Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34971711›Full record

ArticleAmerican journal of infection control2022

Health care worker knowledge and attitudes towards uniform laundering during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lucy Owen, Lindsay Apps, Natalia Stanulewicz, Andrew Hall, Katie Laird

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in American journal of infection control, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Demonstration of a Home Laundering Method for Cloth Facepieces to Achieve Hygienic and Sustainable Reuse.New solutions : a journal of environmental and occupational health policy : NS · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Lucy OwenInfectious Disease Research Group, The Leicester School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK.
Lindsay AppsDivision of Psychology, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK.
Natalia StanulewiczDivision of Psychology, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK.
Andrew HallUniversity Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester General Hospital, Leicester, UK; University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Katie LairdInfectious Disease Research Group, The Leicester School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK. Electronic address: klaird@dmu.ac.uk.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns towards domestic laundering of healthcare worker (HCW) uniforms; this is common practice in countries such as the United Kingdom (UK) and United States. Previous research suggested 4-32% of nurses did not adhere to laundry policies, which could be an infection control risk. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of UK healthcare workers towards domestic laundering of uniforms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

methodsOnline and paper questionnaires were distributed to HCWs and nursing students who regularly wear uniforms. Differences in knowledge between HCWs were analyzed by Chi-squared tests and attitudes were examined using exploratory factor analysis.

resultsAbout 86% of participants (n = 1099 of 1277) laundered their uniforms domestically. Respondents were confident in laundering their uniforms appropriately (71%), however 17% failed to launder at the recommended temperature (60°C). Most participants (68%) would prefer their employer launder their uniforms, with mixed negative emotions towards domestic laundering. Limited provision of uniforms and changing and/or storage facilities were a barrier to following guidelines.

conclusionMost HCWs domestically launder their uniforms, despite a preference for professional laundering. One-fifth of HCWs deviated from the UK National Health Service uniform guidelines; onsite changing facilities were the most significant barrier towards adherence.

Indexed as

COVID-19LaunderingAttitudeHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHealth PersonnelHumansPandemicsState MedicineCOVID-19Domestic laundryGuidelinesHealth care workerInfection controlTextileUniform

Identifiers

PMID34971711
PMCPMC8714246

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.