Hand hygiene practices and resources in a teaching hospital in Ghana
Introduction: Nosocomial infections have long been neglected in Sub-Saharan Africa, and hand hygiene (HH) is usually neglected in hospital settings. This study aimed to provide baseline data on HH compliance among health workers and HH resources in a large West African teaching hospital. Methodol...
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The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
2013-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
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| Online Access: | https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/2422 |
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| author | Alfred Edwin Yawson Afua A. J Hesse |
| author_facet | Alfred Edwin Yawson Afua A. J Hesse |
| author_sort | Alfred Edwin Yawson |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Introduction: Nosocomial infections have long been neglected in Sub-Saharan Africa, and hand hygiene (HH) is usually neglected in hospital settings. This study aimed to provide baseline data on HH compliance among health workers and HH resources in a large West African teaching hospital.
Methodology: A cross-sectional, unobtrusive observational study assessed personal and care-related HH compliance among doctors and nurses and HH resources in 15 service provision centres of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Ghana, in 2011. Data was collected with an infection prevention checklist and health worker HH compliance form, based on World Health Organization guidelines.
Results: Care-related HH compliance of doctors and nurses was low and basic HH resources were deficient in all 15 service centres. Care-related HH compliance among doctors ranged from 9.2% to 57% and 9.6% to 54% among nurses. HH compliance was higher when risk was perceived to be higher (i.e., in the emergency and wound dressing/treatment rooms and labour wards). The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) showed the highest level of compliance among health workers. Facilities for HH, particularly alcohol hand rub and liquid soap dispensers were shown to be deficient.
Conclusion: Care-related HH compliance among doctors and nurses in this large West African hospital is low; however, the NICU, which had implemented HH interventions, had better HH compliance. HH intervention programs should be designed and promoted in all service centres. Also, the introduction of alcohol-based hand rubs as an accessible and effective HH alternative in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital is recommended.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e0a9433aa3e846e0b83eaa2e554cc8da |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1972-2680 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2013-04-01 |
| publisher | The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
| spelling | doaj-art-e0a9433aa3e846e0b83eaa2e554cc8da2025-08-20T02:57:45ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802013-04-0170410.3855/jidc.2422Hand hygiene practices and resources in a teaching hospital in GhanaAlfred Edwin Yawson0Afua A. J Hesse1Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle-Bu, Accra, GhanaKorle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana Introduction: Nosocomial infections have long been neglected in Sub-Saharan Africa, and hand hygiene (HH) is usually neglected in hospital settings. This study aimed to provide baseline data on HH compliance among health workers and HH resources in a large West African teaching hospital. Methodology: A cross-sectional, unobtrusive observational study assessed personal and care-related HH compliance among doctors and nurses and HH resources in 15 service provision centres of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Ghana, in 2011. Data was collected with an infection prevention checklist and health worker HH compliance form, based on World Health Organization guidelines. Results: Care-related HH compliance of doctors and nurses was low and basic HH resources were deficient in all 15 service centres. Care-related HH compliance among doctors ranged from 9.2% to 57% and 9.6% to 54% among nurses. HH compliance was higher when risk was perceived to be higher (i.e., in the emergency and wound dressing/treatment rooms and labour wards). The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) showed the highest level of compliance among health workers. Facilities for HH, particularly alcohol hand rub and liquid soap dispensers were shown to be deficient. Conclusion: Care-related HH compliance among doctors and nurses in this large West African hospital is low; however, the NICU, which had implemented HH interventions, had better HH compliance. HH intervention programs should be designed and promoted in all service centres. Also, the introduction of alcohol-based hand rubs as an accessible and effective HH alternative in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital is recommended. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/2422hand hygienenosocomial infectionsalcohol hand rubhealth workersteaching hospitalGhana |
| spellingShingle | Alfred Edwin Yawson Afua A. J Hesse Hand hygiene practices and resources in a teaching hospital in Ghana Journal of Infection in Developing Countries hand hygiene nosocomial infections alcohol hand rub health workers teaching hospital Ghana |
| title | Hand hygiene practices and resources in a teaching hospital in Ghana |
| title_full | Hand hygiene practices and resources in a teaching hospital in Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Hand hygiene practices and resources in a teaching hospital in Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hand hygiene practices and resources in a teaching hospital in Ghana |
| title_short | Hand hygiene practices and resources in a teaching hospital in Ghana |
| title_sort | hand hygiene practices and resources in a teaching hospital in ghana |
| topic | hand hygiene nosocomial infections alcohol hand rub health workers teaching hospital Ghana |
| url | https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/2422 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alfrededwinyawson handhygienepracticesandresourcesinateachinghospitalinghana AT afuaajhesse handhygienepracticesandresourcesinateachinghospitalinghana |