Measurement of compliance with hand hygiene

Compliance with hand hygiene is widely recognized as the most important factor in preventing transmission of infection to patients in health care settings. However, there is no standardized method for measuring compliance. The three major methods used are direct observation, self-report and indirect measurement of hand hygiene product usage. This review discusses the methods of compliance monitoring and the advantages and drawbacks of each. (C) 2007 The Hospital Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.