (91.2%), which included 91 (53.5%) heavy growth, 53 (31.2%) moderate growth and 11 (6.47%) scanty growth. The presence of enteric bacteria was associated with long nails (49.4% vs 29.2%; p = 0.007; OR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.25-4.44) while finger rings were associated with higher bacterial load (p = 0.003). Coliforms was significantly higher among women who had a lower hand hygiene awareness score, washed their hands at lower frequency (59.0% vs 32.8%; p = 0.003; OR = 2.9; 95% CI: 1.41-6.13) and used common soap as compared to antiseptic soaps (69.7% vs 30.3%, p = 0.000; OR = 4.11; 95% CI: 1.67-10.12). CONCLUSIONS: Level of hand hygiene awareness among the participants was satisfactory but not the compliance of hand washing practice, especially among the elders.
OBJECTIVE: The effectiveness of hand hygiene education was investigated by studying the hand hygiene awareness and bacterial hand contamination among a random sample of 170 women in the community. METHODS: Questionnaire was used to assess the hand hygiene awareness score, followed by swabbing of the dominant hand. Bacterial identification was done by conventional biochemical tests. RESULTS: Better hand hygiene awareness score was significantly associated with age, scarce bacterial growth and absence of potential pathogen (p < 0.05). Out of the 170 hand samples, bacterial growth was noted in 155 (91.2%), which included 91 (53.5%) heavy growth, 53 (31.2%) moderate growth and 11 (6.47%) scanty growth. The presence of enteric bacteria was associated with long nails (49.4% vs 29.2%; p = 0.007; OR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.25-4.44) while finger rings were associated with higher bacterial load (p = 0.003). Coliforms was significantly higher among women who had a lower hand hygiene awareness score, washed their hands at lower frequency (59.0% vs 32.8%; p = 0.003; OR = 2.9; 95% CI: 1.41-6.13) and used common soap as compared to antiseptic soaps (69.7% vs 30.3%, p = 0.000; OR = 4.11; 95% CI: 1.67-10.12). CONCLUSIONS: Level of hand hygiene awareness among the participants was satisfactory but not the compliance of hand washing practice, especially among the elders.
Entities:
Keywords:
Awareness; Bacteria; Education; Hand hygiene; Practice
Authors: William E Trick; Michael O Vernon; Robert A Hayes; Catherine Nathan; Thomas W Rice; Brian J Peterson; John Segreti; Sharon F Welbel; Steven L Solomon; Robert A Weinstein Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2003-05-22 Impact factor: 9.079