Accessibility of Hand Sanitizer Crucial for Hospital Hygiene

Placing hand sanitizer in high-traffic locations can increase the amount of visitors to hospitals and healthcare facilities that wash their hands, says new research. The study from scientists at Clemson University and the Greenville Health System in Greenville, SC found that when the dispenser was placed in the middle of the hospital’s visitor entrance, the amount of visitors using the sanitizer was 5.28 times higher than when it was near the information desk to the side of the lobby.

The study observed the behavior of over 6,600 visitors to a hospital lobby, with the hand sanitizer placed in different locations over the course of several weeks. The front-and-center location was found to be the most effective whereas the original placement to the side of the information desk saw no visitor use. The study’s authors note that the social pressure to stay hygienic may be the chief driver for the increase in use due to the high visibility of the location found most effective.