Examining outpatients' hand hygiene behaviour and its relation to COVID-19 infection prevention measures

The increasing demand for outpatient care is associated with a higher risk of infection transmission in these settings. However, there is limited research on infection prevention and control practices in ambulatory clinics, and none focuses on patients.

To examine outpatients' hand hygiene behaviours, their determinants, and their associations with other infection prevention measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We observed the hand hygiene behaviour of one cohort of patients in one outpatient clinic and surveyed a separate sample in five clinics about their hand hygiene practice in outpatient facilities. A questionnaire based on the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) was used to examine predictors of the behaviour. Moreover, patients indicated their compliance with COVID-19 infection prevention measures, vaccination status, disease risk perception, and vaccine hesitancy.

Observed hand hygiene rates among 618 patients were low (12.8%), while 67.3% of the 300 surveyed patients indicated sanitizing their hands upon entering the clinic. The TDF domains 'memory, attention, and decision processes' and 'emotions' significantly predicted both current (today's) and general hand hygiene behaviour in outpatient clinics. Hand hygiene behaviour and compliance with COVID-19 infection prevention showed a positive association; however, no significant connection was found with patients' vaccination status, suggesting different behavioural motivators.

Hand hygiene among outpatients should be improved through interventions focusing on helping patients remember to clean their hands. More research on infection prevention in outpatient facilities is needed to ensure patient safety.