Investigation on hand hygiene of anaesthesiology department in China.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the current status of hand hygiene practices and knowledge among anaesthesiology personnel in China, providing a reference for improving hand hygiene standards among healthcare workers.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional nationwide online survey was conducted from November 1 to December 31, 2024, targeting anaesthesiology staff in Chinese hospitals. Developed by a multidisciplinary team, the questionnaire covered socio-demographics, hand hygiene practices, proficiency, and knowledge. Of 2,580 responses, 2,512 were valid after quality control. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression were used to analyse the data and identify predictors of hand hygiene compliance.

Results: The study analysed 2,512 valid responses, mostly from male anaesthesiologists (90.84% and 59.39%, respectively). Most participants were from tertiary A hospitals (60.67%). A large majority had formal hand hygiene training (94.43%) and regular access to hand sanitizers (90.61%), with over two-thirds reporting adequate disinfection and washing durations (66.44% and 67.27%) and high adherence to the seven-step technique (81.76%). Barriers to adherence included being "too busy" (66.28%), insufficient hand towel availability (41.68%), the belief that "gloves substitute for handwashing" (39.93%), and inadequate facilities (18.91%). The hand hygiene assessment showed a mean Knowledge Score of 61.02, a mean Practice Score of 80.36, and a mean Proficiency Score of 82.62. Higher knowledge and formal training were linked to better compliance with recommended practices.

Conclusions: This study highlights the need for improved hand hygiene practices among anaesthesiology personnel in China, emphasizing the role of training, knowledge, and addressing barriers to compliance.