Perceptions of hand hygiene amongst health care workers in Sibu, East Malaysia

The importance of hand hygiene in preventing the spread of disease is universally accepted. Nonetheless, many health care professionals are not always vigilant in carrying out hand hygiene. We studied perceptions of hand hygiene amongst health care professions in the unique location of Sibu, East Malaysia. A modified World Health Organisation questionnaire was used to gather data that was subjected to descriptive analytical techniques. Research participants recognised the importance of performing hand hygiene both for themselves and others. They rated a number of activities of particular value in promoting hand hygiene, reinforcing those described in the literature. These findings provide a foundation for future studies on hand hygiene.