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.

Conditions

• Respiratory Infection
• Gastroenteritis

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Hand washing

Instructions for proper coughing and sneezing, and for reduced hand shaking, frequent hand washing in office and at home

BEHAVIORAL

Disinfectant rubbing

Instructions for proper coughing and sneezing, and for reduced hand shaking; frequent rubbing of hands with alcohol containing disinfectant in office and at home

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Finnish Work Environment Fund

  collaborator OTHER

• Finnish Institute of Occupational Health

  collaborator OTHER

• Berner Oy

  collaborator INDUSTRY

• Farmos Oy

  collaborator INDUSTRY

• Kesko Oyj

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Nordea Bank Finland Plc

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Outokumpu

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Outokumpu Technogy Oyj

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Suomen Osuuskauppojen Keskuskunta (SOK)

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• S-Pankki

  collaborator OTHER

• Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare

  lead OTHER_GOV

Principal Investigators

• Tapani Hovi, MD PhD · National Public Health Institute, Finland

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2009-01-31

Primary Completion

2010-07-31

Completion

2011-12-31

Countries

• Finland

Study Locations