HAND HYGIENE

Importance and Compliance of Hand Hygiene in Mental Health Setting

Importance and Compliance of Hand Hygiene in Mental Health Setting

Introduction

Research has shown that traditional hand hygiene programs and strategies to promote safety from infectious diseases increases knowledge of the subject (Bisset 2002, p. 1072). However, very few studies have been conducted to evaluate the importance of hand hygiene attitudes and practices within mental health settings (Kenneley 2007, p. 459). The objective of this research paper is to assess the importance of hand hygiene in a mental health setting. The paper also gauges the extent to which food safety training or intervention strategies increase knowledge of and attitudes about hand hygiene amongst mental patients and caregivers.

A systematic review of hand hygiene importance and compliance was conducted. Additional studies were identified from abstracts from food safety conferences and food science education conferences. Search terms included combinations of "food safety," "food hygiene," "training," "education," "hand washing," "hand hygiene," "knowledge," "attitudes," "practices," "behavior," and "food handlers." Only before- and after-training approaches and cohort studies with training (intervention group) and without training (control group) in hand hygiene knowledge and including attitudes in food handlers were evaluated.

The analysis spanned around various studies relating to hand hygiene, food safety training and intervention programmes. It was found that hygiene training increased knowledge and improved attitudes about hand hygiene practices. Refresher training and long-term reinforcement of good food handling behaviors may also be beneficial for sustaining good hand washing practices. To be effective for reducing foodborne illnesses, food handler food safety training must increase motivation, improve attitudes, and increase the frequency of safe food handling practices, such as hand hygiene practices (Nazarko 2009, p. 64-68).

Literature Review

Hand hygiene is an important practice for providers of health care and contributes greatly to reduce the spread of infections in hospitals (Fendler 2002, p. 226, Boyce 2008, p. 2). Hand hygiene is a new approach to safety and patient care that puts everyone to contribute to the hospital, including patients and healthcare providers (Nazarko 2009, p. 64-68). The adoption of effective practices in hand hygiene at the hospital plays a vital role in improving patient safety and caregiver as well as in preventing the spread of infections related to health care.

Numerous studies and scientific evidence shows that hand hygiene is the most important measure to reduce the spread of infectious diseases (Trampuz & Widmer 2004, p. 109; Ward 2002, p. 304-308). The experts found that approximately 80% of infectious diseases spread through the hands, not just air-way - through coughing or sneezing - as is commonly believed (Whitby, McLaws & Ross 2006, p. 484). Accordingly, in order to protect you and your family against infectious disease, hands should be washed and sanitized. However, hand washing is not always possible and affordable. Moreover, statistics show that nearly half of the cases in which a person must handle the hand soap and water are not available (World Health Organization 2009). In addition, by the nature of laziness or indifference to their health, ...