<b>Hand washing: teaching and practice among undergraduate health sector students</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascihealthsci.1079

Abstract

This study was undertaken with students during their last year/semester of health sector studies at Higher Education Institutions (HEI), in Goiás State/2005. It aimed to verify the understanding of these students about hands washing (HW), identify the contribution of the HEI to the students’ education on this theme, identify factors that favor the practice of HW, and verify the availability of material resources for HW at Health Assistance Establishments (HAE) used as practice scenarios. After observing ethical aspects, the data was obtained through a previously-evaluated questionnaire, and processed using Epi Info software (CDC, 2004), when the chi-square test was applied. 777 students took part (68.0%) in the study, belonging to the following courses: Biomedicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, physiotherapy, phonoaudiology, Medicine, Dentistry and Occupational Therapy. There was a noticeable difference between the understanding on HW and actual practice. Although we evidenced that HEIs have approached this subject during the educational process, this was not enough to modify the practice