Factors Influencing Adherence To Hand Hygiene Practices Among Health Care Workers At Akatsi South District Hospital

Abstract

Objectives: One of the most important measures to prevent healthcare-associated infections is Hand hygiene. The objective of this study was to determine hand hygiene adherence and factors that influence adherence to hand hygiene among healthcare workers in Akatsi South District hospital in the Volta region of Ghana. Methodology: The study employed cross sectional design using census to assess all healthcare workers in the hospital. Direct observation of participants on hand hygiene practice was done without participants’ prior knowledge, using an adopted hand hygiene checklist from the “National Policy and Guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control in Health Care Settings in Ghana”. Sociodemographic factors, individual related factors, culture and religion as well as institutional factors were collected using structured questionnaire and examined against hand hygiene adherence. Bivariate analyses and binomial logistic regression were performed to determine factors associated with adherence to hand hygiene at 95% confidence interval. Variables with p-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significantly related with hand hygiene adherence. Results: 157 healthcare workers partook in the study. Hand hygiene adherence rate was 56.7% (95% CI: 48.6% – 64.6%). Having knowledge about hand hygiene and the method of hand hygiene performed by participants during the observation were predictors of hand hygiene adherence among healthcare workers in Akatsi South District hospital. Conclusion: Regular in-service training on hand hygiene and provision of hand hygiene materials will encourage healthcare workers to perform hand hygiene appropriately.