Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 29 in total

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  1. Lenggono KA, Qomariyatus S, Gatot C, Sri A, Ahsan, Patria DKA, et al.
    Med J Malaysia, 2023 May;78(3):296-300.
    PMID: 37271838
    INTRODUCTION: Hospital-acquired infection is still one of the health problems in the world that require infection control and prevention efforts, especially nurses' hand washing compliance. Various strategies and efforts to improve handwashing compliance include educational approaches, motivation and improvement of the health care system, one of which is through the use of The Theory Of Planned Behaviour application in solving handwashing compliance.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quantitative research with a survey approach and observation of hand washing compliance of all nurses N = 321 with a sample of n = 178 nurses. The research variables studied consisted of intention, discipline, self-assessment, opportunity compliance and implementation of the nurse's hand washing. Nurse handwashing compliance observations were made by Infection Prevention Control Link Nurse (IPCN) committee. Data analysis using structural equation modelling (SEM) with smart partial least square (SmartPLS 3.0) application.

    RESULTS: The nurse's intention to apply the theory of planned behaviour has no significant effect on the implementation of hand washing with path coefficients of 0.104 and p-value 0.221 > 0.05. The effect of nurses' intentions on the implementation of nurse hand washing through discipline is significant with a value of variance accounted for (VAF) 0.8043 or 80.43 % of nurse discipline is a complete mediation variable.

    CONCLUSION: Discipline as a complete meditation variable in the application of the theory of planned behaviour in the compliance of nurses' hand washing five moments six steps. Nurses are expected to continuously improve their discipline independently or be assisted by training activities facilitated by the hospital.

    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection*
  2. Szczuka Z, Abraham C, Baban A, Brooks S, Cipolletta S, Danso E, et al.
    BMC Public Health, 2021 10 05;21(1):1791.
    PMID: 34610808 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11822-5
    BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected people's engagement in health behaviors, especially those that protect individuals from SARS-CoV-2 transmission, such as handwashing/sanitizing. This study investigated whether adherence to the World Health Organization's (WHO) handwashing guidelines (the outcome variable) was associated with the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic, as measured by the following 6 indicators: (i) the number of new cases of COVID-19 morbidity/mortality (a country-level mean calculated for the 14 days prior to data collection), (ii) total cases of COVID-19 morbidity/mortality accumulated since the onset of the pandemic, and (iii) changes in recent cases of COVID-19 morbidity/mortality (a difference between country-level COVID-19 morbidity/mortality in the previous 14 days compared to cases recorded 14-28 days earlier).

    METHODS: The observational study (#NCT04367337) enrolled 6064 adults residing in Australia, Canada, China, France, Gambia, Germany, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, and Switzerland. Data on handwashing adherence across 8 situations (indicated in the WHO guidelines) were collected via an online survey (March-July 2020). Individual-level handwashing data were matched with the date- and country-specific values of the 6 indices of the trajectory of COVID-19 pandemic, obtained from the WHO daily reports.

    RESULTS: Multilevel regression models indicated a negative association between both accumulation of the total cases of COVID-19 morbidity (B = -.041, SE = .013, p = .013) and mortality (B = -.036, SE = .014 p = .002) and handwashing. Higher levels of total COVID-related morbidity and mortality were related to lower handwashing adherence. However, increases in recent cases of COVID-19 morbidity (B = .014, SE = .007, p = .035) and mortality (B = .022, SE = .009, p = .015) were associated with higher levels of handwashing adherence. Analyses controlled for participants' COVID-19-related situation (their exposure to information about handwashing, being a healthcare professional), sociodemographic characteristics (gender, age, marital status), and country-level variables (strictness of containment and health policies, human development index). The models explained 14-20% of the variance in handwashing adherence.

    CONCLUSIONS: To better explain levels of protective behaviors such as handwashing, future research should account for indicators of the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials.Gov, # NCT04367337.

    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection
  3. Yasmin AH, Yasmin MY
    Med J Malaysia, 1993 Jun;48(2):251-2.
    PMID: 8350809
    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection*
  4. Singh M, Agrawal A, Sisodia D, Kasar PK, Kaur A, Datta V, et al.
    BMJ Open Qual, 2021 11;10(4).
    PMID: 34759034 DOI: 10.1136/bmjoq-2020-001131
    OBJECTIVE: The purpose was to increase use of alcoholic hand rub (AHR) in specialised newborn care unit (SNCU) to improve hand hygiene in order to reduce neonatal sepsis and mortality at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College and Hospital, Jabalpur.

    DESIGN: A prospective interventional and observational study.

    METHODOLOGY: We formed a quality improvement (QI) team in our SNCU consisting of doctors, nurses, auxiliary staff and parents (a floating member) to improve proper use of AHR. To identify the barriers to the problem, we used fishbone analysis tool. The barriers which were not allowing the health providers to use AHR properly identified were amount of AHR in millilitres to be used per day per baby, how much and when the amount of AHR to be indented from the main store and what is the proper site to place the bottle. We used plan-do-study-act cycles to test and adapt solutions to these problems. Within 5-6 weeks of starting our project, AHR use increased from 44 mL to 92 mL per baby per day and this is sustained around 100 mL per baby per day for over 2 years now.

    RESULTS: Significant decrease in neonatal mortality was observed (reduced from median of 41.0 between August 2016 and April 2018 to 24.0 between May 2018 and December 2019). The neonates discharged alive improved from 41.2 to 52.3 as a median percentage value. The percentage of babies who were referred out and went Left Against Medical Advice (LAMA) deceased too.

    CONCLUSION: Multiple factors can lead to neonatal deaths, but the important factors are always contextual to facilities. QI methodology provides health workers with the skills to identify the major factors contributing to mortality and develop strategies to deal with them. Improving processes of care can lead to improved hand hygiene and saves lives.

    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection*
  5. Goh CS
    Family Practitioner, 1986;9:40-42.
    The plasma cholinesterase baseline levels in Malaysian workers are within the guidelines used. There is a need to carry out close monitoring of workers handling organophosphate s even in a well-run, modern factory where there are no hazards in the plant operation. Abnormal results are mainly because many of our workers are unaware of the health hazards and do not follow orders properly, ie personal hygiene, such as washing of hands before eating, etc. The use of temporary workers should be discouraged because of poor compliance with rules and difficulty in follow up. Product stewardship and education of farmers, sprayers and end users are of paramount importance. Finally there is a great need for educaiton of everyone from factory workers, farmers, sprayers to the general public.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection
  6. Tan, S.L., Cheng, P.L., Soon, H.K., Ghazali, H., Mahyudin, N.A.
    MyJurnal
    A study was conducted to determine personal hygiene knowledge among 25 food handlers at 12 selected primary schools in Klang Valley area, Selangor, Malaysia. A qualitative approach using in-depth interviews was employed and respondents were selected by a convenience sampling. The results showed that the respondents had basic knowledge on personal hygiene practices, mainly on hand washing (30.7%) and glove use (18.7%). The food handlers (90%) practiced various good hand washing practices, with only 36% did not practice washing hands after eating or drinking. Most respondents (>70%) practiced glove use, however more than 50% did not wash hands with every glove change, change gloves when change type of products and after preparing raw material. The study showed that the food handlers have basic knowledge one good personal hygiene practices. However, some discrepancies were revealed in the proper hand washing procedure. This study recommended good hand washing procedure to be reiterated among the food handlers. There is also an immediate need for continuous training among food handlers regarding good personal hygiene practices.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection
  7. Szczuka Z, Siwa M, Abraham C, Baban A, Brooks S, Cipolletta S, et al.
    Soc Sci Med, 2023 Jan;317:115569.
    PMID: 36436259 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115569
    RATIONALE: The associations between the number of COVID-19 cases/deaths and subsequent uptake of protective behaviors may reflect cognitive and behavioral responses to threat-relevant information.

    OBJECTIVE: Applying protection motivation theory (PMT), this study explored whether the number of total COVID-19 cases/deaths and general anxiety were associated with cross-situational handwashing adherence and whether these associations were mediated by PMT-specific self-regulatory cognitions (threat appraisal: perceived vulnerability, perceived illness severity; coping appraisal: self-efficacy, response efficacy, response costs).

    METHOD: The study (#NCT04367337) was conducted in March-September 2020 among 1256 adults residing in 14 countries. Self-reports on baseline general anxiety levels, handwashing adherence across 12 situations, and PMT-related constructs were collected using an online survey at two points in time, four weeks apart. Values of COVID-19 cases and deaths were retrieved twice for each country (one week prior to the individual data collection).

    RESULTS: Across countries and time, levels of adherence to handwashing guidelines were high. Path analysis indicated that smaller numbers of COVID-19 cases/deaths (Time 0; T0) were related to stronger self-efficacy (T1), which in turn was associated with higher handwashing adherence (T3). Lower general anxiety (T1) was related to better adherence (T3), with this effect mediated by higher response efficacy (T1, T3) and lower response cost (T3). However, higher general anxiety (T1) was related to better adherence via higher illness severity (T1, T3). General anxiety was unrelated to COVID-19 indicators.

    CONCLUSIONS: We found a complex pattern of associations between the numbers of COVID-19 cases/deaths, general anxiety, PMT variables, and handwashing adherence at the early stages of the pandemic. Higher general anxiety may enable threat appraisal (perceived illness severity), but it may hinder coping appraisal (response efficacy and response costs). The indicators of the trajectory of the pandemic (i.e., the smaller number of COVID-19 cases) may be indirectly associated with higher handwashing adherence via stronger self-efficacy.

    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection
  8. Goh, S.H., Khor, K.H., Lau, S.F., Ismail, R., Khairani-Bejo, S., Radzi, R.
    Jurnal Veterinar Malaysia, 2019;31(1):17-27.
    MyJurnal
    Dogs could be reservoirs and carriers of Leptospira spp., hence, may play a potential role in disease transmission, exposing dog handlers to leptospirosis. This study evaluated the dog handlers’ knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) towards leptospirosis. Four working dog and four dog shelter organisations were approached. A total of 138 dog handlers were conveniently recruited and evaluated on their level of knowledge, attitude and practice towards leptospirosis using a validated structured questionnaire. Most of the dog handlers were male aged between 30 and 40 years with a wide range of working experience of 1 - 10 years and all of them have no formal training about leptospirosis. The majority of the dog handlers from the dog shelters had poor knowledge (90%, n=34/38) and attitude (100%, n=38/38) and moderate practice (53%, n=20/38) towards leptospirosis, whereas the working dog handlers had poor knowledge (58%, n=58/100) and attitude (75%, n=75/100) but a good level of practice (77%, n=77/100). The poor attitude towards leptospirosis in both groups is alarming as it may hinder implementation plans of control and preventive measures. Although there was good hand-washing practices among the dog handlers, there was a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) practice that may therefore expose both the dogs and dog handlers to leptospirosis. Information gained from this study could be used to implement intervention programmes and to suggest prevention measures to limit the risk of leptospirosis among the dog handlers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection
  9. Pitchik HO, Tofail F, Rahman M, Akter F, Sultana J, Shoab AK, et al.
    BMJ Glob Health, 2021 03;6(3).
    PMID: 33727278 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004307
    INTRODUCTION: In low- and middle-income countries, children experience multiple risks for delayed development. We evaluated a multicomponent, group-based early child development intervention including behavioural recommendations on responsive stimulation, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene, mental health and lead exposure prevention.

    METHODS: We conducted a 9-month, parallel, multiarm, cluster-randomised controlled trial in 31 rural villages in Kishoreganj District, Bangladesh. Villages were randomly allocated to: group sessions ('group'); alternating groups and home visits ('combined'); or a passive control arm. Sessions were delivered fortnightly by trained community members. The primary outcome was child stimulation (Family Care Indicators); the secondary outcome was child development (Ages and Stages Questionnaire Inventory, ASQi). Other outcomes included dietary diversity, latrine status, use of a child potty, handwashing infrastructure, caregiver mental health and knowledge of lead. Analyses were intention to treat. Data collectors were independent from implementers.

    RESULTS: In July-August 2017, 621 pregnant women and primary caregivers of children<15 months were enrolled (group n=160, combined n=160, control n=301). At endline, immediately following intervention completion (July-August 2018), 574 participants were assessed (group n=144, combined n=149, control n=281). Primary caregivers in both intervention arms participated in more play activities than control caregivers (age-adjusted means: group 4.22, 95% CI 3.97 to 4.47; combined 4.77, 4.60 to 4.96; control 3.24, 3.05 to 3.39), and provided a larger variety of play materials (age-adjusted means: group 3.63, 3.31 to 3.96; combined 3.81, 3.62 to 3.99; control 2.48, 2.34 to 2.59). Compared with the control arm, children in the group arm had higher total ASQi scores (adjusted mean difference in standardised scores: 0.39, 0.15 to 0.64), while in the combined arm scores were not significantly different from the control (0.25, -0.07 to 0.54).

    CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that group-based, multicomponent interventions can be effective at improving child development outcomes in rural Bangladesh, and that they have the potential to be delivered at scale.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The trial is registered in ISRCTN (ISRCTN16001234).

    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection
  10. Faizah, J., Vanitha, S.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction : The focus of this paper is to evaluate effectiveness of health education material produced and identify effective educational methods in disseminating health-related information. The study explores the knowledge, attitude and practice level among flood victims in Sub-District Sri Medan, Batu Pahat.
    Methodology : Convenient sampling method was adopted as a technique to get 195 respondents aged 18 years and above who had stayed in flood relief centres in the district. A set of questionnaire designed to collect data on demography, effectiveness of health education material, accessibility to education materials, preferable educational methods during flood situation, and flood victims knowledge, attitude and practices.
    Result : The study found no association between knowledge level and practice of seven steps hand washing. Result showed poster was regarded as most preferable method in disseminating health related information during flood. No association was found in demographic determinants and knowledge. The length of stay in relief centre has significant association with the level of knowledge obtained.
    Conclusion : The use of qualitative and quantitative methods together able to determine accurately the effectiveness of the health education materials used during the disaster as well as the impact in behavioral change.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection
  11. Rasid, M.A., Quah, B.S., Pennie, R.A.
    MyJurnal
    The aim of this paper was to study hand washing practices in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. All medical personnel handling babies in the NICU were observed without their knowledge for a total of three times before and after an educational intervention between November 1, 1993 and December 31, 1993. Hand washing techniques with both Hibisol Spray and Chlorhexidine were scored from 1-4. The results of the study are shown as follows: the number of personnel observed were: before educational intervention -paediatric doctors (PD) 14, non-paediatric doctors (ND) 13 and nurses (N) 48; after educational intervention - PD 10 , ND 12 and N 42. PD and N washed hands significantly more often than ND (p < 0.001), before and after intervention. PD but not ND or N improved their rate of hand washing after educational intervention PD (p= 0.02). The Hibisol handwashing technique was poor in all groups (77.1% of all observations). The Chlorhexidine hand washing technique was better than Hibisol (p<0.0001). However only 15% of observed washes with Chlorhexidine were well done and almost one third were done poorly. Both Hibisol and Chlorhexidine techniques did not improve after educational intervention. Hand washing was performed more often in the Level III than Level II nursery [85% of all observations in Level III and 73% of all observations in Level II, p=0.002]. In conclusion, the present educational program is not sufficient and more direct means should be taken to improve the frequency of hand washing among all medical personnel. All medical personnel in the NICU should be educated in the use of the Hibisol, otherwise Hibisol should be removed from the nursery.
    Keywords: Handwashing, doctors, neonatal intensive care unit, nurses
    Study site: Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection
  12. Thiruselvi Subramaniam, Rosalind Chi Neo Loo
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Standard precautions in health care is the essence of medical practice encompassing the safety of patients and health care workers including medical students. Barriers to the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) exist across the world but identification of areas of weaknesses and appropriate remedies will reduce them. This study assesses knowledge and use of PPE among fourth year students after a period of educational interventions.
    Objective: To evaluate appropriate use, awareness and knowledge about PPE among fourth year students after interventions.
    Method: A cross- sectional study where forty year 4 students (Group B) were randomly observed and later asked to answer a questionnaire. Students had undergone interventions to improve PPE use, which included lectures and video sessions during each posting. Results were compared with a previous group (Group A). Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test was used to analyse the data.
    Results: There was statistically significant improvement in the use of PPE like wearing and removing mask during invasive procedures (p < 0.001) and hand-washing before and after a non- invasive task (p < 0.001) . Comparison of Groups A and B on the results of the questionnaire for ‘Questions in which more than 10% students answered incorrectly’, showed that there was improvement in Group B in all the questions, some being statistically significant with p value=0.01.
    Conclusion: An overall improvement in the use of the PPE and knowledge was noted. Sometimes, students’ attitude and personality may be a challenge and these students may defy changes, but this can be overcome if the strategies are embedded in the curriculum and taught from as early as the first semester.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection
  13. Nik Rosmawati N, Wan Manan W, Noor Izani N, Nik Nurain N, Razlina A
    Sains Malaysiana, 2018;47:2119-2128.
    This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a newly developed food safety education to improve the handwashing
    practices of food handlers in school canteens. A community-based intervention study was carried out over a 2-year period.
    Sixteen out of 98 primary schools were randomly selected and assigned into intervention and control groups using a
    simple random sampling method. The study population included food handlers who worked in the canteens of the school
    selected. The Food Safety Education Programme (FSEP) for the intervention group was developed based on the theory of
    planned behaviour. The main outcome measures used were handwashing practices from the observations carried out at
    baseline, 6-weeks (Post1) and 12-weeks (Post2) after the intervention. Out of 79 food handlers who participated in this
    study, 33 (41.8%) were in the intervention group and 46 (58.2%) were in the control group. Prior to FSEP, handwashing
    was not commonly practiced following critical events and the majority did not perform correctly. The time-effect of the
    mixed design analysis of variance showed a significant increase (p=0.004) in the mean percentage of the total observed
    handwashing practices from 29% at the baseline to 50.8% at Post1 (p=0.004). However, the intervention-effect of mixed
    design ANOVA did not show any significant difference in the handwashing practices (p=0.210). The FSEP was effective in
    improving the handwashing practices of the food handlers in the selected primary school canteens.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection
  14. Mohd Rani MD, Mohamed NA, Jamaluddin TZMT, Ismail Z, Ramli S, Faroque H, et al.
    Community Health Equity Res Policy, 2023 Jul;43(4):375-380.
    PMID: 34256634 DOI: 10.1177/0272684X211033448
    BACKGROUND: Hand hygiene is regarded as the most important measure to prevent spread of infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a prototype application in an electronic device in educating, stimulating and monitoring hand hygiene quality in young children.

    METHOD: A pre-school was provided with an interactive hand hygiene application for two months. The device features an online administrator dashboard for data collection and for monitoring the children's hand washing steps and duration. A good hand washing is defined as hand washing which comprise all of the steps outlined in the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

    RESULTS: The prototype managed to capture 6882 hand wash performed with an average of 20.85 seconds per hand wash. Washing hands palm to palm was the most frequent (79.9%) step performed, whereas scrubbing fingernails and wrists were the least (56%) steps performed.

    CONCLUSIONS: The device is a good prototype to educate, stimulate and monitor good hand hygiene practices. However, other measures should be undertaken to ensure sustainability of the practices.

    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection
  15. Far HS, Pin NT, Kong CY, Fong KS, Kian CW, Yan CK
    Int Arch Occup Environ Health, 1993;64(6):439-43.
    PMID: 8458660
    The present study was conducted to evaluate the role of ingestion through hand and mouth contamination in the absorption of lead in 25 lead-acid battery workers. Levels of personal exposure to airborne lead ranged from 0.004 to 2.58 mg/m3 [geometric mean 0.098, with 25% of samples exceeding threshold limit values (ACGIH) of 0.15 mg/m3]; the mean (SD) blood lead level was 48.9 (10.8) micrograms/dl. Mean hand lead contents increased 33-fold from preshift levels on Monday mornings (33.5 micrograms/500 ml) to midshift levels on Thursday afternoons (1121 micrograms/500 ml). Mouth lead contents increased 16-fold from 0.021 micrograms/50 ml on Mondays to 0.345 micrograms/50 ml on Thursdays. The typical Malay racial habit of feeding with bare hands and fingers without utensils (closely associated with mouth and hand lead levels on Mondays) explained the bulk of the variance in blood lead levels (40%), with mouth lead on Thursdays (closely associated with poor personal hygiene) explaining a further 10%. Air lead was not a significant explanatory variable. The implementation of a programme of reinforcing hand-washing and mouth-rinsing practices resulted in a reduction of the blood lead level by 11.5% 6 months later. These results indicate that parenteral intake from hand and mouth contamination is an important cause of lead absorption in lead-exposed workers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection*
  16. Zhang SX, Graf-Vlachy L, Looi KH, Su R, Li J
    Epidemiol Infect, 2020 10 23;148:e261.
    PMID: 33092675 DOI: 10.1017/S0950268820002575
    Although handwashing is an effective way to prevent infections, there is scarce evidence on predictors of handwashing during a pandemic. This paper aims to identify behavioural and demographic predictors of handwashing. The study surveyed 674 adults in Malaysia in May 2020 regarding whether the time spent on social media predicted handwashing contingent on gender and number of children. More time spent on social media was positively associated with handwashing for males with three or more children. However, for males without children, social media use was negatively associated with handwashing. The association was not significant for males with one or two children. For females, more time spent on social media was significantly linked to more handwashing only for females with one child. Gender, a traditional predictor of handwashing, was a useful predictor only for those who spent more than three hours per day on social media and had at most one child. Number of children was a novel negative predictor for males who did not use social media and who averaged one hour per day on social media, a positive predictor for males who spent lots of time on social media, but not a predictor for females. In sum, social media use predicts handwashing, and is thus a helpful variable for use in targeted health communication during a pandemic - particularly through social media. Further, more conventional predictors like gender and number of children exhibit contingency effects with social media use.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection*
  17. Haque M
    J Popul Ther Clin Pharmacol, 2020 07 12;27(S Pt 1):e37-e52.
    PMID: 32757544 DOI: 10.15586/jptcp.v27SP1.711
    After officially declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), drastic measures to restrict human movements to contain the COVID-19 infection are employed by most of the countries. Maintaining high personal hygiene by frequent handwashing and be vigilant of clinical signs are widely recommended to reduce the disease burden. The national and international health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the WHO, have provided guidelines for prevention and treatment suggestions. Here, in this brief article, based on available clinical information, the author discusses why handwashing could be protective of COVID-19 infections. Although a detailed and in-depth discussion of various preventive and protective measures is beyond the scope of this article, this review will focus on the utility of frequent handwashing in minimizing the risk of spreading COVID-19 infection.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection/standards*
  18. Das A, Barua A, Mohimin MA, Abedin J, Khandaker MU, Al-Mugren KS
    Healthcare (Basel), 2021 Apr 10;9(4).
    PMID: 33920290 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9040445
    BACKGROUND: The use of a touchless automated hand sanitizer dispenser may play a key role to reduce contagious diseases. The key problem of the conventional ultrasonic and infra-red-based dispensers is their malfunctioning due to the interference of sunlight, vehicle sound, etc. when deployed in busy public places. To overcome such limitations, this study introduced a laser-based sensing device to dispense sanitizer in an automated touchless process.

    METHOD: The dispensing system is based on an Arduino circuit breadboard where an ATmega328p microcontroller was pre-installed. To sense the proximity, a light-dependent resistor (LDR) is used where the laser light is to be blocked after the placement of human hands, hence produced a sharp decrease in the LDR sensor value. Once the LDR sensor value exceeds the lower threshold, the pump is actuated by the microcontroller, and the sanitizer dispenses through the nozzle.

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A novel design and subsequent fabrication of a low-cost, touchless, automated sanitizer dispenser to be used in public places, was demonstrated. The overall performance of the manufactured device was analyzed based on the cost and power consumption, and environmental factors by deploying it in busy public places as well as in indoor environment in major cities in Bangladesh, and found to be more efficient and cost-effective compared to other dispensers available in the market. A comprehensive discussion on this unique design compared to the conventional ultrasonic and infra-red based dispensers, is presented to show its suitability over the commercial ones. The guidelines of the World Health Organization are followed for the preparation of sanitizer liquid. A clear demonstration of the circuitry connections is presented herein, which facilitates the interested individual to manufacture a cost-effective dispenser device in a relatively short time and use it accordingly. Conclusion: This study reveals that the LDR-based automated hand sanitizer dispenser system is a novel concept, and it is cost-effective compared to the conventional ones. The presented device is expected to play a key role in contactless hand disinfection in public places, and reduce the spread of infectious diseases in society.

    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection
  19. R.A. Al-Naggar, Al-Jashamy, K.
    MyJurnal
    Hand hygiene is the single, most critical measure for reducing the risk of transmitting organisms to patients and health care providers. To our knowledge, none of such study on Malaysian university student exists in the literature. Therefore, the objective was to explore the perceptions and barriers of hand's hygiene practice among university students. Methods: Focus group discussion conducted in January-2010 among 40 medical science students from Management and Science University (MSU). Simple random sampling was used, and the ethics were obtained from participants. The students were divided into five focus groups; the number of each group ranged between 8-10 members. The data obtained were classified into various categories, and the data was analyzed manually. Results: The majority of the participants mentioned that they frequently washed their hands using soap. Some of the participants washed the hands only with plain water. However, the majority of the participants mentioned that the laziness was their main barrier of frequent hand washing, followed by lack of nearby water supply and then the feeling that their hands are not dirty enough to be infected. The majority of the participants agreed that hand washing is clinically significant in reducing the spread of infectious diseases; some of them disagreed. The Majority of the participants knew the hand washing technique in the university. Conclusion: Medical science students still have some misconception and negative attitude towards hand hygiene practice. Multidisciplinary strategies needed to improve hand hygiene among students.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection
  20. S. Sulaiha S.A., Wee, Yun Ling, Lie, Joo Chin, Eow, Wei-Liang, Muhamad Faiz, S., Chien, Noris Fook Tan
    MyJurnal
    Background: Nosocomial infection is among the leading problem in many major hospitals resulting in soaring cost expenditure in managing its affect.Hand washing practice is a crucial preventive way to contain such mischief but many ignored its importance. This is perhaps due to lack of appropriate role modeling from senior practitioners.
    Subjects and methods: Our study examined the prevalence of hand washing practice among medical students from year 3 to 5 and compared it to their knowledge and level of awareness on its importance in clinical practice. 142 students were randomly observed during their clinical work in the wards on this practice and questionnaires were later distributed to 268 students from all semesters on their knowledge on the technique and awareness on its importance.
    Results: Out of 142, almost 80% washed their hands but only 41.6% performed effective hand washing. In contrary, 80 to 90% showed good level of knowledge and awareness as well as perception about its importance in clinical practice.
    Conclusions: The contradictory findings between the actual practice of hand washing and knowledge as well as awareness suggest that enforcement on the practice is necessary. This requires motivation and cooperation from all health alliances and higher authority in the health system. Remedial measures are much needed in order to contain high incidence of nosocomial infection in our local practice.
    Matched MeSH terms: Hand Disinfection
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