From the Guidelines
Maintaining good hygiene and sanitation is essential for preventing disease and promoting overall health, and the most effective way to achieve this is by following the guidelines outlined in the 2023 study 1, which emphasizes the importance of hand hygiene, proper food handling, and environmental sanitation. To prevent the spread of germs, it is crucial to practice regular handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating, after using the bathroom, and after coughing or sneezing.
- Daily bathing or showering with mild soap helps remove bacteria from the skin.
- Oral hygiene should include brushing teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and flossing once daily to prevent cavities and gum disease. For environmental sanitation, regularly clean high-touch surfaces with disinfectants containing at least 70% alcohol or diluted bleach solutions (4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water).
- Proper food handling involves washing produce thoroughly, keeping raw and cooked foods separate, cooking foods to appropriate temperatures, and refrigerating perishables promptly.
- Safe water consumption requires using treated water sources or purifying water through boiling (1 minute at rolling boil), filtration, or chemical treatment (typically 2-4 drops of household bleach per quart of clear water). These practices work by physically removing pathogens, disrupting bacterial cell membranes, or creating environments where disease-causing organisms cannot survive, thereby breaking the chain of infection transmission, as supported by the guidelines outlined in the 2017 study 1 and the 2007 study 1. The key to effective hygiene and sanitation is to make it a habit, and to always prioritize hand hygiene, especially in public settings or when interacting with individuals who may be more susceptible to illness, as emphasized in the 2002 study 1 and the 2003 study 1.
From the Research
Importance of Hand Hygiene
- Hand hygiene is a crucial aspect of preventing the spread of infections, especially in healthcare settings 2
- Proper hand hygiene can reduce the transmission of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and cross-infection between patients 2, 3
- The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of effective hand hygiene in preventing the spread of disease 4, 2
Effectiveness of Hand Sanitizers
- Most alcohol-based hand sanitizers are effective at inactivating enveloped viruses, including coronaviruses 4
- Hand sanitizers can be an effective method for reducing transmission of infections in public or healthcare settings when hand washing with soap and water is unavailable 4, 2
- However, the overuse of hand sanitizers can lead to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the emergence of alcohol-resistant pathogens 5, 6
Challenges and Limitations
- Hand hygiene compliance rates are often low, with most studies reporting rates between 60% and 70% 3
- High hand hygiene compliance rates are difficult to achieve, and there is a need for high-quality evidence to support the implementation of specified targets for hand hygiene compliance rates 3
- The use of hand sanitizers can also lead to the colonization of sanitizer-tolerant bacterial pathogens on public hand sanitizer dispensers, which can spread diseases and antibiotic resistance 6
Best Practices
- Proper hand hygiene technique is essential for effective hand hygiene, and nurses should keep up to date with evidence-based guidelines 2
- Hand decontamination using alcohol-based hand gels and soap and water have different advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of method depends on the situation 2
- Regular maintenance of hand sanitizer dispensers is necessary to prevent the growth of microbial contamination and the spread of diseases 6