The effect of hand-hygiene interventions on infectious disease-associated absenteeism in elementary schools: A systematic literature review.

Zhangqi Wang, Maria Lapinski, Elizabeth Quilliam, Lee-Ann Jaykus, Angela Fraser

Journal: American journal of infection control 2018;45(6):682-689

PMID: 28242074

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Hand-hygiene interventions are widely used in schools but their effect on reducing absenteeism is not well known.

METHODS

The aim of our literature review was to determine whether implementation of a hand-hygiene intervention reduced infectious disease-associated absenteeism in elementary schools. The eligible studies (N = 19), published between 1996 and 2014, were summarized and the methodologic quality of each was assessed.

RESULTS

Our review indicated evidence is available to show hand-hygiene interventions had an effect on reducing acute gastrointestinal illness-associated absenteeism but inadequate evidence is available to show an effect on respiratory illness-associated absenteeism.

CONCLUSIONS

The methodologic quality assessment of eligible studies revealed common design flaws, such as lack of randomization, blinding, and attrition, which must be addressed in future studies to strengthen the evidence base on the effect of hand-hygiene interventions on school absenteeism.

Address: Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC.; Department of Communication, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.; Department of Advertising and Public Relations, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.; Department of Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences, and Department of Microbiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.; Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2017.01.018

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MeSH Terms: Absenteeism, Child, Communicable Disease Control, Communicable Diseases, Female, Hand Hygiene, Humans, Male, Schools