Paul N Zivich1, Abigail S Gancz2, Allison E Aiello3. 1. Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC. 2. Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC. 3. Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC; Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC. Electronic address: aaiello@unc.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Extensive data suggests that hand hygiene is a critical intervention for reducing infectious disease transmission in the clinical setting. However, it is unclear whether hand hygiene is effective at cutting down on infectious illnesses in non-clinical workplaces. The aim of this review is to assess the current literature concerning the effects of hand-washing interventions on infectious disease prevention among employees in nonclinical, office-based workplaces. METHODS: In compiling this review, PubMed, Scopus, and Business Source Premier were examined for studies published from 1960 through 2016. RESULTS: Eleven studies (eight experimental, two observational, one a simulation) were identified as eligible for inclusion. Hand-hygiene interventions at various levels of rigor were shown to reduce self-reported illness symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Hand hygiene is thought to be more effective against gastrointestinal illness than it is against respiratory illness, but no clear consensus has been reached on this point. Minimal hand-hygiene interventions seem to be effective at reducing the incidence of employee illness. Along with reducing infections among employees, hand-hygiene programs in the workplace may provide additional benefits to employers by reducing the number of employee health insurance claims and improving employee morale. Future research should use objective measures of hand hygiene and illness, and explore economic impacts on employers more fully.
BACKGROUND: Extensive data suggests that hand hygiene is a critical intervention for reducing infectious disease transmission in the clinical setting. However, it is unclear whether hand hygiene is effective at cutting down on infectious illnesses in non-clinical workplaces. The aim of this review is to assess the current literature concerning the effects of hand-washing interventions on infectious disease prevention among employees in nonclinical, office-based workplaces. METHODS: In compiling this review, PubMed, Scopus, and Business Source Premier were examined for studies published from 1960 through 2016. RESULTS: Eleven studies (eight experimental, two observational, one a simulation) were identified as eligible for inclusion. Hand-hygiene interventions at various levels of rigor were shown to reduce self-reported illness symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Hand hygiene is thought to be more effective against gastrointestinal illness than it is against respiratory illness, but no clear consensus has been reached on this point. Minimal hand-hygiene interventions seem to be effective at reducing the incidence of employee illness. Along with reducing infections among employees, hand-hygiene programs in the workplace may provide additional benefits to employers by reducing the number of employee health insurance claims and improving employee morale. Future research should use objective measures of hand hygiene and illness, and explore economic impacts on employers more fully.
Authors: Seithikurippu R Pandi-Perumal; Sophie R Vaccarino; Vijay Kumar Chattu; Nevin F W Zaki; Ahmed S BaHammam; Dilshad Manzar; G J M Maestroni; Deborah Suchecki; Adam Moscovitch; Ferdinand Zizi; Girardin Jean-Louis; Meera Narasimhan; Chellamuthu Ramasubramanian; Ilya Trakht; Mary V Seeman; John M Shneerson; Michael Maes; Russel J Reiter; Sidney H Kennedy Journal: Pathog Glob Health Date: 2021-05-30 Impact factor: 3.735
Authors: Paul N Zivich; Will Huang; Ali Walsh; Prabal Dutta; Marisa Eisenberg; Allison E Aiello Journal: PLoS One Date: 2021-01-19 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Tom Jefferson; Chris B Del Mar; Liz Dooley; Eliana Ferroni; Lubna A Al-Ansary; Ghada A Bawazeer; Mieke L van Driel; Mark A Jones; Sarah Thorning; Elaine M Beller; Justin Clark; Tammy C Hoffmann; Paul P Glasziou; John M Conly Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2020-11-20