Are short training sessions on hand hygiene effective in preventing hospital-acquired MRSA? A time-series analysis

Am J Infect Control. 2010 Sep;38(7):559-61. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2009.10.009. Epub 2010 Mar 15.

Abstract

We tested the impact of short hand hygiene training sessions and bed occupancy rates on the spread of hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) using a multivariate time-series analysis. According to our model, bed occupancy rates within general ward and intensive care unit settings correlated positively with the incidence of hospital-acquired MRSA, whereas alcohol-based hand rub use and MRSA showed a negative correlation. Furthermore, our model shows that 2 hand hygiene campaigns based on short training sessions effected a long-run reduction in the incidence of hospital-acquired MRSA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alcohols / therapeutic use
  • Bed Occupancy / statistics & numerical data
  • Cross Infection / epidemiology
  • Cross Infection / microbiology
  • Cross Infection / prevention & control*
  • Disinfectants / therapeutic use
  • Education, Medical / methods*
  • Hand Disinfection / methods*
  • Health Services Research
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*
  • Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / prevention & control*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Alcohols
  • Disinfectants