A study published in the American Journal of Infection Control examined adherence to hand hygiene guidelines during influenza season.
Researchers observed 12,740 hand hygiene opportunities over six consecutive years at a tertiary care center.
They found hand hygiene adherence among healthcare workers was significantly higher during the flu season as compared to non-flu periods, after controlling for important covariables.
"This finding suggests that HH awareness is increased during influenza periods, which could have implications for HCW education," study authors noted.