Prevalence of hand hygiene awareness among medical and dental students in a teaching hospital

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Original Article

Author Details : Lavanya Jagdish, Trupti B. Naik, Ravi Kumar Gupta, Amruth Kishan Upadhya

Volume : 3, Issue : 3, Year : 2016

Article Page : 262-265

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Abstract

Introduction: World Health Organization (WHO) reports increase in health care associated infections. Therefore, to ensure the delivery of health care safely, the assessment of hygiene practice's knowledge among medical professionals, especially budding doctors is current need of hour.
Material and Methods: Based on WHO questionnaire, hand hygiene practice knowledge of 100 medical and 100 dental students from Subbaiah Institute of Medical and Dental Sciences, Shimoga, Karnataka was assessed. First 25 questions were to assess their knowledge about hand hygiene and next question to assess their routine practice and knowledge about ABHR (Alcohol Based Hand Rub). Answers were given score value and were categorized in good, moderate, and poor.
Results: Among 100 medical students, only 12% had good knowledge while others had moderate to poor knowledge. On the other hand, out of 100 BDS students, only 8% had good knowledge while other had moderate to poor knowledge. Although medical students showed better knowledge than dental students, but only 5% medical students were using hand rub.
Conclusion: The results indicate that medical students had better hygiene knowledge than that of dental students. However, to improve the overall compliance of hand hygiene practices, the curriculum of medical students may be enhanced further so as to deliver health care, more safely.

Keywords: Bacterial contamination, Good hygiene practices, Knowledge

How to cite : Jagdish L, Naik T B, Gupta R K, Upadhya A K, Prevalence of hand hygiene awareness among medical and dental students in a teaching hospital. Indian J Microbiol Res 2016;3(3):262-265

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