Adherence with the WHO's hand hygiene recommendations in an Algerian university hospital

Abstract

Corresponding author: Chelghoum Mustapha Faculté de médecine, Université Djillali Liabes de Sidi Bel Abbes, Boulevard colonel Othmane, 22000 Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. Email: muschelghoum@gmail.com; mustapha.chelghoum@univ-sba.dz Abstract Adherence to hand hygiene recommendations by health care workers (HCWs) participate to minimize healthcare-associated infections. There are few studies, to our present state of knowledge, which were interested in the rate of adherence in Algerian hospitals and no one on the associated factors with the non-adherence by HCWs. The objective was to determine the rate of adherence with WHO’s hand hygiene recommendations (HHR) and to identify factors associated with non-adherence, in a regional university hospital. The method used was direct observation, based on the recording of hygienic actions in opportunities for HCWs according to the WHO’s five indications. Observations were made from November 10, 2019 until January 5, 2020. To determine the factors associated with non-adherence, a questionnaire was administered to HCWs. The relationship between the different factors and the achievement of a hygiene action was evaluated by Pearson’s Chi-square test. Five hundred three opportunities for hand hygiene were observed among 206 HCWs, during 19 observation sessions. Simple handwashing was noted in 19% of hand hygiene actions. The overall adherence was 21%. There was a wide variation in the adherence rates between the different departments and the different types of HCWs. There was a statistically significant association (p <0.05) between the availability of hygiene products, skin intolerance to hygiene products and non-adherence. The relationship between workload and adherence with HHRs was not statistically significant (p=0.279). The adherence to hand hygiene recommendations remains low. Using associated factors in developing a program to improve the adherence rate will result in greater efficiency with less time and resources.