Improving Hand Hygiene in Healthcare - A Social Science Approach
CHALLENGE
Hand hygiene research is designed and conducted by health care practitioners who may lack formal training in research methods, particularly in the area of social science research.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
What are the common threats to construct validity pertaining to hand hygiene research?
What are the practical limitations in current research design?
How can construct validity be improved in future research?
RESEARCH TECHNIQUE
Qualitative technique: Narrative review
FINDINGS
The following concepts in construct validity can potentially improve future research: Hawthorne effect, self-reporting, experimenter effect, evaluation apprehension, hypothesis guessing, timing, restricted range, and mono-operation bias.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE
Researchers should consult with staff from the hospital’s ethics review board to ensure that research will be conducted in accordance with ethical guidelines.
