Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / Background: The purpose of the study was to find out if hand hygiene was being done according to World Health Organization hand hygiene Guideline. It was hoped that the study would benefit all health care workers through making recommendations aimed at improving hand hygiene compliance. Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess hand hygiene practices among healthcare workers in Nyangabgwe Hospital, Francistown, Botswana Methods: Quantitative, Cross-sectional study, using a self-administered Questionnaire to collect data on 280 participants. The questionnaire consisted of three (3) sections: socio-demographic profile; attitudes of HCWs and practice of healthcare on hand hygiene. For attitude questions Three (3) point Likert scale was used. The sampled Healthcare workers were stratified. The results were analysed using SPSS version 24.0. The descriptive statistical method was used to analyse frequencies, correlations and means. The chi-squared was used to analyse cross tabulation between variables and association with significance level at (p < = 0.05). Results: The results shows that 260 participants aged between 20- 60years responded to the questionnaire. The majority of participants had good knowledge of hand hygiene and younger participants practiced hand hygiene more than older ones (p<.05). Barriers to hand hygiene were significant and included lack of time, negative attitude, but not lack of knowledge. Conclusion: The study highlighted the practices of hand hygiene among health care workers and the status of hand hygiene resources in the hospital which have a negative impact on hand hygiene practices demonstrated that compliance with hand hygiene compliance among health care workers remains unacceptably low, despite xiv the irrefutable scientific evidence that hands are the most common vehicle for transmission of pathogens Keywords: Hand hygiene, Health care workers, Hand hygiene practices, Health care associated infection, Resources.

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The purpose of this study was to describe factors associated with noncompliance to hand hygiene standards among nurses in one public hospital in Windhoek, Namibia. A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional research design was employed using a stratified sample comprising three categories of nurses (registered, enrolled and auxiliary nurses). Data collection was done using a structured questionnaire. Based on the results, there were more institutional than individual factors associated with noncompliance to hand hygiene. Compliance to hand hygiene was found to be lowest when nurses provide care for patients in non-isolation rooms, when the perceived risk of acquiring infection from patients was low and following brief encounters with patients. Dryness of the skin caused by hand hygiene agents and lack of active participation in hand hygiene promotion at individual level contributed to noncompliance to hand hygiene among nurses. In addition, the results showed that, institutionally there were no rewards/encouragement for hand hygiene, no sanctions for non-compliers and no workshops, seminars and continuing educational courses on hand hygiene. The study produced interesting insights into the vital role that good leadership plays in the implementation of hand hygiene policy guidelines. The key recommendations for this study included development of good leadership, characterized by dedication for hygiene standards to encourage staff to maintain hygiene practice and to ensure that there are adequate resources for the implementation of hand hygiene policy as well as rewards/incentives for compliers and sanctions for noncompliers / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

Worldwide, around 780 million people lack access to improved drinking water sources and 2.5 billion lack improved sanitation (WHO, 2013c). The United Nations (UN) declared access to drinking water and sanitation a fundamental human right in July 2010 (UN, 2010). Each year there are approximately 1.7 billion cases of diarrhoea worldwide. It kills around 2.2 million people globally each year (4.0% of all death), of which 760,000 are children under five years old, mostly in developing countries. Diarrhoeal disease is the second leading cause of death in children under five years old (WHO, 2013c). The lack of drinking water, sanitation facilities and good hygiene practises are considered the main causes for diarrhoea (WHO, 2013d). For this dissertation, a specific health intervention (CBHFA - Community based Health and First Aid) was evaluated which had taken place during three years in 20 target communities in Bokeo Province in Lao PDR. The activities were in the field of water supply, sanitation facilities and hygiene education against diarrhoea. Objective: The objective of this survey study is to show that hygiene behaviour changes in a certain target population through the implementation of CBHFA, if a) individuals have access to improved drinking water sources; b) have access to a HH latrine and c) receive hygiene information. An improvement by 50.0% for each of the hygiene indicator: water use and treatment, hand washing, sanitation, food handling, waste disposal and cleanliness was considered a behavioural change and thus an illustration of the effectiveness of CBHFA. Methods: Hygiene behaviour was measured before and after the CBHFA intervention through above mentioned hygiene indicators. Quantitative figures were collected at two different points in time, in a pre- and post-survey, then analysed and evaluated. Interviews and observations were done through community assessment/evaluation with 20 focus groups in all target communities. 488/487 (pre-survey/post-survey) households (HHs) were interviewed and observed. Knowledge about diarrhoea (definition/signs, prevention, danger, treatment and modes of transmission) was tested. The change in hygiene behaviour as well as the water and sanitation situation was measured through a comparison of the pre- with the post-results. The Relative Risk (RR) and Odds Ratio (OR) were calculated for different variables, such as ethnicity, gender, education, age and income and their changes before and after the implementation of the health intervention project. Results: Water use and sanitation This research clearly shows that the availability of a public water system (gravity fed water system) in the target communities has increased (from 45.0% to 85.0%) as well as the availability and use of hand flush pit latrines (from 20.2% to 63.7%). 95.2% of HHs that owned a latrine used them. The water treatment through “boiling” (from 70.1% to 75.0%) in HHs has improved, but not significantly. Open defecation (OD) decreased from 78.9% to 34.7% (by 56.0%). However it is still practised by more than a third of HHs. OD is one of the highest transmission risks of diarrhoea and can only be eliminated by 100.0% sanitation within the community (WHO, 2008). Hand washing There has been a significant increase of interviewees washing their hands with water and soap (from 8.0% to 38.0%). This result was confirmed by observing the existence of soap in kitchens with 33.0% and in latrines with 20.3% of HHs. The ORs calculated for hand washing “with water and soap” and compared for each stratum of the variables gender, formal education and age group show no statistical difference, but there is a statistical difference regarding income and washing hands “with water and soap”. Relevant occasions for hand washing, such as “after defecation” and “before food preparing”, that could reduce the risk of the transmission of diarrhoeal diseases have not achieved a meaningful improvement. Waste disposal Waste disposal, such as collecting and burning has increased from 23.4% to 42.5% (by 81.6%) according to the HH responses. A matter of concern is the increased HHs (from 26.8% to 29.0%) that disposed their waste by “throwing the waste outside the village”. This waste disposal method is statistically different regarding formal education. The number of HHs with non-educated interviewees where this method was practised has increased over the intervention time in contrast to the number of HHs with educated interviewees. Knowledge about diarrhoea Knowledge was tested. The definition/signs of diarrhoea, its prevention, danger, treatment and modes of transmission were not known by more than 50.0% of the interviewees. It seems that hygiene indicators can improve without this awareness, if improved water and sanitation facilities are provided. However, further investigations are required. The results show that knowledge about diarrhoea is not statistically different regarding formal education and age, but regarding gender. Giving at least one right answer was higher in women than in men. Results and income The results of the pre-survey show that income is significantly associated with owning a latrine and using water vessels, such as pots and jars for drinking, but not associated with using soap for hand washing. However after the implementation of the health interventions, the comparison of the ORs of the HHs with low income per capita (≤200,000 LAK, exchange rate: 1 EUR=10,000 LAK) versus the HHs with high income per capita (>200,000 LAK) shows a statistical difference regarding hand washing “with water and soap”. The OR of the high income per capita group is stronger than the OR of the low income per capita group. Owning a latrine does not show a statistical difference regarding income due to the provision of subsidized latrines by the health intervention project. Occurrence of diarrhoeal diseases The pre-survey results clearly show that diarrhoeal diseases ranked at the top of all recorded cases of diseases. The post-survey results show fewer villages with diarrhoeal outbreak and reduced numbers of reported cases. Summary: An improvement by 50.0% has been reached in hand washing with water and soap, reduction of OD, safe food (by covering), waste disposal (by collecting and burning) and cleanliness but no improvement has been reached in the hygiene indicators “water use and treatment” and in crucial “occasions for hand washing (after defecation, before food preparing)”. Therefore the CBHFA intervention is considered only partially effective in the field of hygiene behaviour change.

CONCLUSION: A multi-faceted hand hygiene intervention with pocket-sized containers of alcohol-based hand rub was effective in increasing hand rubbing compliance and reducing incidence of total infections requiring hospitalization in elderly LTCFs. Its effect on outbreaks still needs further investigations. The questionnaire developed in this study may be a simple and effective method to assess the attitude and compliance change of the HCWs after implementing a hand hygiene programme. / DESIGN: Clustered randomized controlled trial / INTERVENTIONS: After a 3-month run-in period, we randomized three LTCFs to the treatment and three to the control group. The treatment group received pocket-sized containers of alcohol-based hand rub, education and reminding materials. The control group received basic life support education and workshops. They were followed up for another seven months. We measured the hand hygiene compliance of the HCWs by direct observation and recorded the incidence of infections of the residents from their hospital discharge summaries. / OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of a multi-faceted hand hygiene programme with pocket-sized containers of alcohol-based hand rub for infection control in elderly long-term care facilities (LTCFs) / OUTCOMES & DATA ANALYSIS: Primary outcomes were direct observed compliances of hand washing and antiseptic hand rubbing of the HCWs, incidence of infections requiring hospitalization and death rate due to infection of the residents, and outbreaks of the LTCFs. Secondary outcomes were change in hand hygiene attitude and self-reported compliance. / PARTICIPANTS: All health care workers (HCWs) of the LTCFs recruited by snowball sampling. Their job categories were nurses, nursing assistants and physiotherapists. / RESULTS: In the treatment group, the compliance of alcohol-based hand rubbing increased significantly from 1.5% (5/333) to 15.9% (233/1465) (p=0.001) and total compliance increased from 25.8% (86/333) to 33.3% (488/1465) (p=0.01) after intervention. Total incidence of infections decreased from 31 cases in 21,862 resident days (1.42 per 1,000 resident-day (rd)) to 33 cases in 50,441 resident days (0.65 per 1,000 resident-day) (p=0.002) and death rate due to infection decreased from 8 cases in 21,862 resident days (0.37 per 1,000 rd) to 5 cases in 50,441 resident days (0.1 per 1,000 rd) in the treatment group (p=0.01). Pneumonia significantly decreased by 0.63 per 1000 rd (p=0.001). In the control group, there were no changes in both antiseptic hand rubbing and hand washing. The total incidence of infections increased from 0.49 to 1.04 per 1000 rd (p=0.004) and no change in death rate due to infection (p=0.45). No outbreaks of influenza and norovirus occurred during the whole study in both groups. / SETTING: Six LTCFs for the elderly / The attitude of antiseptic hand rubbing on infection control increased significantly in the treatment group but there was no change under different situations in the control group. The self-reported compliance of antiseptic hand rubbing increased significantly in the treatment group. There were no changes on the self-reported compliances in the control group. The agreement of the direct observed results and the self-reported compliances was 75% (kappa coefficient = 0.5). / Yeung, Wing Kin. / Adviser: Tze Wai Wong. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-06, Section: B, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-106). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.