Adherence to hand hygiene as a control of hospital infection in the COVID-19 pandemic: Literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v10i9.17848Keywords:
COVID-19; Hand hygiene; Infection control; Sanitization; Transmissible disease control.Abstract
Aim: To verify the adherence to hand hygiene by healthcare workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: Articles found in PubMed/MEDLINE, SCOPUS and Cochrane Library databases were reviewed. The following inclusion criteria were defined: cross-sectional studies carried out through observation or questionnaire that evaluated the adherence of health professionals to hand hygiene during the COVID-19 pandemic, published from January 2020 to May 2021. After the searches, the articles selected by the abstracts were read in full. Studies that did not specify the period in which they were carried out were excluded. Results: 331 articles were found, however only 23 were included in the literature review, showing that the most prevalent observation was in relation to exposure or time of hand hygiene, evaluated in 11 studies. Conclusion: The rate of adherence to hand hygiene in the pandemic was significantly higher compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. Doctors and nurses are the professionals who most frequently clean their hands during the pandemic, especially after contact with patients. The technicians and nursing assistants, on the other hand, were less adept. The frequency of cleaning was higher in SARS-CoV-2 transmission peaks.
References
Abbas, K., Nawaz, S., Amin, N., Soomro, F. M., Abid, K., Ahmed, M., Sayeed, K. A., Ghazanfar, S., & Qureshi, N. (2020). A web-based health education module and its impact on the preventive practices of health-care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health education research, 35(5), 353–361.
Afemikhe, J. A., Esewe, R. E., Enuku, C. A., & Ehwarieme, T. A. (2020). Transmission Based Precaution Practices among Nurses in Edo State, Nigeria during COVID-19 Pandemic. African journal of reproductive health, 24(s1), 98–107.
Agarwal, A., Ranjan, P., Saraswat, A., Kasi, K., Bharadiya, V., Vikram, N., Singh, A., Upadhyay, A. D., Baitha, U., Klanidhi, K. B., & Chakrawarty, A. (2021). Are health care workers following preventive practices in the COVID-19 pandemic properly? A cross-sectional survey from India. Diabetes & metabolic syndrome, 15(1), 69–75.
Ahmed, J., Malik, F., Memon, Z. A., Bin Arif, T., Ali, A., Nasim, S., Ahmad, J., & Khan, M. A. (2020). Compliance and Knowledge of Healthcare Workers Regarding Hand Hygiene and Use of Disinfectants: A Study Based in Karachi. Cureus, 12(2), e7036.
Aidos, H., Diogo, P., & Santos, J. M. (2018). Root Resorption Classifications: A Narrative Review and a Clinical Aid Proposal for Routine Assessment. European endodontic journal, 3(3), 134–145.
Aiello, A. E., Coulborn, R. M., Perez, V., & Larson, E. L. (2008). Effect of hand hygiene on infectious disease risk in the community setting: a meta-analysis. American journal of public health, 98(8), 1372–1381.
Al Abri, Z., Al Zeedi, M., & Al Lawati, A. A. (2021). Risk Factors Associated with COVID-19 Infected Healthcare Workers in Muscat Governorate, Oman. Journal of primary care & community health, 12, 2150132721995454.
Alba, S., Bakker, M. I., Hatta, M., Scheelbeek, P. F., Dwiyanti, R., Usman, R., Sultan, A. R., Sabir, M., Tandirogang, N., Amir, M., Yasir, Y., Pastoor, R., van Beers, S., & Smits, H. L. (2016). Risk Factors of Typhoid Infection in the Indonesian Archipelago. PloS one, 11(6), e0155286.
Ashinyo, M. E., Dubik, S. D., Duti, V., Amegah, K. E., Ashinyo, A., Asare, B. A., Ackon, A. A., Akoriyea, S. K., & Kuma-Aboagye, P. (2021). Infection prevention and control compliance among exposed healthcare workers in COVID-19 treatment centers in Ghana: A descriptive cross-sectional study. PloS one, 16(3), e0248282
Ayanian JZ. (2020). Mental Health Needs of Health Care Workers Providing Frontline COVID-19 Care. JAMA Health Forum, 1(4), e200397.
Barnes, S. L., Morgan, D. J., Harris, A. D., Carling, P. C., & Thom, K. A. (2014). Preventing the transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms: modeling the relative importance of hand hygiene and environmental cleaning interventions. Infection control and hospital epidemiology, 35(9), 1156–1162.
Boyce, J. M., Pittet, D., & Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. Association for Professionals in Infection Control. Infectious Diseases Society of America. Hand Hygiene Task Force (2002a). Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings: recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. Infection control and hospital epidemiology, 23(12 Suppl), S3–S40.
Boyce, J. M., Pittet, D., Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee, & HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force (2002b). Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings. Recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America/Association for Professionals in Infection Control/Infectious Diseases Society of America. MMWR. Recommendations and reports: Morbidity and mortality weekly report. Recommendations and reports, 51(RR-16), 1–CE4.
Chen, J. D., Yuan, J., He, Z., Yang, Z. C., & Wang, M. (2011). Zhonghua yu fang yi xue za zhi [Chinese journal of preventive medicine], 45(2), 101–106.
de Arriba-Fernández, A., Molina-Cabrillana, M. J., & Serra Majem, L. (2021). Evaluación de la adherencia a la higiene de manos en profesionales sanitarios en un hospital de tercer nivel en relación con la pandemia de SARS-CoV-2 [Evolution of adherence to hand hygiene in health care professionals in a third level hospital in relation to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic]. Revista espanola de quimioterapia. publicacion oficial de la Sociedad Espanola de Quimioterapia, 34(3), 214–219.
Derksen, C., Keller, F. M., & Lippke, S. (2020). Obstetric Healthcare Workers' Adherence to Hand Hygiene Recommendations during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Observations and Social-Cognitive Determinants. Applied psychology. Health and well-being, 12(4), 1286–1305.
Efstathiou, G., Papastavrou, E., Raftopoulos, V., & Merkouris, A. (2011). Factors influencing nurses' compliance with Standard Precautions in order to avoid occupational exposure to microorganisms: A focus group study. BMC nursing, 10, 1.
Egbi, O. G., Duru, C., & Kasia, B. (2020). Knowledge, attitude and practice towards COVID-19 among workers of a tertiary hospital in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The Pan African medical journal, 37(Suppl 1), 24.
Ejemot-Nwadiaro, R. I., Ehiri, J. E., Arikpo, D., Meremikwu, M. M., & Critchley, J. A. (2015). Hand washing promotion for preventing diarrhoea. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2015(9), CD004265.
Elhadi, M., Msherghi, A., Alkeelani, M., Zorgani, A., Zaid, A., Alsuyihili, A., Buzreg, A., Ahmed, H., Elhadi, A., Khaled, A., Boughididah, T., Khel, S., Abdelkabir, M., Gaffaz, R., Bahroun, S., Alhashimi, A., Biala, M., Abulmida, S., Elharb, A., Abukhashem, M., & Amshai, A. (2020). Assessment of Healthcare Workers' Levels of Preparedness and Awareness Regarding COVID-19 Infection in Low-Resource Settings. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 103(2), 828–833.
El-Sokkary, R. H., El-Kholy, A., Mohy Eldin, S., Khater, W. S., Gad, D. M., Bahgat, S., Negm, E., El Kholy, J. A., Mowafy, S., Mahmoud, E., & Mortada, E. M. (2021). Characteristics and predicting factors of Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) among healthcare providers in a developing country. PloS one, 16(1), e0245672.
Erasmus, V., Brouwer, W., van Beeck, E. F., Oenema, A., Daha, T. J., Richardus, J. H., Vos, M. C., & Brug, J. (2009). A qualitative exploration of reasons for poor hand hygiene among hospital workers: lack of positive role models and of convincing evidence that hand hygiene prevents cross-infection. Infection control and hospital epidemiology, 30(5), 415–419.
Erasmus, V., Daha, T. J., Brug, H., Richardus, J. H., Behrendt, M. D., Vos, M. C., & van Beeck, E. F. (2010). Systematic review of studies on compliance with hand hygiene guidelines in hospital care. Infection control and hospital epidemiology, 31(3), 283–294.
Fayaz, S. H., Higuchi, M., Hirosawa, T., Sarker, M. A., Djabbarova, Z., & Hamajima, N. (2014). Knowledge and practice of universal precautions among health care workers in four national hospitals in Kabul, Afghanistan. Journal of infection in developing countries, 8(4), 535–542.
Felix, A. M. S., Victor, E. S., Malaguti, S. E. T., & Gir, E. (2013). Individual, work-related and institutional factors associated with adherence to standard precautions. Journal of Infection Control, 2(2), 106–111.
Harper, C. A., Satchell, L. P., Fido, D., & Latzman, R. D. (2020). Functional Fear Predicts Public Health Compliance in the COVID-19 Pandemic. International journal of mental health and addiction, 1–14. Advance online publication.
Huang, D. B., & Zhou, J. (2007). Effect of intensive handwashing in the prevention of diarrhoeal illness among patients with AIDS: a randomized controlled study. Journal of medical microbiology, 56(Pt 5), 659–663.
Huang, Q., Luo, L. S., Wang, Y. Y., Jin, Y. H., & Zeng, X. T. (2021). Gender Differences in Psychological and Behavioral Responses of Infected and Uninfected Health-Care Workers During the Early COVID-19 Outbreak. Frontiers in public health, 9, 638975.
Huang, F., Armando, M., Dufau, S., Florea, O., Brouqui, P., & Boudjema, S. (2021). COVID-19 outbreak and healthcare worker behavioural change toward hand hygiene practices. The Journal of hospital infection, 111, 27–34.
Husain, S. A., Husain, S. A., Khan, O. U., D'Cruz, L., & Allgar, V. (2021). Review of hygiene adaptations among UK doctors in controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Clinical medicine (London, England), 21(1), e20–e25.
Jarvis W. R. (2007). The Lowbury Lecture. The United States approach to strategies in the battle against healthcare-associated infections, 2006: transitioning from benchmarking to zero tolerance and clinician accountability. The Journal of hospital infection, 65 Suppl 2, 3–9.
Jin, Y. H., Huang, Q., Wang, Y. Y., Zeng, X. T., Luo, L. S., Pan, Z. Y., Yuan, Y. F., Chen, Z. M., Cheng, Z. S., Huang, X., Wang, N., Li, B. H., Zi, H., Zhao, M. J., Ma, L. L., Deng, T., Wang, Y., & Wang, X. H. (2020). Perceived infection transmission routes, infection control practices, psychosocial changes, and management of COVID-19 infected healthcare workers in a tertiary acute care hospital in Wuhan: a cross-sectional survey. Military Medical Research, 7(1), 24.
Karakose, T., Malkoc, N. (2021). Behavioral and interpersonal effects of the covid-19 epidemic on frontline physicians working in emergency departments (EDs) and intensive care units (ICUs). Acta Medica Mediterranea, 37(1), 437-444.
Köche, J. C. (2016). Fundamentos de metodologia científica. Ed. Vozes. http://www.brunovivas.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/07/K%C3% B6cheJos%C 3%A9-Carlos0D0AFundamentos-de-metodologia-cient%C3%ADfica-_-teoria-da0D0Aci%C3%AAncia-e-inicia%C3%A7%C3%A3o-%C3%A 0- pe squisa.pdf
Ludke, M. & Andre, M. E. D. A. (2013). Pesquisa em educação: abordagens qualitativas. Ed. EPU.
Magill, S. S., Edwards, J. R., Bamberg, W., Beldavs, Z. G., Dumyati, G., Kainer, M. A., Lynfield, R., Maloney, M., McAllister-Hollod, L., Nadle, J., Ray, S. M., Thompson, D. L., Wilson, L. E., Fridkin, S. K., & Emerging Infections Program Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Use Prevalence Survey Team (2014). Multistate point-prevalence survey of health care-associated infections. The New England journal of medicine, 370(13), 1198–1208.
Marra, A. R., Cal, R. G., Silva, C. V., Caserta, R. A., Paes, A. T., Moura, D. F., Jr, dos Santos, O. F., Edmond, M. B., & Durão, M. S. (2009). Successful prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in an intensive care setting. American journal of infection control, 37(8), 619–625.
Marra A. R. (2016). Advances in infection control. Einstein (Sao Paulo, Brazil), 14(1), 108–109.
Matsuo, T., Kobayashi, D., Taki, F., Sakamoto, F., Uehara, Y., Mori, N., & Fukui, T. (2020). Prevalence of Health Care Worker Burnout During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic in Japan. JAMA network open, 3(8), e2017271.
Maude, R. R., Jongdeepaisal, M., Skuntaniyom, S., Muntajit, T., Blacksell, S. D., Khuenpetch, W., Pan-Ngum, W., Taleangkaphan, K., Malathum, K., & Maude, R. J. (2021). Improving knowledge, attitudes and practice to prevent COVID-19 transmission in healthcare workers and the public in Thailand. BMC public health, 21(1), 749.
Melis, M., Di Giosia, M., & Colloca, L. (2019). Ancillary factors in the treatment of orofacial pain: A topical narrative review. Journal of oral rehabilitation, 46(2), 200–207.
Mertz, D., Dafoe, N., Walter, S. D., Brazil, K., & Loeb, M. (2010). Effect of a multifaceted intervention on adherence to hand hygiene among healthcare workers: a cluster-randomized trial. Infection control and hospital epidemiology, 31(11), 1170–1176.
Ministério da Saúde. (2019). Controle de infecção hospitalar: balanço e reflexões. https://www.gov.br/anvisa/pt-br/assuntos/noticias-anvisa/2019/controle-de-infeccao-hospitalar-balanco-e-reflexoes.
Moore, L. D., Robbins, G., Quinn, J., & Arbogast, J. W. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on hand hygiene performance in hospitals. American journal of infection control, 49(1), 30–33
Morawska, L., & Cao, J. (2020). Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2: The world should face the reality. Environment international, 139, 105730.
Moreno-Casbas, M. T., en nombre del Grupo SANICOVI y Grupo de profesionales de la salud trabajando en la pandemia COVID-19, & Integrantes del Grupo SANICOVI (2020). Factors related to SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthcare professionals in Spain. The SANICOVI project. Factores relacionados con el contagio por SARS-CoV-2 en profesionales de la salud en España. Proyecto SANICOVI. Enfermeria clinica (English Edition), 30(6), 360–370.
Ochoa-Hein, E., Rajme-López, S., Rodríguez-Aldama, J. C., Huertas-Jiménez, M. A., Chávez-Ríos, A. R., de Paz-García, R., Haro-Osnaya, A., González-Colín, K. K., González-González, R., González-Lara, M. F., Ponce-de-León, A., & Galindo-Fraga, A. (2021). Substantial reduction of healthcare facility-onset Clostridioides difficile infection (HO-CDI) rates after conversion of a hospital for exclusive treatment of COVID-19 patients. American journal of infection control, 49(7), 966–968.
Ortiz-Prado, E., Simbaña-Rivera, K., Gómez-Barreno, L., Rubio-Neira, M., Guaman, L. P., Kyriakidis, N. C., Muslin, C., Jaramillo, A., Barba-Ostria, C., Cevallos-Robalino, D., Sanches-SanMiguel, H., Unigarro, L., Zalakeviciute, R., Gadian, N., & López-Cortés, A. (2020). Clinical, molecular, and epidemiological characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), a comprehensive literature review. Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease, 98(1), 115094.
Pereira A. S. et al. (2018). Metodologia da pesquisa científica. UFSM. https://repositorio.ufsm.br/bitstream/handle/1/15824/Lic_Computacao_Metodologia-Pesquisa-Cientifica.pdf?sequence=1
Pittet, D., Allegranzi, B., Sax, H., Dharan, S., Pessoa-Silva, C. L., Donaldson, L., Boyce, J. M., & WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge, World Alliance for Patient Safety (2006). Evidence-based model for hand transmission during patient care and the role of improved practices. The Lancet. Infectious diseases, 6(10), 641–652.
Pittet, D., Mourouga, P., & Perneger, T. V. (1999). Compliance with handwashing in a teaching hospital. Infection Control Program. Annals of internal medicine, 130(2), 126–130.
Pittet D. (2000). Improving compliance with hand hygiene in hospitals. Infection control and hospital epidemiology, 21(6), 381–386.
Prather, K. A., Wang, C. C., & Schooley, R. T. (2020). Reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Science (New York, N.Y.), 368(6498), 1422–1424
Ramadan, M., Hasan, Z., Saleh, T., Jaradat, M., Al-Hazaimeh, M., Bani Hani, O., Al-Tammemi, A. B., Shorman, E., Al-Mistarehi, A. H., & Kheirallah, K. (2021). Beyond knowledge: Evaluating the practices and precautionary measures towards COVID-19 amongst medical doctors in Jordan. International journal of clinical practice, 75(6), e14122.
Salman, M., Raza, M. H., Mustafa, Z. U., Shrestha, S., Ali, M., Faham, H., Asif, N., Shehzadi, N., & Hussain, K. (2018). Knowledge, attitudes and practices of hand hygiene among Pakistani health professionals: A cross-sectional study. Journal of infection in developing countries, 12(1), 63–66.
Samraj, S., Westbury, J., Pallett, A., & Rowen, D. (2008). Compliance with hand hygiene in a genitourinary medicine department. International journal of STD & AIDS, 19(11), 782–783.
Seto, W. H., Tsang, D., Yung, R. W., Ching, T. Y., Ng, T. K., Ho, M., Ho, L. M., Peiris, J. S., & Advisors of Expert SARS group of Hospital Authority (2003). Effectiveness of precautions against droplets and contact in prevention of nosocomial transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Lancet (London, England), 361(9368), 1519–1520.
Shaikhain, T. A., Al-Husayni, F. A., Alhejaili, E. A., Al-Harbi, M. N., Bogari, A. A., Baghlaf, B. A., & Alzahrani, M. S. (2021). COVID-19-Related Knowledge and Practices Among Health Care Workers in Saudi Arabia: Cross-sectional Questionnaire Study. JMIR formative research, 5(1), e21220.
Stella, S. A., Stace, R. J., Knepper, B. C., Reese, S. M., Keniston, A., Burden, M., & Young, H. L. (2019). The effect of eye images and a social norms message on healthcare provider hand hygiene adherence. Infection control and hospital epidemiology, 40(7), 748–754.
Subbalakshmi, E., Abirami, P., Subramanian, V., Victor, H. K. (2020). Awareness of hand hygiene in hospital set-up for infection control: Knowledge-based questionnaire for health care workers in a teaching hospital. Biomedical and Pharmacology Journal, 13(3).
Tan, B., Kanneganti, A., Lim, L., Tan, M., Chua, Y. X., Tan, L., Sia, C. H., Denning, M., Goh, E. T., Purkayastha, S., Kinross, J., Sim, K., Chan, Y. H., & Ooi, S. (2020b). Burnout and Associated Factors Among Health Care Workers in Singapore During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 21(12), 1751–1758.e5.
Tan, W., Hao, F., McIntyre, R. S., Jiang, L., Jiang, X., Zhang, L., Zhao, X., Zou, Y., Hu, Y., Luo, X., Zhang, Z., Lai, A., Ho, R., Tran, B., Ho, C., & Tam, W. (2020). Is returning to work during the COVID-19 pandemic stressful? A study on immediate mental health status and psychoneuroimmunity prevention measures of Chinese workforce. Brain, behavior, and immunity, 87, 84–92.
Wang, X., Pan, Z., & Cheng, Z. (2020). Association between 2019-nCoV transmission and N95 respirator use. The Journal of hospital infection, 105(1), 104–105.
World Health Organization - WHO. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak: rights,roles and responsibilities of health workers, including key considerations for occupational safety and health. 2020. https://www.who.int/publicationsdetail/coronavirus-disease-(covid-19)-outbreak-rights-roles-andresponsibilities-of-health-workers-including-key-considerations-foroccupational-safety-and-health.
Xun, Y., Shi, Q., Yang, N., Yang, N., Li, Y., Si, W., Shi, Q., Wang, Z., Liu, X., Yu, X., Zhou, Q., Yang, M., & Chen, Y. (2021). Associations of hand washing frequency with the incidence of illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of translational medicine, 9(5), 395.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Maria Cyntia Kerle Calado Lima Malinconico
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
