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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2012 Aug;40(6):507-11.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2011.08.020. Epub 2012 Jan 20.

Appropriate time-interval application of alcohol hand gel on reducing influenza-like illness among preschool children: a randomized, controlled trial

Denla Pandejpong  1 , Somwang Danchaivijitr, Nirun Vanprapa, Temyos Pandejpong, Earl Francis Cook
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Appropriate time-interval application of alcohol hand gel on reducing influenza-like illness among preschool children: a randomized, controlled trial

Denla Pandejpong et al. Am J Infect Control. 2012 Aug.

Abstract

Background: We studied the efficacy of different time-interval applications of alcohol hand gel as a strategy for the prevention of influenza-like illness (ILI) in preschool-age children.

Methods: We performed a classroom-based cluster randomization at a kindergarten school in Bangkok, Thailand. A total of 1437 children were placed into 3 test groups, based on the frequency of alcohol hand gel use for hand hygiene: only before lunch (q lunch), every 120 minutes (q 120), and every 60 minutes (q 60). The primary outcome was a change in the school absenteeism rate caused by ILI.

Results: The rates of absenteeism from confirmed ILI (sick days/present days) were 0.026 in the q lunch group, 0.025 in the q 120 group, and 0.017 in the q 60 group. Significant reductions in absenteeism rates were seen when comparing the q 60 group with the q 120 group (rate difference, 0.009; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.002 to 0.015; P = .008) and comparing the q 60 group with the q lunch group (rate difference, 0.0096; 95% CI, 0.004-0.016; P = .002). No such differences were detected between the q 120 and q lunch groups (rate difference, 0.001; 95% CI, 0.005-0.007; P = .743).

Conclusions: The compulsory hourly use of alcohol gel as classroom hand disinfection could significantly reduce the rate of absenteeism from ILI in preschool-age children.

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
Study flow.
Fig 2
Fig 2
Number of children and length of sick episodes.
Fig 3
Fig 3
Proportion of the need to see MD of each group sick episodes.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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