Abstract
M.Tech. (Chiropractic)
Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of bacteria on the hands of Chiropractic students at the University of Johannesburg’s Chiropractic Clinic before and after hand hygiene intervention, to determine if intervention is successful in improving hand hygiene practices among students, and reducing the concentration of viable bacteria present with hand sampling. The students change in attitude toward and knowledge on hand hygiene was explored using hand hygiene surveys issued before and after intervention.
Methods: Fifty eight Chiropractic students working in the Chiropractic Clinic at the University of Johannesburg’s Doornfontein Campus participated in the study. The subjective data was obtained through a hand hygiene survey which was filled out by the participants twice, before and two months after hand hygiene intervention. The objective data was collected through the sampling of participants’ hands by trained Water and Health Research Centre (WHRC) environmental samplers personnel before and after intervention. The samples were analysed for total, viable and dead bacterial population using flow cytometry carried out by the Water and Health Research Department. Thereafter, statistical analysis was performed by STATKON. The intervention was based on a multidisciplinary approach which involved education of the participants on the presence and impact of pathogenic microorganisms and their spread in the clinic as well as how to cleanse the hands correctly in order to reduce this health risk.
Results: Hand hygiene survey – Six participants reported having received formal training in hand hygiene at the start of the study. It was therefore expected that following this intervention, changes would be seen in all aspects of the subjective and objective data. The knowledge percentage for the participants as a whole improved by 2.9% following intervention – differences between male and female participants, as well...