Overview
Hand sanitizers present a way to reduce the spread of infection. Cleansing your hands with a hand sanitizer is faster than washing them and effectively removes microorganisms. Unfortunately, hand sanitizers do not remove dirt and debris as well as soap, water and friction.
Active Ingredient
Use a concentration of no less than 60 to 95 percent ethanol or isopropanol for the most effective germicidal efficacy, recommends the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA warns against products marketed as antimicrobial hand sanitizers that do not contain the prescribed potency, because they will not effectively reduce bacterial counts on your hands.
Proper Use
To properly use a hand sanitizer rub “a dime-size dollop” on all surfaces of your hands for 30 seconds, notes Amy Simonne, assistant professor in the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences at the University of Florida. Simonne cautions that if your hands dry in less than 15 seconds, you probably used too little.
Water or Waterless
If you work in a hospital or clinic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend using hand sanitizer as a method of preventing the spread of infection. However, food service workers should rely on soap and water method. The presence of particles on your hands, like dirt or food, can render the active ingredient in hand sanitizers less effective. Use this guideline in your everyday life. When your hands are visibly dirty, and water is available, wash your hands with soap instead of a hand sanitizer.
Health Care Workers
You might be surprised to know that the CDC says, “Only 20 to 50 percent of health care workers comply with hand hygiene procedures.” Around 90,000 Americans die annually from hospital-acquired infections. According to a systematic review of clinical evidence conducted by the Department of Pediatric Nursing at Chiang Mai University and reported in the “International Journal of Nursing Practice,” the availability of hand-sanitizers at their patients’ bedsides increased proper hand hygiene compliance rates.
Absenteeism
Using hand sanitizer as part of a hand hygiene program in elementary schools significantly reduces absenteeism due to infection. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by GOJO Industries and published in the “American Journal of Infection Control.” More than 6,000 students, and their teachers, applied an alcohol gel hand sanitizer when entering and leaving their classrooms. The results show a 19.8 percent decrease in student absenteeism and a 10.1 percent drop in teacher sick days compared to a control group.
