None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study will investigate the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of hand sanitisers in reducing absence from illness in primary schools during terms 2 and 3 of 2009 . The study's aims are: 1. To assess whether regular hand cleaning with hand sanitiser, as an adjunct to usual hand cleaning, reduces the incidence of illness absence in primary school pupils. 2. If illness is reduced, to measure the cost-effectiveness of the provision of hand sanitiser. 3. To measure the cost to families of children’s school absences that are due to illness, including activities that caregivers were unable to do because they had to stay home from work to care for the child and cases of illness in other members of the family.
Interventions
A single 15-20 minute education session on hand hygiene delivered in classrooms late in school term 1. Session consists of interactive teaching about hand hygiene and the use of a cream that glows under ultraviolet light. Two children from each class will be asked to rub this cream on their hands then wash their hands, and an ultraviolet torch will be used to illustrate the fact that usual handwashing often misses parts of the hands. The message will be that handwashing needs to be done thoro
A single 15-20 minute education session on hand hygiene delivered in classrooms late in school term 1. Session consists of interactive teaching about hand hygiene and the use of a cream that glows under ultraviolet light. Two children from each class will be asked to rub this cream on their hands then wash their hands, and an ultraviolet torch will be used to illustrate the fact that usual handwashing often misses parts of the hands. The message will be that handwashing needs to be done thoroughly. Pupils will also be shown how to use the hand sanitiser at this session, in preparation for terms 2 and 3. In terms 2 and 3, hand sanitiser dispensers will be placed in primary school classrooms. Teachers will be asked to ensure that children use the hand sanitiser at least twice a day - at the beginning of lunch and morning break - and also after coughing or sneezing in the classroom. This amounts to at least twice-daily use for a total of 20 weeks over the two school terms. Alsoft solution will be supplied in 'no-touch' dispensers.
Sponsors
Dr Patricia Priest
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
5 Years to 11 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
School level inclusion: (i) At least 100 children of primary school age (school years 1 to 6; children will generally range in age from 5 years to 11 years) at November 2008. (ii) Schools not currently using hand-sanitiser products or are willing to not use hand-sanitiser products for the period of the trial. (iii) Schools are within the City boundaries of Christchurch, Dunedin, or Invercargill in New Zealand. (iv) The principal of the school consents to the school being included in the trial. Student level inclusion (follow-up children): (i) Parents/guardians are able to read and understand spoken English to a level where they can read the study information sheet, complete the consent form, and respond to telephone interviews. This will be assessed from a question on the consent form. (ii) Attending a year 1 to 6 class in one of the included schools, at the beginning of the second school term in 2009 (end April).
Exclusion criteria
School level exclusion: (i) Special needs schools. Student level exclusion (follow-up children): (i) Children of the principal investigators and study personnel of the trial. (ii) Children of families that the principal of the primary school directs us not to approach.
Outcome results
None listed