Handy Hygiene of Children: Understanding the Effect of Live Feedback on Handwashing Behavior

Objective of the randomized controlled trial is to assess the impact of a digital intervention on hand hygiene of young children. Children in intervention kindergartens / elementary schools will see live instructions and feedback on their current hand washing activity while washing hands. We hypothesize that the digital intervention will improve hand hygiene practices of children in kindergarten / elementary school.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hand Hygiene; Handwashing
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Live feedback during handwashing

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 127
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Finland
  • Turku, Finland, 20520
    • University of Turku
• Germany
  • Bamberg, Germany, 96047
    • Otto-Friedrich-University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 2 years to 6 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• children aged between 2 and 7 years of age
• children attending kindergarten

Exclusion Criteria:

• none

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Live feedback provided on display during handwashing	Other: Live feedback during handwashing; Live feedback provided during handwashing on display
No Intervention: No live feedback provided during handwashing

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Main effects of live feedback on handwashing of children	Live feedback is hypothesized to change hand washing activities of children in the short- and long-term. Change in hand washing activity is determined with IoT devices measuring water and soap usage (combined into one measure).	Up to 3 months
Effect of one-time education session on handwashing of children	One-time educational video is hypothesized to change handwashing activity in the short term but declines with time. Change in hand washing activity is determined with IoT devices measuring water and soap usage (combined into one measure).	Up to 1 month
Habit formation through live feedback on handwashing of children	Hand washing activities of children are hypothesized to remain changed when live feedback is stopped and in locations where no live feedback is available. Change in hand washing activity is determined with questionnaires for children, parents and educators.	Up to 3 months
Habit formation through live feedback on handwashing of children	Hand washing activities of children are hypothesized to remain changed when live feedback is stopped and in locations where no live feedback is available. Change in hand washing activity is determined with IoT devices measuring water and soap usage (combined into one measure).	Up to 3 months
Acquisition of competences of children	Live feedback is hypothesized to change competences of children. Change in hand washing activity is determined with questionnaires for children, parents and educators.	Up to 3 months
Acquisition of competences of children	Live feedback is hypothesized to change competences of children. Change in hand washing activity is determined with IoT devices measuring water and soap usage (combined into one measure).	Up to 3 months
Self-efficacy of children	Live feedback is hypothesized to change self-efficacy of children. To be measured with questionnaires for children, parents and educators.	Up to 3 months
Attitude towards technology of parents	Acquisition of competences perceived by parents is hypothesized to be dependent on their attitude towards digital solutions. To be measured with questionnaires for children, parents and educators.	Up to 3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Prof. Dr. Thorsten Staake
• Collaborators: University of Turku
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Joanna Graichen, M.Sc., Otto-Friedrich-University Bamberg; Principal Investigator: Anni Pakarinen, PhD, University of Turku; Principal Investigator: Carlo Stingl, M.Sc., Otto-Friedrich-University Bamberg; Principal Investigator: Riitta Mieronkoski, University of Turku; Principal Investigator: Thorsten Staake, Prof. Dr., Otto-Friedrich-University Bamberg; Principal Investigator: Sanna Salanterä, Prof., University of Turku

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 19, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): July 19, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 9, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 23, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): February 26, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 7, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 4, 2022
• Last Verified: February 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: Hand hygiene of children

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No