Hand-to-Face Contact of Preschoolers during Indoor Activities in Childcare Facilities in the Republic of Korea.

Purpose: This study aimed to characterize hand-to-face contact (HFC) in children and analyze the factors that affect HFC behaviors of preschoolers in childcare facilities in Korea.

Methods: Thirty preschoolers aged between 13 and 84 months were enrolled with parents' voluntary participation. Videotaping (10 children/childcare center/2 h) and video reading was performed from 23 November 2018 to 7 January 2019.

An observational study of hand-to-face contact via videotaping of Korean older people in daily life settings.

Objectives: This study aimed to quantify hand-to-face contact (HFC) and identify the related factors that influence HFC in the daily life of Korean older people.

Methods: From November 20-December 4, 2018, 30 older people were enrolled and were each videotaped for their daily activities for two hours in total. The videotaped HFC data were classified by frequency, duration, site of contact, and as self-contact with membranes (eye, nose and mouth) or non-membranes (head, forehead, chin, cheek and ear).

Knowledge, Perception, and Performance of Hand Hygiene and Their Correlation among Nursing Students in Republic of Korea.

Unlabelled: Recently, various outbreaks of newly emerging or reemerging diseases are expected more frequently and regularly. The importance of hand hygiene (HH) competency of nursing students (NS) is further required as a crucial learning objective of nursing education in universities.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate knowledge, perception, and performance of HH among NS and analyze their correlation.

Characteristics of hand-to-environment contact during indoor activities in daily life among Korean adults using a video-based observation method.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of hand-to-environmental contact (HEC) and to identify the factors influencing HEC behavior in Korean adults' indoor daily life.

Methods: Thirty participants were enrolled from January 14 to February 12, 2018 after providing informed consent for being videotaped. Data were collected by recording their indoor daily lives for 2 hours, resulting in 4,732 HEC cases.

Hand-to-face contact behaviors during indoor activities in daily life among Korean adults: an observational pilot study using videotaping.

Objectives: Hand-to-face contact (HFC) is the major route for the self-inoculation of pathogens. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of HFC behaviors among Korean adults during indoor activities.

Methods: Thirty participants were enrolled in the study, and 2 hours of videotaped data were collected from each participant.

A pilot study investigating the social contact patterns of Korean elderly.

Objectives: This pilot study describes the characteristics of social contact patterns of the elderly, a group at high-risk for contracting infections.

Design: A cross-sectional design was used.

Sample: Participants included 30 volunteers aged 65 years or older.

Hand-to-Environment Contact During Indoor Activities in Senior Welfare Centers Among Korean Older Adults: A Pilot Study.

(1) Background: This study aimed to describe the characteristics of hand-to-environment contact (HEC) and identify the influencing factors of HEC behavior during the indoor daily life of Korean older adults in senior welfare centers. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was used with 30 participants over 65 years of age attending programs in senior welfare centers. Video recordings of the 30 participants were collected for two hours a day for participants selected from 20 November to 4 December 2018.

Prospective diary survey of preschool children's social contact patterns: A pilot study.

Purpose: This pilot study aimed to describe children's social contact patterns and to analyze factors related to their social contacts.

Methods: The participants were 30 children aged ≥13 months to <7 years, whose teachers at childcare centers and parents at home were asked to maintain diaries of their social contacts prospectively for 24 hours. Data were collected from November 30, 2018, to January 7, 2019.

Development of a Social Contact Survey Instrument Relevant to the Spread of Infectious Disease and Its Application in a Pilot Study Among Korean Adults.

Objectives: This study aimed to develop a valid social contact survey instrument and to verify its feasibility for use among Korean adults.

Methods: The Delphi technique was used to develop an instrument to assess social contacts, which was then applied in a cross-sectional pilot study. A panel of 15 medical professionals reviewed the feasibility and validity of each item.

Knowledge, perception, performance, and attitude regarding hand hygiene and related factors among infection control nurses in South Korea: A cross-sectional study.

Background: We assessed the current status of knowledge, perception, attitude, and role model regarding hand hygiene (HH) among infection control nurses (ICNs) and identified the factors influencing these variables.

Methods: A structured questionnaire was adapted from a World Health Organization survey. Data were collected from November 8, 2017, to February 2, 2018.

Knowledge, Perceptions, and Self-reported Performance of Hand Hygiene Among Registered Nurses at Community-based Hospitals in the Republic of Korea: A Cross-sectional Multi-center Study.

Objectives: To assess the nurses' hand hygiene (HH) knowledge, perception, attitude, and self-reported performance in small- and medium-sized hospitals after Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak.

Methods: The structured questionnaire was adapted from the World Health Organization's survey. Data were collected between June 26 and July 14, 2017.

Disaster Preparedness of Child Care Teachers: A Cross-Sectional Study in South Korea.

Objective: We aimed to identify the differences in personal disaster preparedness and disaster risk perception among child care and preschool teachers in South Korea by using demographic characteristics and disaster-related questions.

Methods: A cross-sectional self-reporting questionnaire was administered from February to October 2014.

Results: Of all the participants, 68.

Occupational exposure to infection risk and use of personal protective equipment by emergency medical personnel in the Republic of Korea.

Background: Few studies of occupational exposure (OE) to infectious risk among emergency medical personnel (EMP) or their use of personal protective equipment (PPE) have been conducted in the Republic of Korea.

Objective: To determine the status of OE to infectious risks and use of PPE.

Methods: A convenience sample of 907 questionnaires (response rate, 88.

Current Status of Infection Prevention and Control Programs for Emergency Medical Personnel in the Republic of Korea.

Objectives: Emergency medical personnel (EMPs) are pre-hospital emergency responders who are at risk of exposure to infections and may also serve as a source for the transmission of infections. However, few studies of infection control have specifically addressed EMPs in the Republic of Korea (hereafter Korea). The goal of this study was to assess the current status of infection prevention and control programs (IPCPs) for EMPs in Korea.

Costs of postexposure management of occupational sharps injuries in health care workers in the Republic of Korea.

Background: Costs of postexposure treatment of sharps injuries (SIs) in health care workers (HCWs) are an economic burden in many countries. This study analyzed the costs associated with SIs in HCWs in the Republic of Korea.

Methods: Between October 1, 2005, and February 28, 2006, general information on SIs among HCWs and the direct costs (eg, laboratory, pharmacy, medical and surgical treatments) and indirect costs eg, (loss of working days) were collected prospectively from 34 hospitals nationwide.

Risk stratification-based surveillance of bacterial contamination in metropolitan ambulances.

We aimed to know the risk-stratification-based prevalence of bacterial contamination of ambulance vehicle surfaces, equipment, and materials. This study was performed in a metropolitan area with fire-based single-tiered Basic Life Support ambulances. Total 13 out of 117 ambulances (11.

[Education of bioterrorism preparedness and response in healthcare-associated colleges--current status and learning objectives development].

Objectives: Bioterrorism (BT) preparedness and response plans are particularly important among healthcare workers who will be among the first involved in the outbreak situations. This study was conducted to evaluate the current status of education for BT preparedness and response in healthcare-related colleges/junior colleges and to develop learning objectives for use in their regular curricula.

Methods: We surveyed all medical colleges/schools, colleges/junior colleges that train nurses, emergency medical technicians or clinical pathologists, and 10% (randomly selected) of them that train general hygienists in Korea.

Outbreak of Shewanella algae and Shewanella putrefaciens infections caused by a shared measuring cup in a general surgery unit in Korea.

Objective: To control an outbreak of Shewanella algae and S. putrefaciens infections by identifying the risk factors for infection and transmission.

Design: Matched case-control study.

Development and application of evaluation indices for hospital infection surveillance and control programs in the Republic of Korea.

Objective: To develop new evaluation indices of infection control and to use them to evaluate Korean infection surveillance and control programs (ISCPs).

Design: We performed a questionnaire-based survey to 164 acute care general hospitals throughout the Republic of Korea that had more than 300 beds. Study methods were based completely on those of the Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control (SENIC).

National survey of the status of infection surveillance and control programs in acute care hospitals with more than 300 beds in the Republic of Korea.

Background: This study was conducted to assess the status of infection surveillance and control programs (ISCPs) and to analyze the trends associated with ISCP implementation since the first program was established in Korea in 1991.

Methods: A questionnaire modified from the Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control was mailed 4 times nationwide to acute care hospitals (n = 164) with more than 300 beds between June and October 2003. Eighty-five hospitals participated (52%).

Outbreak of vancomycin resistant enterococcus in a hematology/oncology unit in a Korean University Hospital, and risk factors related to patients, staff, hospital care and facilities.

A vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) outbreak occurred at a hematology/oncology (HO) service in a tertiary acute care hospital, 1 January to 30 April 2002. This study was undertaken to identify risk factors, and to establish relations between seasonal factors and this VRE outbreak. Every patient (n = 82) and health care worker (HCW) (n = 31) at the HO unit was screened by rectal swab and stool culture during the VRE outbreak.