A randomized trial of more than 16,000 households in the U.K. revealed a link between a web-based hand hygiene program and lower rates of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, a lower demand for physician consultations and fewer antibiotic prescriptions.
In the study, researchers from the University of Southampton examined the real-world effectiveness of PRIMIT, a free-to-access, interactive, web-based program that explains medical evidence, encourages users to learn simple techniques to avoid catching and passing on viruses, monitors handwashing behavior and provides tailored feedback.
All total, researchers enrolled more than 20,000 individuals in the study, which was conducted from January 2011 to March 2013. Sixteen weeks into the study, the researchers found:
- Roughly 4,200 individuals (51 percent) in the PRIMIT group reported at least one respiratory infection compared with more than 5,100 individuals (59 percent) in the control group, which is equivalent to a 14 percent reduction in risk.
- The risk of catching a flu-like illness was about 20 percent lower in the PRIMIT group compared to the control group; and
- The need for primary care consultations and antibiotic prescriptions were also reduced by 10 to 15 percent in the PRIMT individuals.
More articles on hand hygiene:
Patient safety tool: APIC's free hand hygiene implementation guide
10 interesting developments in hand hygiene
Apps reduce HAIs, up hand hygiene compliance