MARRA AR, LASELVA CR, CAL RR, VALLONE C, MOURA DF, CAMARGO LA, KNOBEL E; Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (43rd: 2003: Chicago, Ill.).

Abstr Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2003 Sep 14-17; 43: abstract no. K-742.

Hosp. Israelita A. Einstein, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Hand disinfection is the most important procedure for infection control in ICU. Decreasing rates of hand disinfection compliance are related to work overload. Recently, various studies have shown an increasing compliance in ICUs, after the introduction of alcohol-based hand gels. Most studies, however, were non-contemporaneous studies, comparing compliance hand disinfection rates in different periods, after intensive training for alcohol-based product use. METHODS: After a three-month period of educational training highlighting the importance of alcohol gel products for hand hygiene, hand disinfection compliance was evaluated without the previous knowledge of health care workers. Identical wards in the same ICU were divided according to the product used for hand hygiene: only clorehexidine, alcohol gel plus clohexidine or only alcohol. Hand disinfection opportunities were defined according to institutional guidelines. RESULTS: The overall hand disinfection compliance was 46.7%, 28.8% before patient care and 64.8% after patient care. Hand disinfection rates either before (32.43 and 23.14%; IC95% 0.010-0.170; p=0.029 as well as after patient care (80.72 and 49.78%; IC 95% 0.228-0.390; p<0.0001) were significantly higher in the unit employing only clorehexidine compared to the units employing only alcohol gel products. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows conflicting results compared the medical literature, with lower compliance to alcohol gel hand hygiene. The study design, employing a contemporary comparison, cultural factors and the need for a longer period of time for training and staff acknowledgement of the benefits of alcohol products may explain lower compliance rates with alcohol gel products. An extended period of alcohol gel use may be needed to confirm the observed results

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Alcohols
• Ethanol
• Gels
• Handwashing
• Health Personnel
• Hospitals
• Humans
• Hygiene
• Infection Control
• Intensive Care Units

Other ID:

• GWAIDS0025568

UI: 102265192

From Meeting Abstracts