Volume 13, Issue 4 (Autumn 2024)
Arch Hyg Sci 2024, 13(4): 151-156 |
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Bokaie S, Rahimi E, Gahvare Band B, Shokri F, Shokri A. Compliance with WHO Hand Hygiene Guidelines among Healthcare Workers in a Selected University Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study. Arch Hyg Sci 2024; 13 (4) :151-156
URL: http://jhygiene.muq.ac.ir/article-1-728-en.html
URL: http://jhygiene.muq.ac.ir/article-1-728-en.html
1- 1 Division of Epidemiology & Zoonoses, Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Public Health, Mamasani Higher Education Complex for Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
3- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Health & Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health & Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
5- Division of Epidemiology & Zoonoses, Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Public Health, Mamasani Higher Education Complex for Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
3- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Health & Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health & Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
5- Division of Epidemiology & Zoonoses, Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (256 Views)
Abstract
Background & Aims: Keeping up with hand hygiene (HH) compliance is still considered the most effective, simple, and affordable strategy to reduce health care-associated infections. The existence of a uniform approach to measure the level of HH compliance in hospitals can have a great impact on the prevention and control of nosocomial infection.
Objective: This study aimed to investigate HH compliance among healthcare workers according to the WHO Guidelines on HH in Health Care.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024 in a government teaching hospital affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. A stratified random sampling method was used to include nurses, physicians, paramedics, and service staff from various hospital wards. Data were collected using the standard Ministry of Health checklist, adapted from WHO's "Five Moments for Hand Hygiene" framework. Its content validity was previously confirmed by the Iranian Center for Infection Control, with a reported Cronbach's alpha of 0.83. Trained infection control supervisors conducted direct observations of 355 HH opportunities. Data were analyzed using Stata (version 17) and Excel (version 2019).
Results: The overall HH compliance rate was 32% on average. The highest and lowest HH compliance rates (HHCR) are related to the operating room ward (43.1%) and internal departments (29.3%), respectively. Among the studied groups, the nurses had the highest percentage of compliance (37.10%). The highest level of HH (39.75%) was performed ‘after a procedure or body fluid exposure risk’, and the lowest amount (26.10%) was related to ‘after touching a patient's surroundings’.
Conclusion: HH compliance remains suboptimal among healthcare workers, particularly before patient contact. Targeted educational interventions and continuous monitoring are necessary, especially on high-risk wards. The findings of this study highlight the need to provide more training to healthcare workers, especially newer healthcare workers, on improving HH.
Background & Aims: Keeping up with hand hygiene (HH) compliance is still considered the most effective, simple, and affordable strategy to reduce health care-associated infections. The existence of a uniform approach to measure the level of HH compliance in hospitals can have a great impact on the prevention and control of nosocomial infection.
Objective: This study aimed to investigate HH compliance among healthcare workers according to the WHO Guidelines on HH in Health Care.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024 in a government teaching hospital affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. A stratified random sampling method was used to include nurses, physicians, paramedics, and service staff from various hospital wards. Data were collected using the standard Ministry of Health checklist, adapted from WHO's "Five Moments for Hand Hygiene" framework. Its content validity was previously confirmed by the Iranian Center for Infection Control, with a reported Cronbach's alpha of 0.83. Trained infection control supervisors conducted direct observations of 355 HH opportunities. Data were analyzed using Stata (version 17) and Excel (version 2019).
Results: The overall HH compliance rate was 32% on average. The highest and lowest HH compliance rates (HHCR) are related to the operating room ward (43.1%) and internal departments (29.3%), respectively. Among the studied groups, the nurses had the highest percentage of compliance (37.10%). The highest level of HH (39.75%) was performed ‘after a procedure or body fluid exposure risk’, and the lowest amount (26.10%) was related to ‘after touching a patient's surroundings’.
Conclusion: HH compliance remains suboptimal among healthcare workers, particularly before patient contact. Targeted educational interventions and continuous monitoring are necessary, especially on high-risk wards. The findings of this study highlight the need to provide more training to healthcare workers, especially newer healthcare workers, on improving HH.
Keywords: Compliance, Cross-Sectional Study, Delivery of Health Care, Hand hygiene, Health Personnel, Iran
Type of Study: Original Article |
Subject:
General
Received: 2025/05/27 | Accepted: 2025/07/12 | Published: 2024/08/20
Received: 2025/05/27 | Accepted: 2025/07/12 | Published: 2024/08/20
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