A clinical trial evaluation of handwashing products and educational resources to improve hand hygiene in paediatric patients and school children

It is widely acknowledged that good hand hygiene (HH) is an important non-pharmaceutical method for reducing the transmission of infectious diseases. Children are at high risk of infection due to their immature immune systems. Hospital transmitted infections are a cause for concern worldwide, with poor HH suggested to be responsible for up to 20% of cases. Patients, in particular paediatric patients, are often overlooked when it comes to the promotion of hand hygiene compliance (HHC) in hospitals. This report describes the clinical evaluation of the 'Soaper Stars'; a collection of child-friendly HH products with linked educational resource, developed using the COM-B approach to behaviour change, and designed to encourage correct HH in paediatric patients and in schools.