Abstract:
This study aims to assess hand hygiene compliance and associated factors
among healthcare providers in Dessie referral hospital (Ethiopia) using the
gold standard WHO’s observational checklist and self-administered questionnaire.
Hand hygiene practices of 230 healthcare providers from ten
hospital wards were observed over 24 hours period. The required numbers
of sample were proportionally allocated among the different professions
and wards. The overall observed hand hygiene compliance was only
17.6%. Hand hygiene training , availability of functional sink , knowledge
about hand hygiene , attitude towards hand hygiene , availability of water
and soap , and availability of alcohol-based hand rub were positively
associated with hand hygiene compliance. As lower levels of compliance
were observed for indications that have potential risk for patients, healthcare
providers need to follow the WHO’s multimodal hand hygiene
improvement strategies. This study also indicated the important prerequisites
that could help improve hand hygiene.
