Hand hygiene education led to reduction in flu, absenteeism

Talaat M. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011;doi:10.3201/eid1704.101353.

Intensive hand hygiene led to reductions in influenza-like illness and a 40% decrease in absenteeism among schoolchildren, according to a study published online.

The study, conducted by Maha Talaat, MD, of the US Naval Medical Unit No. 3 (NAMRU-3), Cairo, Egypt, as well as others from NAMRU-3, the CDC and Ministry of Health in Cairo, looked at the results of a hand hygiene program that was targeted at elementary schools in the Cairo area. The participating schools were chosen from the Cairo Governorate because of the homogenous, socioeconomic characteristics of the students in those systems. The researchers targeted Cairo because of the prevalent poultry population, which makes this area vulnerable to the avian form of influenza.

With acute respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases causing “substantial illness and death worldwide,” developing effective methods to prevent influenza become paramount, Talaat and colleagues wrote. The 12-week observation program included 30 trial schools, as well as another 30 schools, which served as a control group.

Students in the intervention group were encouraged to wash their hands with warm water and antibacterial soap twice daily, as well as before and after meals, and after sneezing or coughing. School nurses then collected nasal swabs, which were sent for laboratory testing.

“Compared with results for the control group, in the intervention group, overall absences caused by [influenza-like illness] decreased (reduced 40%, P<.0001), diarrhea (reduced 30%, P<.0001), conjunctivitis (reduced 67%, P<.0001), and laboratory-confirmed influenza (reduced 50%, P<.0001),” the researchers concluded.

The study investigators wrote that their findings were similar to earlier findings that have demonstrated hand hygiene campaigns’ potential to reduce influenza-related absenteeism in schoolchildren.

The Egyptian Ministry of Health has recommended hand hygiene as a way to prevent spreading influenza, as well as other infectious diseases. They also launched a mass media campaign with a focus on school-aged children during the 2009 influenza pandemic.

“Hand hygiene is a key intervention for reducing transmission of [acute respiratory infections] and diarrhea in community settings,” Talaat and colleagues wrote.

Disclosure: The researchers reported no relevant financial disclosures.

Follow the PediatricSuperSite.com on Twitter.