National Multi-Center Study To Evaluate the Baseline Handwashing Compliance in the Intensive Care Units of Three Turkish Hospitals: Differences between Genders

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to evaluate the baseline handwashing compliance in the intensive care unit (ICU) before contact with patients in three Turkish hospitals. METHODS: Three hospital ICUs were studied. One healthcare worker (HCW) per hospital was trained to detect the handwashing compliance of physicians, nursing staff, and technicians at random times. The contacts were monitored with direct observation and were recorded before contact with each patient. RESULTS: We observed 1177 patient contacts. The baseline rate of handwashing before contact with patients was 29.8% (351/1177). Using univariate analysis we found a statistically significant association of handwashing compliance and gender: women versus men, 32.8% and 20.9% (RR 1.57; 95% CI 1.19–2.07, p VALUE=0.0012). We did not find a statistical association with type of procedure and healthcare workers. CONCLUSIONS: The handwashing compliance without an intervention is low, as in many other previous published studies. Women are associated with greater handwashing compliance, as in many other previous published studies.