Effectiveness of alcoholic hand disinfectants in a public administration

ISRCTN ISRCTN96340690
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN96340690
Secondary identifying numbers N/A
Submission date
23/03/2010
Registration date
12/04/2010
Last edited
29/12/2020
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Respiratory
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Not provided at time of registration

Contact information

Dr Nils-Olaf Hübner
Scientific

Rathenaustr. 49a
Biotechnikum
Greifswald
17489
Germany

Email nhuebner@uni-greifswald.de

Study information

Study designProspective controlled intervention-control group design
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Other
Study typePrevention
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleEffectiveness of alcoholic hand disinfectants in a public administration: impact on health and work performance related to acute respiratory symptoms and diarrhoea
Study objectivesLarge community studies in Europe and USA have shown that communicable diseases have a great impact on morbidity and lead to millions of lost days at work, school and university each year. Hand disinfection is acknowledged as key element for infection control, but its effect in open, work place settings is unclear. Our study assessed the epidemiological and economical impact of alcoholic hand disinfectants use at work place.
Ethics approval(s)Ethics Board of the Medical Faculty of the University of Greifswald approved on the 27th January 2010 (ref: BB02/10)
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedAcute respiratory symptoms, diarrhoea
InterventionParticipants in the intervention group were instructed how to use the hand rub and advised to use it at least five times daily, especially after toilet use, blowing nose, before eating and after contact with ill colleges, customers, and archive material. The hand rub was only used at work, while hand hygiene at home was not changed. Hand hygiene remained unchanged in the control group. During the study, close contact was maintained with all participants.

Every participant was observed for 12 months.
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measureMonthly surveys were sent to participants of both groups collecting data on illness symptoms (common cold, sinusitis, sore throat, fever, cough, bronchitis, pneumonia, influenza, diarrhoea) and associated absenteeism. Test persons reported illness and absenteeism days per month for each symptom. Appearance of at least one day ill was counted as an illness episode for the current month.
Secondary outcome measuresParticipants filled out a post-study survey to assess post-intervention compliance with hand hygiene.
Overall study start date01/03/2005
Completion date01/04/2006

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
SexBoth
Target number of participants850
Key inclusion criteriaWe recruited employees from the administration of the Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, the municipality of Greifswald and the state of Mecklenburg-Pomerania, for the study. All administrative officers, who do not already apply hand disinfection at work, were considered for participation.
Key exclusion criteriaOfficers who already use alcoholic hand disinfection
Date of first enrolment01/03/2005
Date of final enrolment01/04/2006

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Germany

Study participating centre

Rathenaustr. 49a
Greifswald
17489
Germany

Sponsor information

Bode Chemie GmbH (Germany)
Industry

Melanchthonstrasse 27
Hamburg
22525
Germany

Email guenter.kampf@bode-chemie.de
Website http://www.bode-chemie.de/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/0447s2m06

Funders

Funder type

Industry

Bode Chemie GmbH (Germany) - provided hand disinfectant free of charge

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 24/08/2010 29/12/2020 Yes No

Editorial Notes

29/12/2020: Publication reference added.