Views of Medical Students and Medical Specialty Trainees on Hand Hygiene

Objective: The aim of our study is to determine the habits of 5th and 6th year undergraduate medical students and medical specialty trainees on hand hygiene through their views in a university hospital and to compare the habits of undergraduate medical students to those of medical specialty trainees to evaluate in the context of role modelling. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. The survey form consisted of questions to determine habits of participants on hand hygiene compliance and the factors behind non-compliance. Participants filled the form electronically. Results: Data were collected between 10 December, 2019 and 10 March, 2020. Total number of participants was 363, and 122 were 5th year medical students, 116 were 6th year medical students, and 116 were medical specialty trainees. Hand hygiene compliance rate before contact from highest to lowest was 5th year medical students, residents, and 6th year medical students, respectively. The percentage of 6th year students who marked "I always perform hand hygiene" was lower than 5th year students, and this difference was statistically significant. In all but one of the items related to post-contact hand hygiene compliance rate, there was no statistically significant difference between the percentages of 5th and 6th year medical students. The most stated reason for non-compliance to hand hygiene was workload. Lack of role models was stated by 38.5%, 47.4%, and 11.2% of 5th and 6th year medical students, and medical specialty trainees, respectively. Conclusions: It may be thought that the dramatic decrease of hand hygiene compliance of 6th year medical students is related to the negative role modelling of medical specialty trainees but statistical analysis of compliance differences between participant groups do not support this argument. The relation between hand hygiene compliance and role modelling should be studied in more depth.