Hand Hygiene Practices Among Indian Medical Undergraduates: A Questionnaire-Based Survey

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Infectious Disease Prevention
• Public Health

Background:

• Hand hygiene is critical for preventing infection spread in healthcare settings.
• The World Health Organization's "My Five Moments for Hand Hygiene" provides a framework for effective practice.
• Assessing knowledge among future healthcare professionals is essential for improving patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the level of hand hygiene knowledge among undergraduate medical students.
• To identify gaps in formal hand hygiene training within medical curricula.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 523 Indian medical undergraduates.
• A questionnaire adapted from the WHO hand hygiene knowledge tool was used.
• Data were collected via print and online formats and analyzed using percentages.

Main Results:

• 57% of students received no formal hand hygiene training.
• Only 27% correctly identified the primary source of healthcare-associated infection germs.
• A significant majority were unaware of proper handwashing sequences and alcohol-based hand rub efficacy times.

Conclusions:

• Medical students exhibit low awareness and knowledge of essential hand hygiene practices.
• Formal training in hand hygiene should be integrated early in the medical curriculum.
• Workshops, seminars, and clinical skills assessments are recommended to improve hand hygiene competency.