STOPFLU: Is it Possible to Reduce the Number of Days Off in Office Work by Improved Hand-Hygiene?
Summary
Improved hand hygiene is known to reduce transmission of both respiratory (RTI) and gastrointestinal infections (GTI) under "semi-closed" conditions such as hospitals, day-care centres and schools. It is not known if similar interventions would have the desired effect in a regular office work. This study is aiming to investigate this possibility by recruiting volunteers from several companies in the Helsinki Region. The two intervention groups will receive detailed instructions e.g. for proper coughing and sneezing, and for regular cleaning of hands with either standard liquid soap or with alcohol-based gel rubbing. Third group will serve as the control and is advised not to change their previous behaviour in this respect. The participants will report weekly possible RTI or GTI symptoms and related days off through internet. The study is planned to run about 18 months to cover the seasonal variation of the epidemics of the causative different viruses.
Description
It is common knowledge that both respiratory tract infections (RTI) and gastrointestinal infections (GTI) cause a large part of short periods of days off from work, day care and school. In addition, because of the generally mild nature of the diseases, especially adults often come to work in spite of symptoms, and may therefore initiate transmission of infection among their colleagues. The chain of events from exposure to a pathogenic virus to subsequent infection and staying home because of infectious disease is a very complicated one, and is affected by many factors potentially causing variation, such as the multitude of causative agents, different individual histories of infections, variability of inter-personal contacts in work and various working- team feelings -influenced thresholds for staying home etc. Therefore, we aim to recruit at least 24 operationally distinct volunteer groups, each including at least 50 persons, and to continue the intervention about 18 months.
A virus transmission "risk-index" will be calculated for each group based on potential participant questionnaires enquiring, among other things, about numbers and ages of children, their possible out-of-home day care, personal properties such as smoking, chronic diseases, and potential differences in contacts during daily work. The 24 groups will be divided in groups of three most similar ones, and members each triplet then randomised in one the intervention groups or the control (see brief summary).
Data collection is based on self-reporting through Monday-morning electronic reports using a standard form. The from is enquiring about possible exposure to persons suffering from RTI or GTI, and possible own symptoms of the same diseases during the preceding 7 day period (including weekends and other holidays). The form will require daily records offering all possible combinations of the following categories: healthy-with symptoms, working normally-day off, own disease-child ill-other reason for day off.
Etiology of the symptoms will not be searched for on individual basis in this study but a connection to RTI virus epidemiology is built by a sentinel surveillance, where occupational health clinics located in the premises of the participating companies send a standard number of weekly specimens collected from employees visiting the clinic. For possible GTI outbreaks a standard outbreak investigation principle will be followed, including 3-5 specimens. from typical patients will be collected. Common causative agents of the diseases will be searched for using real-time PCR techniques.
Study Design
Allocation: Randomized, Control: Dose Comparison, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Factorial Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Prevention
Conditions
Respiratory Infection
Intervention
Hand washing, Disinfectant rubbing
Location
National Institute for Health and Wellfare (THL)
Helsinki
Finland
00271
Status
Active, not recruiting
Source
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland
Results (where available)
Links
- Source: http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00821509
- Information obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov on July 15, 2010
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Bovine
A species of PNEUMOVIRUS causing an important respiratory infection in cattle. Symptoms include fever, conjunctivitis, and respiratory distress.
Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
Washing liquid obtained from irrigation of the lung, including the BRONCHI and the PULMONARY ALVEOLI. It is generally used to assess biochemical, inflammatory, or infection status of the lung.
Pneumonia Of Calves, Enzootic
Chronic endemic respiratory disease of dairy calves and an important component of bovine respiratory disease complex. It primarily affects calves up to six months of age and the etiology is multifactorial. Stress plus a primary viral infection is followed by a secondary bacterial infection. The latter is most commonly associated with PASTEURELLA MULTOCIDA producing a purulent BRONCHOPNEUMONIA. Sometimes present are MANNHEIMIA HAEMOLYTICA; HAEMOPHILUS SOMNUS and mycoplasma species.
Hand Deformities, Acquired
Deformities of the hand, or a part of the hand, acquired after birth as the result of injury or disease.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines
Vaccines or candidate vaccines used to prevent infection with RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUSES.
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