Removal, Kill, and Transfer of Bacteria from Hands by Antibacterial or Nonantibacterial Soaps After Handling Raw Poultry.

Hand hygiene is broadly recognized as a critical intervention in reducing the spread of disease-causing pathogens in both professional and personal uses. In this study, the impact of antibacterial (AB) or nonantibacterial soaps on the removal and postwash transfer of E. coli following the handling of raw poultry was assessed. Baseline bacterial contamination ranged between 107 and 109 CFU per hand. Hands were washed for 30 s in 40°C ± 2°C tap water using 2 mL of AB soap (0.5% and 1.0% Chloroxylenol, 0.5% Benzalkonium Chloride, or 4.0% Chlorhexidine Gluconate), non-AB soap (cosmetic/plain soap), or water. Postwash, water, and non-AB soap had a mean 3.63 and 3.65 Log10 reduction of E. coli on hands. AB treatments had a mean 4.19-4.35 Log10 reduction. Rinse water had mean bacterial counts of 8.62 and 8.88 Log10 CFU/mL for non-AB soap and water and 5.37-6.90 Log10 CFU/mL for AB treatments. Bacterial transfer was assessed by following the test subject's handling of a sterile polymer knife handle for 30 s postwash. E. coli transfer ranged from 263 to 903 CFU/handle for AB soaps and 1572 or 1709 CFU/handle for water and non-AB soap. Differences between AB and non-AB treatments were statistically significant (p < 0.0001) for hands and rinse water. Differences in transfer from hands to knife handle were not statistically significant (p = 0.139). Combined, these data highlight significant differences in the performance of AB soaps relative to non-AB soaps in a food handling environment-specific usage example and provide an unexplored assessment of the bactericidal vs. removal effects of AB vs. non-AB soaps on bacteria removed from the hands. These data reinforce the importance of hand hygiene, provide new details on the differences between AB vs. non-AB soaps, and highlight potential differences to inform food handling environment operators and public health personnel on how these products may impact food safety.

"Water or not water: That is the question." Analysis of costs and consumption of the operating theaters in a greener perspective.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the amounts of water and plastic used in surgical hand washing with medicated soaps and with alcohol-based products and to compare costs and consumption in a year, based on scheduled surgical activity. METHOD: This retrospective study was carried out at Udine's Gynecology Operating Block from October to November 2022. We estimated the average amount of water with a graduated cylinder and the total cost of water usage based on euros/m3 indicated by the supplier; for each antiseptic agent we collected the data relevant to wash time, amount of water and product used per scrub, number of handscrubs made with every 500 mL bottle and cost of a single bottle. We put data into two hypothetical contexts, namely WHO guidelines and manufacturers' recommendations. Data were subjected to statistical analysis. RESULTS: The daily amount of water using povidone-iodine, chlorhexidine-gluconate and alcohol-based antiseptic agents was 187.6, 140.7 and 0 L/day (P value = 0.001), respectively; A total of 69 000 L/year of water would be saved if alcohol-based products were routinely used. A single unit of an alcohol-based product allows three times as many handscrubs as any other product (P value = 0.001) with consequent reduction in plastic packaging. CONCLUSION: Despite the cost saving being negligible, choosing alcohol-based handrub over medicated soap handrub - on equal antiseptic efficacy grounds - could lead to a significant saving of water and plastic, thus making our operating theaters more environmentally friendly.

Building capacity for point of care alcohol-based handrub (ABHR) and hand hygiene compliance among health care workers in the rural maternity and surgical units of a hospital in Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Hand hygiene (HH) is challenging in health care, but particularly in resource-limited settings due to a lack of training, resources, and infrastructure. This study aimed to evaluate the implementation of wall-mounted alcohol-based handrub (ABHR) at the point of care (POC) on HH compliance among health care workers in a Cameroon hospital. METHODS: It was a three-stage before and after study. The first stage involved baseline collection of ABHR utilization and HH compliance data. The second stage included the implementation of ABHR at the POC, supported by an implementation strategy involving HH training, monitoring and feedback, and HH champions. The third stage involved postimplementation data collection on ABHR use and HH compliance. RESULTS: 5,214 HH opportunities were evaluated. HH compliance significantly increased from 33.3% (baseline) to 83.1% (implementation stage) (P < .001) and to 87.2% (postimplementation stage) (P < .001). Weekly ABHR usage increased significantly during implementation (5,670 ml), compared to baseline, (1242.5 ml, P = .001), and remained high in postimplementation (7,740 ml). CONCLUSIONS: Continuous availability of ABHR at POC, supported by implementation strategy, significantly increased HH compliance and ABHR use. Learning from this study could be used to implement ABHR at POC in other facilities.

Estimating spatially disaggregated probability of severe COVID-19 and the impact of handwashing interventions: The case of Zimbabwe.

INTRODUCTION: The severity of COVID-19 disease varies substantially between individuals, with some infections being asymptomatic while others are fatal. Several risk factors have been identified that affect the progression of SARS-CoV-2 to severe COVID-19. They include age, smoking and presence of underlying comorbidities such as respiratory illness, HIV, anemia and obesity. Given that respiratory illness is one such comorbidity and is affected by hand hygiene, it is plausible that improving access to handwashing could lower the risk of severe COVID-19 among a population. In this paper, we estimate the potential impact of improved access to handwashing on the risk of respiratory illness and its knock-on impact on the risk of developing severe COVID-19 disease across Zimbabwe. METHODS: Spatial generalized additive models were applied to cluster level data from the 2015 Demographic and Health Survey. These models were used to generate continuous (1km resolution) estimates of risk factors for severe COVID-19, including prevalence of major comorbidities (respiratory illness, HIV without viral load suppression, anemia and obesity) and prevalence of smoking, which were aggregated to district level alongside estimates of the proportion of the population under 50 from Worldpop data. The risk of severe COVID-19 was then calculated for each district using published estimates of the relationship between comorbidities, smoking and age (under 50) and severe COVID-19. Two scenarios were then simulated to see how changing access to handwashing facilities could have knock on implications for the prevalence of severe COVID-19 in the population. RESULTS: This modeling conducted in this study shows that (1) current risk of severe disease is heterogeneous across the country, due to differences in individual characteristics and household conditions and (2) that if the quantifiable estimates on the importance of handwashing for transmission are sound, then improvements in handwashing access could lead to reductions in the risk of severe COVID-19 of up to 16% from the estimated current levels across all districts. CONCLUSIONS: Taken alongside the likely impact on transmission of SARS-CoV-2 itself, as well as countless other pathogens, this result adds further support for the expansion of access to handwashing across the country. It also highlights the spatial differences in risk of severe COVID-19, and thus the opportunity for better planning to focus limited resources in high-risk areas in order to potentially reduce the number of severe cases.

Assessment of the infrastructure of a COVID-19 unit and health professionals' perception about safety attitudes / Avaliação da infraestrutura de uma unidade COVID-19 e a percepção de profissionais de saúde sobre as atitudes de segurança / Evaluación de la infraestructura de una unidad COVID-19 y la percepción de los profesionales de la salud sobre las actitudes de seguridad

Background and objectives: does the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit have a favorable structure to sanitize the hands of health professionals? What is the perception of health professionals about the organizational safety of that sector? It aims to assess the structure for hand hygiene in an Intensive Care Unit for patients with COVID-19 and the perception of safety attitude by health professionals. Methods: an analytical, cross-sectional study with 62 health professionals from a university hospital in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The unit structure commands for hand alignment and safety attitudes were used. Results: flaws were found in the infrastructure that can hinder and prevent hand hygiene by professionals at the point of care. The safety attitude was impaired in all domains. No difference was found between the median scores regarding professional categories. Conclusion: investment is urgently needed in improving infrastructure with alcoholic preparation supply at the point of assistance. The study demonstrates the negative impact of the perception of low management involvement in patient safety actions and poor infrastructure for hand hygiene.(AU)

Justificativa e objetivos: a Unidade de Terapia Intensiva COVID-19 possui estrutura favorável para a higienização das mãos dos profissionais de saúde? Qual a percepção dos profissionais de saúde acerca da segurança organizacional do referido setor? Tem como objetivo avaliar a estrutura para higiene das mãos de uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva destinada a pacientes com COVID-19 e a percepção da atitude de segurança pelos profissionais de saúde. Métodos: estudo analítico, transversal, com 62 profissionais de saúde de um hospital universitário do estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil. Foram utilizados os questionários de estrutura da unidade para higienização das mãos e o de atitudes de segurança. Resultados: constataram-se falhas na infraestrutura que podem dificultar e impedir a realização da higiene das mãos pelos profissionais no ponto da assistência. A atitude de segurança esteve prejudicada em todos os domínios. Não foi encontrada diferença entre as medianas dos escores com relação às categorias profissionais. Conclusão: se faz urgente o investimento na melhoria da infraestrutura com fornecimento de preparações alcoólicas no ponto da assistência. O estudo demonstra o impacto negativo da percepção do baixo envolvimento da gestão nas ações de segurança do paciente e infraestrutura precária para higiene das mãos.(AU)

Justificación y objetivos: ¿La Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos COVID-19 cuenta con una estructura favorable para la higiene de manos de los profesionales de la salud? ¿Cuál es la percepción de los profesionales de la salud sobre la seguridad organizacional en ese sector? Tiene como objetivo evaluar la estructura para la higiene de manos en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos destinada a pacientes con COVID-19 y la percepción de actitudes de seguridad por parte de los profesionales de la salud. Métodos: estudio transversal analítico con 62 profesionales de la salud de un hospital universitario en el estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil. Se utilizaron los comandos de la estructura de la unidad para la alineación de las manos y las actitudes de seguridad. Resultados: se encontraron fallas en la infraestructura que pueden dificultar e impedir la realización de la higiene de manos por parte de los profesionales en el punto de atención. La actitud de seguridad se vio afectada en todos los dominios. No se encontró diferencia entre las medianas de las puntuaciones con respecto a las categorías profesionales. Conclusión: urge invertir en mejorar la infraestructura con el suministro de preparados alcohólicos en el punto de atención. El estudio demuestra el impacto negativo de la percepción de una baja implicación de la dirección en las acciones de seguridad del paciente y una infraestructura deficiente para la higiene de manos.(AU)

Analysis of theses and dissertations on hand hygiene in Brazil: a bibliometric study / Análise de teses e dissertações sobre higienização das mãos no Brasil: estudo bibliométrico / Análisis de tesis y disertaciones sobre higiene de manos en Brasil: un estudio bibliométrico

Background and Objectives: in relation to hand hygiene, it is important to highlight the absence of documented investigations in the scientific literature that address the analysis of theses and dissertations related to this practice. This gap justifies the carrying out of this study, which aims to strengthen and expand the knowledge base related to this topic, highlighting its relevance in the areas of teaching, research, extension and innovation. The objective was to analyze theses and dissertations published in stricto sensu graduate programs on hand hygiene practices in Brazil. Methods: this is a bibliometric study conducted in the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel Theesis and Dissertation Catalog, considering the period from 2013 to 2022. Results: thirty-one (100%) studies were included, 21 (67.7%) dissertations and six (19.3%) theses. Nursing was the main area of assessment (65.6%), which mainly analyzed adherence to hand hygiene practices (29.0%), health education (12.9%), and carried out microbiological analysis of hands (12.9%). Only three publications used theoretical bases as the central core of the research. Conclusion: this study allowed us to identify the need to study the topic at doctoral level, using theoretical bases that will provide the conceptual and philosophical foundation for clinical practice.(AU)

Justificativa e Objetivos: em relação à higienização das mãos, é importante ressaltar a ausência de investigações documentadas na literatura científica que abordem a análise de teses e dissertações relacionadas a essa prática. Tal lacuna justifica a realização deste estudo, que visa fortalecer e expandir a base de conhecimento relativa a essa temática, destacando sua relevância nos domínios do ensino, da pesquisa, extensão e inovação. Objetivou-se analisar teses e dissertações publicadas em programas de pós-graduação stricto sensu sobre as práticas de higienização das mãos no Brasil. Métodos: estudo bibliométrico, realizado no Catálogo de Teses e Dissertações da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, considerando o período de 2013 a 2022. Resultados: foram incluídos 31 (100%) estudos, sendo 21 (67,7%) dissertações e seis (19,3%) teses. A enfermagem foi a principal área de avaliação (65,6%) que analisou, principalmente, a adesão às práticas de higiene das mãos (29,0%), a educação em saúde (12,9%), e realizou análise microbiológica das mãos (12,9%). Apenas três publicações utilizaram bases teóricas como núcleo central da pesquisa. Conclusão: este estudo permitiu identificar a necessidade de estudar a temática em nível de doutorado, utilizando bases teóricas que fornecerão o alicerce conceitual e filosófico para a prática clínica.(AU)

Justificación y Objetivos: en relación a la higiene de manos, es importante resaltar la ausencia de investigaciones documentadas en la literatura científica que aborden el análisis de tesis y disertaciones relacionadas con esta práctica. Este vacío justifica la realización de este estudio, que tiene como objetivo fortalecer y ampliar la base de conocimientos relacionados con este tema, destacando su relevancia en las áreas de docencia, investigación, extensión e innovación. El objetivo fue analizar tesis y disertaciones publicadas en programas de posgrado estricto sensu sobre prácticas de higiene de manos en Brasil. Métodos: estudio bibliométrico realizado en el Catálogo de Tesis y Disertaciones de la Coordinación de Perfeccionamiento del Personal de Educación Superior, considerando el período de 2013 a 2022. Resultados: se incluyeron 31 (100%) estudios, 21 (67,7%) disertaciones y seis (19,3%) tesis. Enfermería fue la principal área de evaluación (65,6%), que analizó principalmente la adherencia a las prácticas de higiene de manos (29,0%), educación para la salud (12,9%) y realizó análisis microbiológicos de las manos (12,9%). Sólo tres publicaciones utilizaron bases teóricas como núcleo central de la investigación. Conclusión: este estudio identificó la necesidad de estudiar el tema a nivel de doctorado, utilizando marcos teóricos que proporcionarán la base conceptual y filosófica para la práctica clínica.(AU)

Association of access to water, sanitation and handwashing facilities with undernutrition of children below 5 years of age in Bangladesh: evidence from two population-based, nationally representative surveys.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between household access to water, sanitation and handwashing (WaSH) facilities and child undernutrition in Bangladesh. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional study of children less than 5 years using data collected from the 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) and the 2017-2018 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS). OUTCOME MEASURES: Stunting, wasting and underweight, defined as a Z-score <-2 SD for height-for-age, weight-for-height and weight-for-age, respectively. We applied hierarchical multiple binary logistic regression models. RESULTS: Among 30 514 children 0-59 months, there was a high prevalence of child undernutrition (MICS: 28.0% stunted, 9.8% wasted, 22.6% underweight; BDHS: 30.8% stunted, 8.4% wasted, 21.7% underweight). Most children came from households lacking basic sanitation (MICS: 39.1%, BDHS: 55.3%) or handwashing facilities (MICS: 43.8%, BDHS: 62.6%). Children from households without access to WaSH facilities experienced the highest rates of undernutrition. Exposure-specific adjusted logistic regression models showed that a lack of access to improved water sources was associated with greater odds of wasting (MICS: adjusted OR (AOR) 1.36, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.85, p<0.05); basic sanitation facility with higher rates of stunting (MICS: 1.13, 1.04 to 1.23, p<0.01) and underweight (BDHS: 1.18, 1.02 to 1.37, p<0.05); and a lack of handwashing facilities with stunting (BDHS: 1.27, 1.10 to 1.48, p<0.01) and underweight (MICS: 1.10, 1.01 to 1.19, p<0.05). In fully adjusted models, no basic sanitation facility was associated with higher odds of stunting (MICS: AOR 1.12, 1.03 to 1.22, p<0.01) and a lack of handwashing facilities with higher odds of underweight (BDHS: AOR 1.30, 1.10 to 1.54, p<0.01;MICS: AOR 1.09, 1.01 to 1.19, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate a significant association between poor household WaSH facilities and high prevalence of child undernutrition. Improving WaSH may help reduce child undernutrition in Bangladesh.

Compliance and barriers to hand hygiene practice among professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: an integrative review / Adesão e barreiras à prática de higienização das mãos entre profissionais na pandemia de COVID-19: revisão integrativa / Adherencia y barreras a la práctica de la higiene de manos entre profesionales en la pandemia de COVID-19: revisión integradora

Background and objectives: compliance and barriers to hand hygiene practice remains a challenge in health services, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This preventive measure needs to be encouraged at all levels of care to reduce health problems. This article aimed to identify the reasons for compliance and main barriers to hand hygiene practice among health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Content: an integrative review, performed in the MEDLINE via PubMed, Scopus, Wiley Online Library, Western Pacific Region Index Medicus, LILACS, IBECS, BDENF and SciELO databases. To interpret the results, Nola Pender's theoretical perspective was used. The sample consisted of 13 articles, allowing the stratification of six themes: health professionals' attitude and behavior during the pandemic; assessment of the five moments in hospitals during the pandemic period; availability, use and types of resources; barriers and facilitators; team compliance before and during the COVID-19 pandemic; and technique quality and glove use considering the need for hand hygiene. Conclusion: hand hygiene practice needs to be expanded and encouraged among team members, as there were barriers that hindered compliance during the COVID-19 pandemic.(AU)

Justificativa e objetivos: adesão à prática de higienização das mãos permanece um desafio nos serviços de saúde, principalmente durante a pandemia de COVID-19. Essa medida preventiva necessita ser estimulada em todos os níveis de assistência para redução de agravos à saúde. Este artigo teve por objetivo identificar os motivos de adesão e principais barreiras à pratica de higienização das mãos entre profissionais de saúde durante a pandemia de COVID-19. Conteúdo: revisão integrativa, realizada nas bases de dados MEDLINE via PubMed, Scopus, Wiley Online Library, Index Medicus do Pacífico Ocidental, LILACS, IBECS, BDENF e SciELO. Para interpretação dos resultados, utilizou-se a perspectiva teórica de Nola Pender. A amostra foi constituída por 13 artigos, possibilitando a estratificação de seis temas: atitude e comportamento dos profissionais de saúde durante a pandemia; avaliação dos cinco momentos em hospitais no período pandêmico; disponibilidade, utilização e tipos de recursos; barreiras e facilitadores; adesão da equipe no antes e durante a pandemia de COVID-19; e qualidade da técnica e utilização de luvas diante da necessidade de higienização das mãos. Conclusão: a prática de higienização das mãos precisa ser ampliada e incentivada entre a equipe, visto que houve barreiras que dificultaram a adesão durante a pandemia de COVID-19.(AU)

Justificación y objetivos: la adherencia y las barreras para la práctica de la higiene de manos sigue siendo un desafío en los servicios de salud, especialmente durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Es necesario fomentar esta medida preventiva en todos los niveles de atención para reducir los problemas de salud. Este artículo tuvo como objetivo identificar las razones de la adherencia y las principales barreras para la práctica de la higiene de manos entre los profesionales de la salud durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Contenido: revisión integradora, realizada en bases de datos MEDLINE vía PubMed, Scopus, Wiley Online Library, Western Pacific Region Index Medicus, LILACS, IBECS, BDENF y SciELO. Para interpretar los resultados se utilizó la perspectiva teórica de Nola Pender. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 13 artículos, lo que permitió la estratificación de seis temas: actitud y comportamiento de los profesionales de la salud durante la pandemia; evaluación de los cinco momentos en los hospitales durante el período de pandemia; disponibilidad, uso y tipos de recursos; barreras y facilitadores; adherencia del equipo antes y durante la pandemia de COVID-19; y calidad de la técnica y uso de guantes ante la necesidad de higiene de manos. Conclusión: la práctica de la higiene de manos necesita ser ampliada y fomentada entre el equipo, ya que hubo barreras que dificultaron la adherencia durante la pandemia de COVID-19.(AU)

Alcohol preparation consumption for hand hygiene in outpatient clinics and Day Hospitals: an integrative review / Consumo de preparação alcoólica para higienização das mãos em ambulatórios e Hospitais-Dia: revisão integrativa / Consumo de preparados alcohólicos para higiene de manos en Hospitales-Día y ambulatorios: revisión integradora

Background and Objective: the alcoholic preparation consumption indicator is a measure that can help monitor compliance with hand hygiene, however there is no guidance regarding the profile for application of consumption reference published by the World Health Organization for many health institutions. Thus, the study sought information available in scientific literature to support the definition of alcohol preparation consumption for hand hygiene in outpatient clinics and Day Hospitals. Method: an integrative review for the period between 2010 and 2021, conducted in the Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, PubMed/MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Database on Nursing and Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences databases, through the Virtual Health Library. Five articles were selected, being divided into two categories: Milliliters of alcoholic preparation for each hand hygiene, identifying the expected average volume of 3 ml, and Consumption of alcohol-based hand rub per patient-day, observing the prevalence of studies in general hospitals. A study brought the perspective regarding consumption in a Nursing Home. Conclusion: in the review, no articles related to outpatient clinics and Day Hospitals were found. The selected studies demonstrate that alcohol preparation consumption for hand hygiene is different depending on the profile of the sector and the patient treated and that both the minimum volume for each hand hygiene and the opportunities are not considered for analysis of the indicator.(AU)

Justificativa e Objetivo: o indicador de consumo de preparação alcoólica é uma medida que pode auxiliar no monitoramento da adesão à higienização das mãos, entretanto não existe direcionamento quanto ao perfil para aplicação da referência de consumo publicada pela Organização Mundial da Saúde para muitas instituições de saúde. Assim, o estudo buscou analisar as informações disponíveis na literatura científica para subsidiar a definição do consumo de preparação alcoólica para higienização das mãos em instituições ambulatoriais e Hospitais-Dia. Método: revisão integrativa referente ao período entre 2010 e 2021, realizada nas bases de dados Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, PubMed/MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Banco de Dados em Enfermagem e Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde, através da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde. Foram selecionados cinco artigos que abordam o tema, sendo divididos em duas categorias: Mililitros de preparação alcoólica para cada higienização das mãos, identificando-se o volume médio previsto de 3 ml, e Consumo de preparação alcoólica por paciente/dia, observando-se a prevalência de estudos em hospitais gerais. Um estudo trouxe a perspectiva referente ao consumo em uma Instituição de Longa Permanência. Conclusão: na revisão, não foram encontrados artigos relacionados a ambulatórios e Hospitais-Dia. Os estudos selecionados demonstram que o consumo de preparação alcóolica é diferente dependendo do perfil do setor e do paciente atendido e que tanto o volume mínimo para cada higienização das mãos quanto as oportunidades geralmente não são considerados para análise do indicador.

Justificación y Objetivos: el indicador de consumo de preparados alcohólicos es una medida que ayuda a monitorear la adherencia a la higiene de manos, pero no existe una orientación respecto al perfil de aplicación de la referencia publicada por la Organización Mundial de la Salud para muchas instituciones de salud. Así, el estudio buscó información disponible en la literatura científica para sustentar la definición del consumo de preparados alcohólicos en instituciones ambulatorias y Hospitales Día. Método: una revisión integrativa para el período comprendido entre 2010 y 2021, realizada en bases de datos Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, PubMed/MEDLINE; Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Base de Datos de Enfermería y Literatura Latinoamericana y del Caribe en Ciencias de la Salud, a través de la Biblioteca Virtual en Salud. Se seleccionaron cinco artículos que abordaban el tema y se dividieron en dos categorías: Mililitros de preparación alcohólica para cada higiene de manos, identificando el volumen promedio esperado de 3 ml, y Consumo de preparación alcohólica por paciente-día, observando la prevalencia de estudios en hospitales generales. Un estudio trajo la perspectiva sobre el consumo en una Institución de Larga Estancia. Conclusión: en la revisión, no se encontraron artículos relacionados con ambulatorios y Hospitales Día. Los estudios seleccionados demuestran que el consumo de preparados alcohólicos para la higiene de manos es diferente según el perfil del sector y del paciente tratado y que tanto el volumen mínimo como las oportunidades no suelen ser considerados para el análisis del indicador.(AU)

Impacto na qualidade de antissépticos e desinfetantes com álcool 70% (p/p) utilizados no enfrentamento da pandemia provocada pelo SARS-CoV-2 / Impacts on the quality of antiseptic and disinfectant products with 70% alcohol (w/w) used in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Formulações contendo álcool etílico 70% (p/p) podem ser classificadas como cosméticos, medicamentos ou saneantes, dependendo da apresentação e local de uso. Foram largamente empregadas como antisséptico na forma líquida e gel no combate à pandemia provocada pelo SARS-CoV-2. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade de 60 produtos em relação ao teor e rotulagem, destinados à higienização das mãos, superfícies e de uso hospitalar comercializadas em São Paulo. Realizou-se a avaliação do teor de álcool etílico por determinação direta em densímetro digital e comparação das informações da rotulagem com as da legislação de referência e com o rótulo aprovado pela Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA). Os resultados demonstraram que 48,3% das amostras apresentaram resultados inferiores aos limites regulatórios e às concentrações descritas no rótulo do produto para o teor de álcool etílico. Além disso, 5% apresentaram prazo de validade informado no rótulo acima de 180 dias, em desacordo com a RDC 350/20. Os níveis de insatisfatoriedade encontrados neste estudo indicam a necessidade de monitoramento da qualidade dos produtos disponíveis no mercado brasileiro com o propósito de apoiar as autoridades sanitárias nas atividades de fiscalização. (AU)

Formulations containing 70% ethyl alcohol (w/w) can be classified as cosmetics, medicines, or sanitizers depending on the presentation and place of use. These formulations were widely used as an antiseptic in the fight against the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, available in both liquid and gel forms. The present study aimed to assess the quality of 60 products, intended for hand and surface hygiene and hospital use, sold in São Paulo. The ethyl alcohol content was evaluated by direct determination using a digital densimeter, and the labeling information was compared with the reference legislation and the label approved by ANVISA (Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency). The results showed that 48.3% of the products had ethyl alcohol content below the regulatory limits and concentrations specified on the product label. Additionally, 5% of the products had an expiration date on the label that exceeded 180 days, contrary to RDC 350/20 regulations. The levels of unsatisfactory products found in this study indicate the need for continuous monitoring of the quality of products available in the Brazilian market. Such monitoring is crucial to support health authorities in their inspection activities and ensure the efficacy and safety of antiseptic and disinfectant products used in the context of public health. (AU)

Validity of self-reported compliance and behavioural determinants of observed compliance: an application of the COM-B hand hygiene questionnaire in nine Dutch hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Hand hygiene compliance (HHC) can be influenced by behavioural determinants, but knowledge on this remains scarce. The Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) hand hygiene questionnaire was developed by Lydon et al. to gain insight into self-reported behavioural determinants and self-reported HHC. AIMS: To determine the validity of self-reported HHC using the COM-B questionnaire; and investigate the influence of self-reported behavioural determinants on observed HHC, taking environmental determinants into account. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study, from September to November 2019, in nine hospitals in the Netherlands. Healthcare workers (HCWs) completed the COM-B questionnaire, and direct hand hygiene observations were performed. In addition, information on environmental determinants (workload, ward category, hospital type and ward infrastructure) was collected. Validity of self-reported HHC was determined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Univariable and multi-variable regression analyses were performed to investigate the relationship between behavioural and environmental determinants and observed HHC. FINDINGS: The ICC showed no association between self-reported HHC and observed HHC [0.04, 95% CI -0.14 to 0.21]. In univariable regression analyses, ward category and the opportunity and motivation subscales were significantly associated with observed HHC. In multi-variable regression analysis, only ward category and the motivation subscale remained significant. CONCLUSION: Self-reported HHC is not a valid substitute for direct hand hygiene observations. Motivation (behavioural determinant) was significantly associated with HCC, while almost none of the environmental determinants had an effect on observed HHC. In further development of hand hygiene interventions, increasing the intrinsic motivation of HCWs should receive extra attention.

Using a human factors framework to assess clinician perceptions of and barriers to high reliability in hand hygiene.

BACKGROUND: Hand hygiene (HH) is critical to prevent health care-associated infections (HAIs). Clinician perspectives on maintaining high reliability are poorly defined. METHODS: We surveyed physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to understand perceptions of and barriers to high reliability in HH. The Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety 2.0 model was used to develop an electronic survey exploring 6 human factors engineering (HFE) domains. RESULTS: Among 61 respondents, 70% perceived HH as "essential" to patient safety. While 87% reported alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) availability as very effective in improving HH reliability, 77% reported dispensers to be "sometimes" or "often" empty. Clinicians in surgery/anesthesia were more likely than those in medical specialties to note skin irritation from ABHR (OR 4.94; 95% CI 1.37-17.81) and less likely to believe feedback was effective in improving HH (OR 0.26; 95% CI 0.08-0.88). One quarter of respondents indicated the layout of patient care areas was not conducive to performing HH. Staffing shortages and the pace and demands of work precluded HH for 15% and 11% of respondents, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Aspects of organizational culture, environment, tasks, and tools were identified as barriers to high reliability in HH. HFE principles can be applied to more effectively promote HH.

In-vivo efficacy of alcohol-based hand rubs against noroviruses: a novel standardized European test method simulating practical conditions.

BACKGROUND: Non-enveloped viruses are particularly resistant to disinfectants, so it is necessary to use disinfectants with proven virucidal activity in order to prevent and control the spread of viral infections. However, a test such as EN 1500, which uses an internal standard as the reference treatment for determining the bactericidal efficacy of hand rubs, is still lacking. This study aimed to establish a European standard for testing the in-vivo efficacy of hand rubs against non-enveloped viruses. METHODS: The concentration and mode of application of ethanol as the reference were determined, and compared with the efficacies of two commonly used hand rubs. The hands of volunteers were contaminated with murine norovirus strain S99. RESULTS: 70% wt/wt ethanol (2 x 3 mL in 2 x 30 s) was used as the internal reference treatment. The commercial ethanol-based hand rub was able to reduce the titre of murine norovirus significantly in 30 s, whereas a hand rub based on ethanol and propan-2-ol was significantly less effective compared with the reference. CONCLUSION: This study established a possible standard for testing the in-vivo efficacy of hand rubs against non-enveloped viruses using murine norovirus, a low contamination volume technique and ethanol as the internal reference. These findings need to be confirmed in European ring trials.

Evidence-based hand hygiene: Liquid or gel handrub, does it matter?

BACKGROUND: Recent studies put under scrutiny the prevailing hand hygiene guidelines, which incorporate quantitative parameters regarding handrub volume and hand size. Understanding the criticality of complete (i.e., efficient) hand hygiene in healthcare, objectivization of hand hygiene related parameters are paramount, including the formulation of the ABHR. Complete coverage can be achieved with optimal Alcohol-Based Hand Rub (ABHR) provided. The literature is limited regarding ABHR formulation variances to antimicrobial efficiency and healthcare workers' preference, while public data on clinically relevant typical application differences is not available. This study was designed and performed to compare gel and liquid format ABHRs (the two most popular types in Europe) by measuring several parameters, including application time, spillage and coverage. METHODOLOGY: Senior medical students were invited, and randomly assigned to receive pre-determined ABHR volumes (1.5 or 3 ml). All the 340 participants were given equal amounts of gel and liquid on two separate hand hygiene occasions, which occurred two weeks apart. During the hand hygiene events, by employing a digital, fully automated system paired with fluorescent-traced ABHRs, disinfectant hand coverage was objectively investigated. Furthermore, hand coverage in relation to the participants' hand sizes was also calculated. Additional data collection was performed regarding volume differences and their effect on application time, participants' volume awareness (consciousness) and disinfectant spillage during the hand hygiene events. RESULTS: The 1.5 ml ABHR volume (commonly applied in healthcare settings) is insufficient in either formulation, as the non-covered areas exceeded significant (5%+) of the total hand surface area. 3 ml, on the contrary, resulted in almost complete coverage (uncovered areas remained below 1.5%). Participants typically underestimated the volume which they needed to apply. While the liquid ABHR spreads better in the lower, 1.5 ml volume compared to the gel, the latter was easier handled at larger volume. Drying times were 30/32 s (gel and liquid formats, respectively) when 1.5 ml handrub was applied, and 40/42 s when 3 ml was used. As the evaporation rates of the ABHR used in the study are similar to those available on the market, one can presume that the results presented in the study apply for most WHO conform ABHRs. CONCLUSION: The results show that applying 1.5 ml volume was insufficient, as large part of the hand surface remained uncovered (7.0 ± 0.7% and 5.8 ± 1.0% of the hand surface in the case of gel and liquid, respectively) When 3 ml handrub was applied drying times were 40 and 42 s (gel and liquid, respectively), which is a very long time in daily clinical practice. It looks like we cannot find a volume that fits for everyone. Personalized, hand size based ABHR volumes may be the solution to find an optimal balance between maximize coverage and minimise spillage and drying time. 3 ml can be a good volume for those who have medium size hands. Large handed people should use more handrub to reach appropriate coverage, while small-handed ones may apply less to avoid massive spillage and not to take unrealistically long to dry.

Trachoma, the world's leading infectious cause of blindness: The remaining gap in care and access to basic handwashing facilities.

PURPOSE: Trachoma, the world's leading infectious cause of blindness, has been targeted by the WHO for elimination through the SAFE strategy: surgery, antibiotics, facial cleanliness, and environmental improvement. Although significant progress has been made, there remains a gap in care. This project studied the association of geographical distribution of the remaining need for trachoma intervention and its association with access to basic handwashing facilities at home, as an indicator of water/sanitation infrastructure. We hypothesized that poor water sanitation would correspond to areas where trachoma intervention is still required. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis using the WHO Global Health Observatory. Spatial, correlation, and simple and multivariable regression analyses were used. METHODS: Using data from the WHO Global Health Observatory, a total of 194 countries were analyzed. Two choropleth maps were created, with inset maps focused on the South Pacific region, where the top 5 countries with the greatest population proportion requiring trachoma intervention are located. RESULTS: Correlations and the simple regression model of total population with access to handwashing facilities as the only risk factor were insignificant. However, the multivariable regression models with access to handwashing facilities (total, urban, and rural) and population density as risk factors for trachoma intervention were significant. CONCLUSION: Poor water/sanitation infrastructure correlates with trachoma burden. Therefore, water/sanitation infrastructure improvement is a worthwhile target in the efforts toward trachoma elimination, but further research on the association between these important public health indicators is warranted.

Failure of sodium hypochlorite to meet the EN 1500 efficacy requirement for hygienic hand disinfection.

This study evaluated the bactericidal efficacy of two alternative hand antiseptics, based on sodium hypochlorite or sodium hypochlorite and hypochlorous acid, compared with isopropanol on the hands of volunteers artificially contaminated with Escherichia coli using EN 1500. The reference alcohol was applied according to the norm, and the study formulations were used as in common practice (3 mL for 30 s). The products showed mean log10 reductions of 1.63 and 1.89, both of which were inferior to the reference treatment (4.78). Due to the failure to achieve sufficient bactericidal efficacy within 30 s, sodium hypochlorite (0.05-0.06%) should not be considered for hand disinfection.

Impact of Training on Employees' Handwashing Behaviors in School Nutrition Programs.

BACKGROUND: School nutrition employee behavior plays an important role in preventing foodborne outbreaks and protecting the almost 30 million children who partake in daily school lunch. OBJECTIVE: The study aim was to compare the impact of using a food safety training program with or without using a realistic-event video on handwashing behavior modification for school nutrition employees. DESIGN: A 2-group (control and experimental) pretest with 2 post-tests design was used. The control group received training without the video and the experimental group received the food safety training with a realistic-event video. Measurements used to address the purpose and objectives of this study included questionnaires and direct observations. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: The sample consisted of 443 school nutrition employees responsible for food preparation and service affiliated with 21 school districts in 18 states. Approximately half of the sample attended the original unmodified training and the other half attended the modified training. Data were collected in the United States during 2017. A total of 338 employees participated in the observations and 443 participants completed the questionnaires during the 3 phases; 935 questionnaires were used for the analysis. INTERVENTION: The intervention involved a food safety training program embedded with a realistic-event video related to handwashing. The video used previous research to target antecedents to handwashing behavior among participants. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Actual behavior was observed across 3 phases-pretraining, post training, and final-for both the control and experimental groups. In addition, indirect and direct measures of behavioral intentions for handwashing were measured. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS PERFORMED: For the observation data, a 2-way, fixed-effects, mixed-model procedure was used to analyze the data. Simple and multiple linear regression and contingency table analyses looking for differences among phases and treatments were used for questionnaire data analysis. RESULTS: Most practices were reported as in compliance (51.3% to 80.6%) for both the control and experimental groups during all phases. The experimental group had a higher behavioral intention of properly washing their hands than participants in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that handwashing practices were in compliance most of the time for both the control and experimental groups during all 3 observation periods. Differences among the data collection periods on the theory of planned behavior constructs indicated no statistical effect of the treatment (exposure to the video) between the control and intervention groups.

Compliance with a novel hand hygiene protocol tailored to non-sterile healthcare workers in the operating theatre.

BACKGROUND: Observing hand hygiene compliance (HHC) among non-sterile healthcare workers (HCWs) in the operating theatre (OT) is challenging as there are no tailored protocols or observation tools. AIM: To develop and test a hand hygiene protocol tailored to non-sterile HCWs in the OT. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, nine hospitals in the Rotterdam-Rijnmond region provided input on a draft protocol on hand hygiene in the OT, resulting in a new consensus protocol for the region. An observation tool based on the protocol was developed and tested. HHC rates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by type of hospital and type of HCW. FINDINGS: The protocol has three sections: (1) written general hand hygiene rules; (2) written hand hygiene rules specific for anaesthesia and surgery; and (3) visual representation of the OT, divided into four hand hygiene areas. Hand hygiene should be applied when changing area. Average HHC of 48.0% (95% CI 45.2-61.2%) was observed in OTs across all hospitals. HHC was highest in the two specialized hospitals (64.0%, 95% CI 30.6-89.8%; 76.7%, 95% CI 62.8-84.5%) and lowest in the academic teaching hospital (23.1%, 95% CI 0.0-45.8%). In terms of type of HCW, HHC was lowest among anaesthesiologists (31.6%, 95% CI 19.2-62.4%) and highest among OT assistants (57.4%, 95% CI 50.1-78.2%). CONCLUSION: This uniform way of observing HHC in the OT enables evaluation of the effectiveness of interventions in the OT and facilitates friendly competition. In the Rotterdam-Rijnmond region, HHC in the OT was below 50%; this needs to be addressed, particularly in teaching hospitals and among physicians.