Is it feasible to use a humanoid robot to promote hand hygiene adherence in a hospital setting?

H. Worlikar; V. Vyas Vadhiraj; Aoife Murray; J. O’Connell; C. Connolly; J.C. Walsh; D.T. O’Keeffe

Infection Prevention in Practice (Mar 2022)

Is it feasible to use a humanoid robot to promote hand hygiene adherence in a hospital setting?

H. Worlikar,
V. Vyas Vadhiraj,
Aoife Murray,
J. O’Connell,
C. Connolly,
J.C. Walsh,
D.T. O’Keeffe

Affiliations

H. Worlikar: School of Medicine, College of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland; Health Innovation Via Engineering Laboratory, Cúram Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Medical Devices, Lambe Institute for Translational Research, National University of Ireland Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
V. Vyas Vadhiraj: School of Medicine, College of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland; Health Innovation Via Engineering Laboratory, Cúram Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Medical Devices, Lambe Institute for Translational Research, National University of Ireland Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
Aoife Murray: Health Innovation Via Engineering Laboratory, Cúram Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Medical Devices, Lambe Institute for Translational Research, National University of Ireland Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
J. O’Connell: School of Medicine, College of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland; Health Innovation Via Engineering Laboratory, Cúram Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Medical Devices, Lambe Institute for Translational Research, National University of Ireland Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
C. Connolly: School of Education, College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland; Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Centre for Software Research, National University of Ireland Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
J.C. Walsh: Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Centre for Software Research, National University of Ireland Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland; School of Psychology, College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Celtic Studies, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
D.T. O’Keeffe: School of Medicine, College of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland; Health Innovation Via Engineering Laboratory, Cúram Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Medical Devices, Lambe Institute for Translational Research, National University of Ireland Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland; Lero, Science Foundation Ireland Centre for Software Research, National University of Ireland Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland; Corresponding author. Address: School of Medicine National University of Ireland Galway, Clinical Sciences Institute, Costello Road, Galway, H91 V4AY, Ireland. Tel.: +353 (0)91 495960.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 4, no. 1
p. 100188

Abstract

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Summary: Healthcare associated infections (HCAI) are a prevalent preventable cause of morbidity and mortality. Improving hand hygiene adherence is important for HCAI prevention. In this feasibility study, the objective was to determine if a humanoid robot could act as a novel single reminder intervention to improve hand hygiene adherence in a hospital setting. DAVE, a social humanoid robot, improved hand hygiene adherence at the entrance to a tertiary hospital and outpatient department, which was low at baseline, by 29%. DAVE shows promise as a novel intervention to improve hand hygiene adherence.

Published in Infection Prevention in Practice

ISSN: 2590-0889 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Infectious and parasitic diseases; Medicine: Public aspects of medicine
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/infection-prevention-in-practice

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