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Volume 7, Number 2—April 2001
THEME ISSUE
4th Decennial International Conference on Nosocomial and Healthcare-Associated Infections
Prevention is Primary

Improving Adherence to Hand Hygiene Practice: A Multidisciplinary Approach

Didier PittetComments to Author 
Author affiliation: University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland

Main Article

Table 1

Compliance with hand hygiene in different hospital settings

Year Setting Average compliance Author Ref.
1981 Open ward 16% Preston 11
ICU 30%
1981 ICUs 41% Albert 5
ICUs 28%
1983 All wards 45% Larson 12
1987 PICU 30% Donowitz 13
1990 ICU 32% Graham 6
1990 ICU 81% Dubbert 14
1991 SICU 51% Pettinger 15
1992 NICU/others 29% Larson 16
1992 ICUs 40% Doebbeling 7
1992 ICUs 40% Zimakoff 17
1994 Emergency room 32% Meengs 18
1999 All wards 48% Pittet 9
ICUs 36%

ICUs = intensive care units; PICU = pediatric ICU; NICU = neonatal ICU.

Main Article

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