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Updated: May 7, 2026
09:02
A Method to Test the Efficacy of Handwashing for the Removal of Emerging Infectious Pathogens
Published on: June 7, 2017
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Searching for an optimal hand hygiene bundle: a meta-analysis.
Marin L Schweizer1, Heather Schacht Reisinger, Michael Ohl
1The Center for Comprehensive Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation, Iowa City Veterans Affairs Health Care System.
Summary
Bundled interventions significantly improve hand hygiene compliance. Combining education, reminders, feedback, administrative support, and alcohol-based hand rub access shows the most promise for enhancing healthcare hygiene practices.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare-associated infections
- Infection prevention and control
- Public health interventions
Background:
- Hand hygiene compliance is critical in preventing infections.
- Evidence-based recommendations for optimal hand hygiene interventions are limited.
- Systematic review needed to evaluate existing intervention bundles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review studies on hand hygiene interventions.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of intervention bundles.
- To identify promising interventions for future high-quality studies.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies.
- Pooled analysis of adjusted risk ratios for common intervention bundles.
- Inclusion criteria: studies evaluating interventions to improve hand hygiene compliance.
Main Results:
- A bundle of education, reminders, feedback, administrative support, and alcohol-based hand rub access improved compliance (pooled OR, 1.82).
- A bundle of education, reminders, and feedback also improved compliance (pooled OR, 1.47).
- Three studies evaluated the first bundle; three studies evaluated the second bundle.
Conclusions:
- Bundled interventions are effective in improving hand hygiene compliance.
- Specific bundles show significant positive outcomes.
- Further high-quality studies are needed to compare these bundles and other interventions.
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