WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care - Safe Care ...

PART I. REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC DATA RELATED TO HAND HYGIENE
Table I.24.1
Hand hygiene research agenda (Cont.)
Area
Agents,
indications,
choice of
hand hygiene
product,
technique,
hand care
In both developed
and developing countries
Identify the most suitable agents for hand hygiene based on a set of valid criteria
Determine the role of alcohol-based handrub (gloving + handrubbing vs gloving +
handwashing) to prevent the transmission of spore-forming pathogens
Determine if preparations with sustained antimicrobial activity (based on various
components, e.g. triclosan, chlorhexidine, silver) are more effective to reduce
infection rates than those whose activity is limited to an immediate effect when used
for hygienic hand antisepsis
Develop and field-test devices to facilitate the optimal application of hand hygiene
agents
Develop hand hygiene agents with lower skin irritancy potential
Study the possible advantages and interactions of hand care lotions, creams, and
other barriers with hand hygiene agents
Conduct market research on handrub products and their cost at country level
Determine if bar soap is acceptable; if yes, establish if single-use, small pieces
should be recommended
Establish appropriate duration (90 seconds vs 3 minutes) of surgical hand
preparation, in particular, using alcohol-based handrubs
Establish whether there is a need to perform a second handrub for surgical
procedures of more than a two-hour duration and, if so, determine the duration of
the handrubbing.
Establish which skin areas must be cleansed (up to the wrist, forearm or elbow?)
during surgical hand preparation
Determine the effect of changing the sequence of steps or reducing the number of
steps for hand decontamination on efficacy
Ascertain the need for handrubbing before using non-sterile examination gloves
Establish a feasible method (e.g. disinfecting gloves) for performing hand hygiene
between patients for HCWs who are gloved for designated procedures (e.g.
phlebotomists)
Assess the effect of glove use on compliance with hand hygiene
Investigate the impact of wearing a watch on the efficacy of hand hygiene
More focus on developing
countries
Study skin adverse events in
different ethnic groups and in
tropical climates
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