Knowledge of Hand Hygiene in Health Care Workers of a Tertiary Hospital in Navi Mumbai

Abstract

Background: Hand hygiene is recognized as the leading measure to prevent cross-transmission of microorganisms and to reduce the incidence of health care associated infections . Despite the relative simplicity of this procedure, compliance with hand hygiene among health care providers is as low as 40%. Objectives- The research was undertaken to study knowledge regarding hand hygiene among healthcare workers in a tertiary care hospital; to study the socio demographic correlates of the same; and also to study association between training and knowledge of hand hygiene in health care workers (HCW) of a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: A cross-sectional hospital based study was carried out in healthcare workers in a tertiary care hospital and FRU in Navi Mumbai. A total of 140 HCW’s were interviewed and their knowledge was assessed using WHO’s hand hygiene questionnaire for health care workers. Data Analysis: SPSS version software 21was used and appropriate tests of significance were applied. Results: 88.54 % of the study subjects had average to poor knowledge and only 69.3% had received formal training in hand hygiene.

Keywords

• Hand Hygiene
• Health care workers
• Health Care Associated infection