Assessment of knowledge and practices of hand hygiene among health workers in Rwanda

Medical Healthcare Student's Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Hand Hygiene and Its Relation to Patient Safety - A Global Scoping Review

Introduction

For more than a century, Hand hygiene (HH) has been known to be the most cost-effective hygienic method to minimize infection transmission and risk in healthcare settings. Even though 50% of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) can be prevented with proper HH, globally 7 per 100 patients from acute-care hospitals in high-income countries (HIC) and 15 per 100 patients in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) acquire at least one HAI during their hospital stay. Even though medical healthcare students do not have the primary responsibility of providing patient care, it is necessary to train, assess, and monitor HH as their interaction with patients could lead to an increased number of HAIs. By conducting this global scoping review, we aim to summarize the global trends surrounding the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of medical healthcare students regarding HH, and how it affects patient safety.

Methods

We followed the five stages of Arksey and O'Malley's Scoping Review Methodology. The literature search was done in three databases, specifically, EMBASE, Web of Science, and PubMed. Original published research in credible journals in English conducted between 2012 and 2023 discussing HH amongst medical healthcare students all over the world were included.

Results

Twenty-three studies were included in the final analysis. The overall knowledge of medical students regarding HH was low, with some studies reporting scores as low as 10.1%. However, the attitude towards HH was generally positive, with mean scores ranging from 55% to 93%. Notably, nursing students and females exhibited better attitudes and self-reported HH practices. Furthermore, studies indicated that providing training on HH resulted in an increase in positive attitudes towards and improved practices of HH.

Conclusion

By focusing on training and facilitating improved HH practices, future generations of doctors and nurses can contribute to minimizing HAIs and enhancing patient safety. Standardized approaches and comprehensive data collection are crucial for implementing effective HH interventions.

Hand Hygiene Knowledge and Perception Survey for Healthcare Workers in Government Hospitals (GHs) in Bahrain

Introduction and aim Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a serious concern in all healthcare facilities as they may lead to many serious consequences, like prolonged hospitalization, increased mortality and morbidity, and extra costs. Effective hand hygiene (HH) is the primary proven measure known to be effective in reducing the risk of HAIs in all healthcare settings. This study aimed to measure the healthcare workers' (HCWs) knowledge and perception of HH at government hospitals (GHs) in Bahrain. Subjects and methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among HCWs working in GHs in the Kingdom of Bahrain. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among the targeted population using a Google survey (Google LLC, California, USA). The questionnaire includes socio-demographic data (e.g., age, gender, nationality, etc.) and a validated WHO questionnaire measuring perceptions and knowledge toward HH. Results Of the 285 HCWs, 75.4% were females, and 48.1% were aged between 31 and 40 years old. The overall mean perception was 35.9 (SD 6.93) out of 42 points, with nearly 80% of HCWs considered to have good perception levels. The overall mean knowledge score was 11.4 (SD 1.37) out of 14 points. Accordingly, 75.4% were considered to have good knowledge levels. Factors associated with increased perception include increasing age, female gender, non-Bahraini, being a nurse with increasing years of working experience, and receiving formal training in HH. Being a nurse was the sole significant predictor of increased knowledge. Conclusion The knowledge and perception of HH among HCWs were sufficient. Being a nurse was a significant predictor of both knowledge and perception. Further, a significant positive correlation was noted between the knowledge and perception scores. Maintaining the level of knowledge and perception of HH could lead to improved HH compliance among HCWs.