A multicenter questionnaire investigation of attitudes toward hand hygiene, assessed by the staff in fifteen hospitals in Denmark and Norway.

J Zimakoff; A B Kjelsberg; S O Larsen; B Holstein

A multicenter questionnaire investigation of attitudes toward hand hygiene, assessed by the staff in fifteen hospitals in Denmark and Norway.

J Zimakoff, A B Kjelsberg, S O Larsen, B Holstein

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

86 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

Udgivelsesdato: 1992-Apr

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	American Journal of Infection Control
Vol/bind	20
Udgave nummer	2
Sider (fra-til)	58-64
Antal sider	6
ISSN	0196-6553
Status	Udgivet - 1992

Bibliografisk note

Keywords: Attitude of Health Personnel; Denmark; Female; Handwashing; Humans; Infection Control; Male; Medical Staff, Hospital; Norway; Nursing Staff, Hospital; Personnel, Hospital; Questionnaires

Citationsformater

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title = "A multicenter questionnaire investigation of attitudes toward hand hygiene, assessed by the staff in fifteen hospitals in Denmark and Norway.",

abstract = "A questionnaire survey was carried out anonymously among 2557 health care workers in Denmark and Norway to identify and quantify factors that affect the handwashing behavior of physicians, nurses, and other staff groups who perform direct patient care. For number of daily patient contacts physicians reported significantly fewer instances of hand hygiene (HH) per day than did those in other medical professions. Male physicians reported significantly fewer HH per day than did their female colleagues. Significant differences were found among staff groups in emphasis on factors motivating and discouraging HH. The main motivating factor for all groups, however, was an awareness that HH is important for the prevention of infection. Skin problems from frequent handwashing and the use of agents that irritate and dry the skin were the main reasons for disinclination toward HH. The number of points given to these statements correlated well with the stated frequency of HH in staff groups with relatively many (9 to 24) patient contacts per day. Many studies have revealed low standards of HH in health care settings. Whenever HH is taught, the significance of HH for the prevention of infection is always stressed. The participants in this survey were well aware of this significance, but there is still a discrepancy between theory and practice. Goal-specific strategies to improve HH practices would probably be more effective if more were done to minimize the factors that health care workers find detrimental to HH. Continual evaluation of the possibly detrimental effects of current hand washing agents should also be carried out.",

author = "J Zimakoff and Kjelsberg, {A B} and Larsen, {S O} and B Holstein",

note = "Keywords: Attitude of Health Personnel; Denmark; Female; Handwashing; Humans; Infection Control; Male; Medical Staff, Hospital; Norway; Nursing Staff, Hospital; Personnel, Hospital; Questionnaires",

year = "1992",

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AU - Zimakoff, J

AU - Kjelsberg, A B

AU - Larsen, S O

AU - Holstein, B

N1 - Keywords: Attitude of Health Personnel; Denmark; Female; Handwashing; Humans; Infection Control; Male; Medical Staff, Hospital; Norway; Nursing Staff, Hospital; Personnel, Hospital; Questionnaires

PY - 1992

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N2 - A questionnaire survey was carried out anonymously among 2557 health care workers in Denmark and Norway to identify and quantify factors that affect the handwashing behavior of physicians, nurses, and other staff groups who perform direct patient care. For number of daily patient contacts physicians reported significantly fewer instances of hand hygiene (HH) per day than did those in other medical professions. Male physicians reported significantly fewer HH per day than did their female colleagues. Significant differences were found among staff groups in emphasis on factors motivating and discouraging HH. The main motivating factor for all groups, however, was an awareness that HH is important for the prevention of infection. Skin problems from frequent handwashing and the use of agents that irritate and dry the skin were the main reasons for disinclination toward HH. The number of points given to these statements correlated well with the stated frequency of HH in staff groups with relatively many (9 to 24) patient contacts per day. Many studies have revealed low standards of HH in health care settings. Whenever HH is taught, the significance of HH for the prevention of infection is always stressed. The participants in this survey were well aware of this significance, but there is still a discrepancy between theory and practice. Goal-specific strategies to improve HH practices would probably be more effective if more were done to minimize the factors that health care workers find detrimental to HH. Continual evaluation of the possibly detrimental effects of current hand washing agents should also be carried out.

AB - A questionnaire survey was carried out anonymously among 2557 health care workers in Denmark and Norway to identify and quantify factors that affect the handwashing behavior of physicians, nurses, and other staff groups who perform direct patient care. For number of daily patient contacts physicians reported significantly fewer instances of hand hygiene (HH) per day than did those in other medical professions. Male physicians reported significantly fewer HH per day than did their female colleagues. Significant differences were found among staff groups in emphasis on factors motivating and discouraging HH. The main motivating factor for all groups, however, was an awareness that HH is important for the prevention of infection. Skin problems from frequent handwashing and the use of agents that irritate and dry the skin were the main reasons for disinclination toward HH. The number of points given to these statements correlated well with the stated frequency of HH in staff groups with relatively many (9 to 24) patient contacts per day. Many studies have revealed low standards of HH in health care settings. Whenever HH is taught, the significance of HH for the prevention of infection is always stressed. The participants in this survey were well aware of this significance, but there is still a discrepancy between theory and practice. Goal-specific strategies to improve HH practices would probably be more effective if more were done to minimize the factors that health care workers find detrimental to HH. Continual evaluation of the possibly detrimental effects of current hand washing agents should also be carried out.

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SN - 0196-6553

VL - 20

SP - 58

EP - 64

JO - American Journal of Infection Control

JF - American Journal of Infection Control

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