Evaluating the economics of the Australian National Hand Hygiene Initiative
Nicholas Graves A D , Adrian Barnett A , Katherine White A , Nerina Jimmieson B , Katie Page A , Megan Campbell A , Elizabeth Stevens A , Rebecca Rashleigh-Rolls A , Lindsay Grayson C and David Paterson BA School of Public Health and Institute for Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 60 Musk Avenue, Qld 4059, Australia.
B School of Psychology, McElwain Building, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.
C Infectious Diseases Department, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Vic. 3084, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: n.graves@qut.edu.au
Healthcare Infection 17(1) 5-10 https://doi.org/10.1071/HI12003
Submitted: 16 January 2012 Accepted: 20 January 2012 Published: 5 April 2012
Abstract
The National Hand Hygiene Initiative, implemented in Australia in 2009, is currently being evaluated for effectiveness and cost-effectiveness by a multidisciplinary team of researchers. Data from a wide range of sources are being harvested to address the research questions. The data are observational and appropriate statistical and economic modelling methods are being used. Decision makers will be provided with new knowledge about how hand hygiene interventions should be organised and what investment decisions are justified. This is novel research and the authors are unaware of any other evaluation of hand hygiene improvement initiatives. This paper describes the evaluation currently underway.
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