Update: follow-up study showing post-pandemic decline in hand sanitiser use, New Zealand, December 2009

Euro Surveill. 2010 Jan 21;15(3):19466.

Abstract

This study aimed to measure rates of hand sanitiser use in a hospital entrance foyer four months after a baseline study during New Zealand s influenza pandemic. Of the 743 people observed over one (summer) day in December 2009, 8.2% used the hand sanitiser, which was significantly lower (p<0.0001) than the 18.0% reported in the August (winter) study. Health authorities may need to intensify promotion of hand hygiene to reduce the impact of future influenza pandemic waves.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Child
  • Cross Infection / epidemiology
  • Cross Infection / prevention & control
  • Disease Outbreaks / prevention & control*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Hand Disinfection*
  • Humans
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient / prevention & control
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype* / drug effects
  • Influenza, Human / epidemiology
  • Influenza, Human / prevention & control*
  • Male
  • New Zealand / epidemiology
  • Time Factors