Parent willingness to remind health care workers to perform hand hygiene

Health care worker (HCW) hand hygiene (HH) is the core strategy to prevent health care-associated infections (HAI). Suboptimal HCW HH rates continue despite hospital efforts to increase compliance.

To determine whether parents of hospitalized children perceive they have a role in preventing HAI and whether they are willing to remind HCW to perform HH, with and without an invitation.

We conducted structured interviews of parents of children admitted to a pediatric hospital. Questions assessed knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about HAI and HH. The primary outcome was willingness to remind a HCW to do HH (5-point Likert scale).

We interviewed 115 parents, of whom 84% were aware of HAI. Most parents (78%) perceived HH as the most important practice to prevent HAI. However, only 67% would definitely remind a HCW to perform HH. Importantly, 92% said that an invitation from a HCW would make them more likely to remind a HCW to do HH in the future.

Our results suggest that parents of hospitalized children are willing to help prevent HAI; however one-third are still reluctant to remind HCW to perform HH. An invitation by HCW to parents to remind HCW to perform HH might effectively engage parents as partners in HAI prevention.