Publication:
KNOWLEDGE, APPLICATION AND PRACTICE OF HAND HYGIENE AMONG ACUPUNCTURISTS IN MALAYSIA

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dc.contributor.authorNG JO SHENG
dc.date.accessioned2025-11-10T05:50:50Z
dc.date.available2025-11-10T05:50:50Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractBackground: Hand hygiene is an important step to control and prevent infection in healthcare settings which includes acupuncture practices. Internationally and in Malaysia, hand hygiene behaviour and practices have been studied among both healthcare workers as well as the public. These studies have revealed varying levels of adherence and understanding of hand hygiene practice. Up to the current date, there has never been a study on hand hygiene practices among acupuncturists. Objective: The study aimed to assess the knowledge, application and practices (KAP) of hand hygiene among acupuncturists across Malaysia while identifying demographic factors that plays a role in the behaviour and compliance. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted using hand hygiene questionnaire that was adopted and adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO) and distributed to acupuncturists across Malaysia. The questionnaire consisted of 4 sections – demographics, knowledge, application and practice. Data collection was over a period of 3 months in 2024. Demographic data such as age, education level, years of practice, and employment status were collected. Data was analysed using SPSS v29 with Pearson Chi-Square test to assess for relationship between demographics factors and KAP domains. Results: A total of 350 participants were recruited in the study revealed significant gaps in the KAP of hand hygiene among acupuncturists in Malaysia. In the knowledge domain, only 14.6% of participants scored well, while 59.7% demonstrated poor knowledge. Application and practice scores were comparably low, with 78.9% of respondents demonstrating poor hand hygiene practices. Key demographic factors, such as education level, age, and years of practice, were significantly notably associated with KAP scores. Participants with higher education, younger practitioners, and those with shorter years of practice had better compliance with hand hygiene protocols. Conclusion: The study identified a serious gap of knowledge, application and practice of hand hygiene practices among acupuncturists across Malaysia. Besides knowledge, other factors like workplace policies, institutional support and resources play crucial role in ensuring consistent application and practice of hand hygiene. Targeted training, education, and policy enforcement are what needs to be addressed in future interventions together with interventions of practical barriers that obstructs hand hygiene practices in acupuncture clinics. Keywords: Hand hygiene, Acupuncturists, Acupuncture, Handwash, Handrub, Malaysia
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14377/37242
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherIMU University
dc.subjectHand Hygiene
dc.subjectAcupuncture
dc.subjectHand Disinfection
dc.subjectCross-Sectional Studies
dc.subjectMalaysia
dc.titleKNOWLEDGE, APPLICATION AND PRACTICE OF HAND HYGIENE AMONG ACUPUNCTURISTS IN MALAYSIA
dc.typeThesis
dspace.entity.typePublication
oairecerif.author.affiliation#PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#
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