A Goal Unrealized: Patient Empowerment on Hand Hygiene-A Web-Based Survey from India

Abstract

Introduction: Each year, millions of patients around the world are affected by Health Care Associated Infections (HCAIs). Understanding and assessing the global burden of HCAI is one of the key areas of work to improve the hand hygiene. Aim: To assess the patient empowerment and awareness on hand hygiene among online users. Materials and Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted during September 2013 to December 2013 among adults. A predesigned questionnaire to assess the awareness on hand hygiene was sent to volunteers through emails and social networking sites. The data were transferred to excel sheet and analyzed in Epi info and represented in proportions and percentages. Results: Total 94 (57%) participants responded to the survey among which 51.1% were males and 48.9% were females. Majority of them belongs to the age group of 20 to 35 years. Only 28.7% of them said they will ever ask health care worker to wash their hands before they examine. A 27.7% of the participants reported that their country/community have a program that educates/communicates with patients about the importance of hand hygiene. Conclusion: Adherence and compliance to hand hygiene practices is suboptimal among people. There seems to be a lack of knowledge regarding hand hygiene.

Keywords

• behaviour change communication
• compliance
• hospital acquired infection