Study on the compliance of hand decontamination practices among the health care workers at two Combined Military Hospitals

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47648/zhswmcj.2021.v0301.06

Shamim Ahsan1 , Monowar Ahmad Tarafdar2

Abstract

To assess the compliance of hand decontamination practices among the health care workers of Combined Military Hospital BNS Patenga and CMH Tangail. Study was descriptive type of cross sectional study and conducted from November 2016 to September 2017 at BNS Patengaand November 2017 to September 2018 at CMH Savar with a sample size of 384 using a semi structured pretested questionnaire; method of data collection was face to face interview and FGD. In this study ratio of male: female was 1:3.2. More than one third (39.6%) of the respondents were upto SSC followed by Diploma / Graduate (25.5%). Among the respondents 67.7% were married with a ratio of married: unmarried was 1:2.07; 93,2% were muslim and rest were Hindu. Mean age were 32.40 years ± 7.366 SD, mean length of service was 11.51 years ± 7.155 SD. There was significant association between sex of the respondents and compliance of hand decontamination (p<,05), designation and compliance of handwashing (p<,05), education and hand decontamination (p<,05); 59.1% accepted own unclean hand as one of the source of infection while 35.7% respondents mentioned patient’s hand a source. The source of information were teachers/ doctors -77.3%, hospital authority 16.7%, from colleagues 4.4%) and 1.6% from other sources. Majority of the respondents (82.6%) knew correct time for decontamination of hand (20 sec, P < 0.05). According to place of work decontaminate their hands properly as follows- Adult ward 5.7%, Paediatric ward 3.9, OT- 15.6%, OPD 6.3%, and only 13%. The failure of healthcare workers to decontaminate their hands reflects fundamentals of attitudes, beliefs, and behavior. Elementary hygiene practice should be taught and followed explicitly in medical institutes.

Keywords: Health care workers, decontamination.


  1. Colonel, Assistant Director, Medical Services, Medical Directorate

    Army Head Quarters, Dhaka Cantonment

  2. Professor, Department of Community Medicine

    Z H Sikder Women's Medical College, Dhaka


Volume 3, Number 1, January 2021
Page: 24-29