How do perceptions of hygiene and cleanliness influence our IPC behaviours in our homes and in healthcare settings?

Public polling across Europe shows public confusion about the difference between hygiene and cleanliness in their everyday lives. Since healthcare and cleaning staff move constantly between professional and daily life, it is likely these misconceptions impact on behaviour in healthcare settings.

This conference presentation describes a hygiene approach based on risk management (called Targeted Hygiene) which focusses on intervening at moments when there is risk of spread of infection. Using an animated video explaining the principles of Targeted Hygiene in a home setting, we carried out a trial to determine the impact on UK public hygiene comprehension and behavioural intentions.

Although the trial failed to increase intention to practise Targeted Hygiene, it showed that approaches that engage the public and build comprehension, such as through storytelling, have the potential to increase hygiene comprehension and reduce current misconceptions about cleanliness versus hygiene that act as a barrier to change. It suggests that, by further developing this approach, it may be possible to transform learned hygiene habits into reasoned, targeted behaviours.