Background
Patient participation has been proven to increase hand hygiene compliance of health
care workers. The objective of the study is to better understand patients' attitudes
and perceptions toward hand hygiene, and to identify patients with the highest motivation
to participate in hand hygiene.
Design
A 2-week, cross-sectional survey of hospitalized patients and their family members
was conducted using an anonymous, self-reporting questionnaire in a large teaching
hospital in Taiwan.
Results
Of the 859 respondents, 89.8% considered hand hygiene important, and 75.9% would take
hand hygiene practices into consideration when they choose a hospital. Most respondents
(78.4%) would like more information on hand hygiene, particularly persons who have
had experience with health care–associated infection (odds ratio, 2.48; 95% confidence
interval, 1.57-3.89; P < .001). Respondents would be more willing to ask a doctor or nurse to wash his or
her hands if they knew that the doctor or nurse would appreciate the reminder (doctor:
from 48.9% to 74.6% [P < .001]; nurse: from 50.8% to 76.3% [P < .001]).
Conclusions
Hand hygiene is considered important by most patients and family members and plays
an influential role in their choice of a hospital or doctor. Persons with experience
with health care–associated infections have the greatest motivation to participate
in hand hygiene.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 12, 2012
Footnotes
Supported by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control, Taiwan.
Conflict of interest: None to report.
This study was conducted at Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital.
Identification
Copyright
© 2013 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
