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Improvements in Handwashing Procedures Could Reduce Hospital Infection Rates
Elaine Larson, professor of pharmaceutical and therapeutic research at Columbia's School of Nursing, has spent a good part of her career studying handwashing as a major predictor of infection rates in hospitals. Based on European and American research, Larson said that there are easier, faster and cheaper ways to clean hands that are more effective than washing with soap and water. In the spring of 2002 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will issue new guidelines on hand hygiene, recommending the cessation of the use of soap and water and the change to waterless alcohol-based products. Larson also notes that the public's concern over the development of resistance when using antibacterial products is a theoretical concern because antibiotic resistance is due to the use of antibiotics, not the use of antiseptics, found in over-the-counter hand hygiene products.
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