Pascale Hancart-Petitet, of the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge in Phnom Penh Cambodia, and colleagues, say that the frequency of bloodborne pathogen-related healthcare-associated infections is thought to be high in developing Southeast Asian countries but that the underlying social-cultural logics contributing to the risks of transmission are rarely studied. The researchers provide some insights on the social and cultural factors that shape hygiene practices in Cambodian healthcare settings in BMC Public Health.
Hancart-Petitet, et al. conducted qualitative surveys in various public and private health facilities in Phnom Penh and in provinces. They observed and interviewed 319 participants, healthcare workers and patients, regarding hygiene practices and social relationships among the healthcare staff and with patients. They also examined the local perceptions of hygiene, their impact on the relationships between the healthcare staff and patients, and perceptions of transmission risks. Data collection stem from face to face semi-structured and open-ended interviews and focus group discussions with various healthcare staffs (i.e., environmental services staff, known as "cleaners," nurses, midwives and medical doctors) and with patients who attended the study health facilities.
The researchers report that overall responses and observations indicated that hygiene practices were burdened by the lack of adequate materials and equipment. In addition, many other factors were identified to influence and distort hygiene practices which include informal and formal social rapports in hospitals, and major infection control roles played by the cleaners in absence of professional acknowledgment. Moreover, hygiene practices are commonly seen as an unessential matter to be devoted to low-ranking staff.
Reference: Hancart-Petitet P, Dumas C, Faurand-Tournaire AL, Desclaux A and Vong S. Social and cultural dimensions of hygiene in Cambodian health care facilities. BMC Public Health 2011, 11:83doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-83.
Social and Cultural Factors Impact Hygiene in Healthcare Facilities
Pascale Hancart-Petitet, of the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge in Phnom Penh Cambodia, and colleagues, say that the frequency of bloodborne pathogen-related healthcare-associated infections is thought to be high in developing Southeast Asian countries but that the underlying social-cultural logics contributing to the risks of transmission are rarely studied. The researchers provide some insights on the social and cultural factors that shape hygiene practices in Cambodian healthcare settings in BMC Public Health.
Hancart-Petitet, et al. conducted qualitative surveys in various public and private health facilities in Phnom Penh and in provinces. They observed and interviewed 319 participants, healthcare workers and patients, regarding hygiene practices and social relationships among the healthcare staff and with patients. They also examined the local perceptions of hygiene, their impact on the relationships between the healthcare staff and patients, and perceptions of transmission risks. Data collection stem from face to face semi-structured and open-ended interviews and focus group discussions with various healthcare staffs (i.e., environmental services staff, known as "cleaners," nurses, midwives and medical doctors) and with patients who attended the study health facilities.
The researchers report that overall responses and observations indicated that hygiene practices were burdened by the lack of adequate materials and equipment. In addition, many other factors were identified to influence and distort hygiene practices which include informal and formal social rapports in hospitals, and major infection control roles played by the cleaners in absence of professional acknowledgment. Moreover, hygiene practices are commonly seen as an unessential matter to be devoted to low-ranking staff.
Reference: Hancart-Petitet P, Dumas C, Faurand-Tournaire AL, Desclaux A and Vong S. Social and cultural dimensions of hygiene in Cambodian health care facilities. BMC Public Health 2011, 11:83doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-83.
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Happy Hand Hygiene Day! Rethinking Glove Use for Safer, Cleaner, and More Ethical Health Care
Despite their protective role, gloves are often misused in health care settings—undermining hand hygiene, risking patient safety, and worsening environmental impact. Alexandra Peters, PhD, points out that this misuse deserves urgent attention, especially today, World Hand Hygiene Day.
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Training EVS workers for hygiene excellence demands more than manuals—it requires active engagement, motor skills coaching, and teach-back techniques to reduce HAIs and improve patient outcomes.
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Health care-associated infections are driving a shift toward disposable microfiber cloths, mop pads, and curtains—offering infection prevention, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency in one-time-use solutions.
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