Abstract
Background: Nosocomial infections are a major problem in health care facilities, resulting in
extended durations of care and substantial morbidity. Since alcohol gel hand sanitizers
combine high immediate antimicrobial efficacy with ease of use, this study was carried
out to determine the effect of the use of alcohol gel hand sanitizer by caregivers
on infection types and rates in an extended care facility. Method: Infection rate and type data were collected in a 275-bed extended care facility for
34 months (July 1997 to May 2000), during which an alcohol gel hand sanitizer was
used by the caregivers in 2 units of the facility. Results: The primary infection types found were urinary tract with Foley catheter, respiratory
tract, and wound infections. Comparison of the infection types and rates for the units
where hand sanitizer was used with those for the control units where the hand sanitizer
was not used showed a 30.4% decrease in infection rates for the 34-month period in
the units where hand sanitizer was used. Conclusion: This study indicates that use of an alcohol gel hand sanitizer can decrease infection
rates and provide an additional tool for an effective infection control program. (Am
J Infect Control 2002;30:226-33.)
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Article info
Footnotes
*Reprint requests: Yusuf Ali, PhD, GOJO Industries, Inc., 1 GOJO Plaza, Akron, OH 44311.
Identification
Copyright
© 2002 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
