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Patients' Beliefs and Perceptions of Their Participation to Increase Healthcare Worker Compliance with Hand Hygiene

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Yves Longtin ,
Hugo Sax ,
Benedetta Allegranzi ,
Stéphane Hugonnet  and
Didier Pittet
Yves Longtin
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
Hugo Sax
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
Benedetta Allegranzi
Affiliation:
World Alliance for Patient Safety, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
Stéphane Hugonnet
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
Didier Pittet*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland World Alliance for Patient Safety, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
*
Infection Control Program, University of Geneva Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, 24 Rue Micheli-du-Crest, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland( [email protected])
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Abstract

Background.

Research suggests that patients could improve healthcare workers' compliance with hand hygiene recommendations by reminding them to cleanse their hands.

Objective.

To assess patients' perceptions of a patient-participation program to improve healthcare workers' compliance with hand hygiene.

Design.

Cross-sectional survey of patient knowledge and perceptions of healthcare-associated infections, hand hygiene, and patient participation, defined as the active involvement of patients in various aspects of their health care.

Setting.

Large Swiss teaching hospital.

Results.

Of 194 patients who participated, most responded that they would not feel comfortable asking a nurse (148 respondents [76%]) or a physician (150 [77%]) to perform hand hygiene, and 57 (29%) believed that this would help prevent healthcare-associated infections. In contrast, an explicit invitation from a healthcare worker to ask about hand hygiene doubled the intention to ask a nurse (from 34% to 83% of respondents; P < .001) and to ask a physician (from 30% to 78%; P < .001). In multivariate analysis, being nonreligious, having an expansive personality, being concerned about healthcare-associated infections, and believing that patient participation would prevent healthcare-associated infections were associated with the intention to ask a nurse or a physician to perform hand hygiene (P < .05). Being of Jewish, Eastern Orthodox, or Buddhist faith was associated also with increased intention to ask a nurse (P < .05), compared with being of Christian faith.

Conclusions.

This study identifies several sociodemographic characteristics associated with the intention to ask nurses and physicians about hand hygiene and underscores the importance of a direct invitation from healthcare workers to increase patient participation and foster patient empowerment. These findings could guide the development of future hand hygiene-promotion strategies.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 30 , Issue 9 , September 2009 , pp. 830 - 839
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2009

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