Social Sustainability Results
Positive outcomes that make a difference
GOJO combines passion for our Purpose -- saving lives and making life better through well-being solutions -- with scientific knowledge of hand hygiene and skin care. This leads to positive outcomes that make a difference in people's lives and a significant social sustainability impact.
Select a link below to explore published studies that provide scientific evidence of results achieved.
Reducing Infection Rates in Healthcare
Reducing Absenteeism in Schools and Colleges
Improved Skin Condition in Harsh Environments Prone to Dermatitis
Reducing Illness and Absenteeism in Military Settings
Reducing Infection Rates in Healthcare
Study: The impact of alcohol hand sanitiser use on infection rates in an extended care facility.
Results: Comparison of the infection types and rates for the units where hand sanitiser was used with those for the control units where the hand sanitiser was not used showed a 30.4% decrease in infection rates for the 34-month period in the units where hand sanitiser was used. The primary infection types found were urinary tract with Foley catheter, respiratory tract, and wound infections.
Conclusion: This study indicates that use of an alcohol gel hand sanitiser can decrease infection rates and provide an additional tool for an effective infection control programme.
Reference: AJIC: American Journal of Infection Control. 30(4):226-233, June 2002. Fendler, E. J. PhD a; Ali, Y. PhD a; Hammond, B. S. a; Lyons, M. K. BSN, RN b; Kelley, M. B. CRRN b; Vowell, N. A. RN b
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Study: Use of alcohol hand sanitiser as an infection control strategy in an acute care facility.
Results : Infection types and rates for the unit during the period the alcohol hand sanitiser (intervention) was used were compared with the infection types and rates for the same unit when the alcohol hand sanitiser was not used (baseline); the results demonstrated a 36.1% decrease in infection rates for the 10-month period that the alcohol hand sanitiser was used. The primary infection types (more than 80%) found were urinary tract (UTI) and surgical site (SSI) infections.
Conclusion: This study indicates that use of an alcohol gel hand sanitiser can decrease infection rates and provide an additional tool for an effective infection control programme in acute care facilities. (Am J Infect Control 2003;31:109-16.)
Reference: AJIC: American Journal of Infection Control. 31(2):109-116, April 2003. Hilburn, Jessica MT (ASCP), CIC a; Hammond, Brian S. b; Fendler, Eleanor J. PhD b; Groziak, Patricia A. MS b
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Study: Bacterial shedding and desquamation from the hands of healthcare workers correlates with skin condition.
Results : Bacterial dispersal and quantitative skin measurements were obtained from 86 healthcare workers over a 3 day period. The levels of bacteria shed from the hands of the healthcare workers was found to be negatively correlated to corneometer measurements (p < 0.01); and positively correlated to desquamation index (p < 0.02). No correlation was found between levels of shed bacteria and transepidermal water loss. As expected, corneometer measurements were found to be negatively correlated to desquamation index (p < 0.0001).
Conclusion: The results of this hospital study demonstrate that the levels of bacteria shed from the hands of healthcare workers are influenced by the health of the individual's skin; i.e. dry skin sheds more bacteria. This increased bacterial dispersal from dry skin may increase the infection transfer risk for healthcare workers with poor skin condition in the acute care setting.
Reference: American Journal of Infection Control, Volume 34, Issue 5, June 2006, Pages E85-E86. C.A. Kolly, J.W. Arbogast, D.R. Macinga
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Reducing Absenteeism in Schools and Colleges
Study: Effect of hand sanitiser use on elementary school absenteeism.
Results: The overall reduction in absenteeism due to infection in the schools included in this study was 19.8% for schools that used an alcohol gel hand sanitiser compared with the control schools.
Conclusion: Elementary school absenteeism due to infection is significantly reduced when an alcohol gel hand sanitiser is used in the classroom as part of a hand hygiene programme.
Reference: AJIC: American Journal of Infection Control. 28(5):340-346, October 2000. Hammond, Brian a; Ali, Yusuf PhD a; Fendler, Eleanor PhD a; Dolan, Michael a; Donovan, Sandra RN, MSN b
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Study: The effect of a comprehensive handwashing programme on absenteeism in elementary schools.
Results:
Two hundred ninety students from five independent schools were enrolled in the study. Each test classroom had a control classroom, and only the test classroom received the intervention (education program and hand sanitiser). Absenteeism data was collected for 3 months. The number of absences was 50.6% lower in the test group.
Conclusion: The data strongly suggests that a hand hygiene programme that combines education and use of a hand sanitiser in the classroom can lower absenteeism and be cost-effective.
Reference: AJIC: American Journal of Infection Control. 30(4):217-220, June 2002. Guinan, Maryellen a,b; McGuckin, Maryanne Dr ScEd, MT (ASCP) c; Ali, Yusef PhD d
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Study: The effect of hand hygiene on illness rate among students in university residence halls.
Results: The overall increase in hand-hygiene behavior and reduction in symptoms, illness rates, and absenteeism between the product group and control group was statistically significant. Reductions in upper respiratory-illness symptoms ranged from 14.8% to 39.9%. Total improvement in illness rate was 20%. The product group had 43% less missed school/work days.
Conclusion: Handhygiene practices were improved with increased frequency of handwashing through increasing awareness of the importance of hand hygiene, and the use of alcohol gel hand sanitiser in university dormitories. This resulted in fewer upper respiratory-illness symptoms, lower illness rates, and lower absenteeism.
Reference: AJIC: American Journal of Infection Control. 31(6):364-370, October 2003. White, Cindy PhD a; Kolble, Robin BSN a; Carlson, Rebecca MSN a; Lipson, Natasha BA a; Dolan, Mike BS b; Ali, Yusuf PhD b; Cline, Mojee PhD b*
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Improved Skin Condition in Harsh Environments Prone to Dermatitis
Study: Effectiveness of a hand care regimen with moisturiser in manufacturing facilities where workers are prone to occupational irritant dermatitis.
Results: Comparison of the change in the skin condition of workers using the full hand care regimen with moisturiser versus a control group using a regimen without moisturiser demonstrated significant (p < .05) improvements in multiple measures after 1 to 2 weeks. Corneometer readings consistently showed significant improvement for employees using moisturiser, regardless of their work location.
Conclusion: Improved skin condition resulted from the regular use of an effective skin conditioning hand moisturiser as part of a skin care regimen in work environments in which workers were prone to experiencing occupational irritant contact dermatitis.
Reference: Arbogast JW - Dermatitis - 01-MAR-2004; 15(1): 10-7
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Reducing Illness and Absenteeism in Military Settings
Study: Alcohol-based Instant hand sanitiser use in military settings - a prospective cohort study of army basic trainees.
Results: When compared to the control group, intervention groups experienced 40% less respiratory illness (p < 0.001), 48% less gastrointestinal illness (p < 0.02), 44% less lost training time (p < 0.001), and 31% fewer health care encounters (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: These findings suggest that this intervention is capable of significantly reducing illness in this setting and has the potential to help reduce absenteeism in the military workforce as a whole.
Reference: Military Medicine, Volume 172, Number 11, November 2007 , pp. 1170-1176(7)
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