Introduction: The study aimed to improve the qualified rate of hand hygiene and reduce the incidence of peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.
Methods: A hand hygiene questionnaire was distributed to patients during home visits and outpatient visits in 2015 and 2020. Hand-washing practices were evaluated by collecting cultures from the hands of patients after hand washing, evaluating their household environment, and recording the antimicrobial resistance of pathogenic bacteria.
Results: Compared to patients in 2015, patients in 2020 had fewer errors in hand washing (p < 0.05), but the rate of qualification after hand washing was lower (p < 0.01). Furthermore, patients who used hand disinfectants after washing had a higher qualified rate. Coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CNS) was the most common isolated bacteria. From 2015 to 2020, the annual incidence of CNS PD peritonitis did not decrease, while the proportion of methicillin-resistant CNS decreased.
Conclusion: The use of hand disinfectants after standard hand washing may help reduce the incidence of peritonitis in PD patients.
Keywords: coagulase-negative staphylococcus; hand disinfectant; hand hygiene; hand washing; peritoneal dialysis peritonitis.
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