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The Effectiveness of a Poster Intervention on Hand Hygiene Practice and Compliance When Using Public Restrooms in a University Setting

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  • Aaron Lawson

    (Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment, Ulster University, Newtownabbey BT37 0QB, UK)

  • Marie Vaganay-Miller

    (Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment, Ulster University, Newtownabbey BT37 0QB, UK)

Abstract

Background: Most research on hand hygiene compliance in community settings indicates that compliance is poor. It is not conclusive as to whether poster interventions are effective at improving compliance. Methods: An independent, self-designed poster intervention was installed in one set of male and female public restrooms in a university campus in the UK. The hand hygiene practice and compliance of the university population was measured via indirect observation over a 60 day period. Results: During the pre-intervention observation period, 51.09% of the university population practiced basic hand hygiene compliance (washed hands with water, soap and dried afterwards), and 7.88% practiced adequate hand hygiene compliance (washed hands with water and soap for 20 s or more and dried afterwards for 20 s or more). During the post-intervention observation period, 55.39% of the university population were observed practicing basic hand hygiene compliance, and 7.97% practicing adequate hand hygiene compliance. Gender differences revealed that more females practiced basic hand hygiene in the post-intervention observation period (62.81%) than during the pre-intervention period (49.23%) and this was statistically significant (χ 2 = 13.49, p = < 0.01). Discussion: The poster intervention had a limited effect on improving the basic and adequate hand hygiene compliance of the general population when using public restrooms. The use of independent, self-designed posters to improve hand hygiene practice and compliance is largely ineffective in the short term and should be used with caution in future intervention strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Aaron Lawson & Marie Vaganay-Miller, 2019. "The Effectiveness of a Poster Intervention on Hand Hygiene Practice and Compliance When Using Public Restrooms in a University Setting," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:24:p:5036-:d:296431
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Judah, G. & Aunger, R. & Schmidt, W.-P. & Michie, S. & Granger, S. & Curtis, V., 2009. "Experimental pretesting of hand-washing interventions in a natural setting," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 99(S2), pages 405-411.
    2. Contzen, Nadja & Meili, Iara Helena & Mosler, Hans-Joachim, 2015. "Changing handwashing behaviour in southern Ethiopia: A longitudinal study on infrastructural and commitment interventions," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 103-114.
    3. Robert Dreibelbis & Anne Kroeger & Kamal Hossain & Mohini Venkatesh & Pavani K. Ram, 2016. "Behavior Change without Behavior Change Communication: Nudging Handwashing among Primary School Students in Bangladesh," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, January.
    4. Porzig-Drummond, Renata & Stevenson, Richard & Case, Trevor & Oaten, Megan, 2009. "Can the emotion of disgust be harnessed to promote hand hygiene? Experimental and field-based tests," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(6), pages 1006-1012, March.
    5. Huda, Tarique Md. Nurul & Unicomb, Leanne & Johnston, Richard B. & Halder, Amal K. & Yushuf Sharker, Md. Abu & Luby, Stephen P., 2012. "Interim evaluation of a large scale sanitation, hygiene and water improvement programme on childhood diarrhea and respiratory disease in rural Bangladesh," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(4), pages 604-611.
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    Cited by:

    1. María Gázquez-López & Encarnación Martínez-García & Adelina Martín-Salvador & María Adelaida Álvarez-Serrano & Inmaculada García-García & Rafael A. Caparros-Gonzalez & María Ángeles Pérez-Morente, 2021. "Posters as a Tool to Improve Hand Hygiene among Health Science Students: Case—Control Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-11, October.
    2. Dominika Guzek & Dominika Skolmowska & Dominika Głąbska, 2020. "Analysis of Gender-Dependent Personal Protective Behaviors in a National Sample: Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-22, August.
    3. Aaron Lawson & Robert Cameron & Marie Vaganay-Miller, 2021. "An Evaluation of the Hand Hygiene Behaviour and Compliance of the General Public When Using Public Restrooms in Northern Ireland (NI) during the Initial Weeks of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pande," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-9, June.
    4. Aaron Lawson & Marie Vaganay-Miller & Robert Cameron, 2021. "An Investigation of the General Population’s Self-Reported Hand Hygiene Behaviour and Compliance in a Cross-European Setting," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-12, March.

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