Handwashing in Finland.

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Infection Control
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Hospital personnel frequently experience skin problems due to handwashing.
• Traditional soap and detergent use exacerbates skin dryness and irritation.
• Alcohol-based hand disinfection with emollients is a common alternative but can still lead to skin issues for some staff.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of emulsion-based cleansers for hand hygiene among hospital staff.
• To compare skin tolerance of emulsion cleansers versus soap for handwashing.
• To determine if alternative cleansing methods can facilitate necessary alcohol-based hand disinfection without compromising efficacy.

Main Methods:

• Studies were conducted during winter conditions, a period often associated with increased skin dryness.
• Hospital personnel with pre-existing hand skin problems used emulsion for hand cleansing instead of soap.
• Skin condition was monitored, and the ability to perform necessary alcohol-based hand disinfection was assessed.

Main Results:

• Using emulsion for hand cleansing resulted in significantly less skin deterioration compared to soap.
• The use of emulsion allowed staff to perform frequent alcoholic hand disinfection as needed.
• Alcoholic disinfection efficacy remained unimpaired when hands were cleansed with emulsion.

Conclusions:

• Emulsion-based cleansers offer a superior alternative to soap for hand hygiene in hospital settings, particularly for personnel prone to skin issues.
• This approach effectively mitigates skin problems associated with frequent handwashing and disinfection.
• Implementing emulsion cleansers supports consistent infection control practices by enabling unimpeded alcohol-based hand disinfection.