The Effect of Health Belief in Health Practices: An Example of Hand Hygiene in Nurses

Aim: To examine the effect of nurses' beliefs about hand hygiene on hand hygiene practices. Materials and Methods: This study is in a descriptive and cross-sectional design where data are collected by face-to-face survey. This study was carried out during March–June 2019 with nurses working in a city hospital in Southern Turkey. Results: The mean Hand Hygiene Beliefs Scale-HHBS score was 83.64±9.14 and Hand Hygiene Practices Inventory-HHPE score was 65.88±5.66. A positive, very weak and statistically significant correlation was found between the HHBS and the HHPE scores (r= 0.196; p=0.000). Conclusion: It was found that the HHBS scores were affected only by gender, whereas the HHPE scores were influenced by having children, the unit where the nurses worked, the number of patients in the unit, and their professional satisfaction. There was a positive correlation between the HHBS and HHPE scores. found to be high in the study group. The obesity prejudice was high among those who had a better body perception, a higher socioeconomic status and had a healthy lifestyle.