Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38589973›Full record

ArticleAntimicrobial resistance and infection control2024

Assessing the impact of a cleaning programme on environmental hygiene in labour and neonatal wards: an exploratory study in The Gambia.

Uduak Okomo, Giorgia Gon, Saffiatou Darboe, Isatou C M Sey, Oluwatosin Nkereuwem, Lamin Leigh, Nfamara Camara, Lamin Makalo, Abdoulie Keita, Stephanie J Dancer and 2 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Antimicrobial resistance and infection control, 2024. 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. Observational
  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

12 authors.

Uduak OkomoVaccines and Immunity Theme, MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, The Gambia. uokomo@mrc.gm.
Giorgia GonInfectious Disease Epidemiology Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Saffiatou DarboeResearch Microbiology Laboratory, MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, Fajara, The Gambia.
Isatou C M SeyResearch Microbiology Laboratory, MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, Fajara, The Gambia.
Oluwatosin NkereuwemVaccines and Immunity Theme, MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, The Gambia.
Lamin LeighInfectious Disease Epidemiology Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Nfamara CamaraVaccines and Immunity Theme, MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, The Gambia.
Lamin MakaloDepartment of Paediatrics, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia.
Abdoulie KeitaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia.
Stephanie J DancerDepartment of Microbiology, NHS Lanarkshire and School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK.
Wendy GrahamInfectious Disease Epidemiology Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Alexander M AikenInfectious Disease Epidemiology Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/R019274/1Medical Research Council MR/T039450/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEffective surface cleaning in hospitals is crucial to prevent the transmission of pathogens. However, hospitals in low- and middle-income countries face cleaning challenges due to limited resources and inadequate training.

methodsWe assessed the effectiveness of a modified TEACH CLEAN programme for trainers in reducing surface microbiological contamination in the newborn unit of a tertiary referral hospital in The Gambia. We utilised a quasi-experimental design and compared data against those from the labour ward. Direct observations of cleaning practices and key informant interviews were also conducted to clarify the programme's impact.

resultsBetween July and September 2021 (pre-intervention) and October and December 2021 (post-intervention), weekly surface sampling was performed in the newborn unit and labour ward. The training package was delivered in October 2021, after which their surface microbiological contamination deteriorated in both clinical settings. While some cleaning standards improved, critical aspects such as using fresh cleaning cloths and the one-swipe method did not. Interviews with senior departmental and hospital management staff revealed ongoing challenges in the health system that hindered the ability to improve cleaning practices, including COVID-19, understaffing, disruptions to water supply and shortages of cleaning materials.

conclusionsKeeping a hospital clean is fundamental to good care, but training hospital cleaning staff in this low-income country neonatal unit failed to reduce surface contamination levels. Further qualitative investigation revealed multiple external factors that challenged any possible impact of the cleaning programme. Further work is needed to address barriers to hospital cleaning in low-income hospitals.

Indexed as

HygieneInfection ControlGambiaHumansInfant, NewbornTertiary Care CentersCleaningEnvironmental hygieneInterventionLabour wardLow-and-middle-income countriesNeonateTraining

Identifiers

PMID38589973
PMCPMC11003010

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.