Below you will find abstracts of several relevant clinical studies on the benefits of aloe exam gloves, hand hygiene compliance, and nosocomial infection rates.

Dr. Elaine Larson- Columbia University - AJIC 1995

Dr. Elaine Larson conducted a monumental study indicating that Skin irritation and dryness were the leading deterrents to hand washing. This study led to the famous CDC recommendation for the “regular use of products to prevent and treat irritant contact dermatitis caused by hand hygiene products.”

Source: Larson, Elaine; Kretzer, E.K.;”Compliance with handwashing and barrier precautions.” Journal of Hospital Infection; Volume 30, 1995. Page 88-106.

Dr. Dennis West- Northwestern University- AJIC 2003

Dr. Dennis West conducted a study comparing the skin integrity of affected dry and irritated skin study participants before and after the introduction of Aloetouch exam gloves. Study participants wore an aloe glove on one hand for 30 days and left their opposite hand glove-less 30 days. The study concluded that the mean time to the first noticeable improvement for the aloe glove hand was 3.5 days and the mean time to significant improvement in skin quality was 10.4 days. There was no improvement witnessed in the non-glove hand for any of the participants. The study also indicates that after the aloe glove was removed, the dry and irritated skin of the study participants returned.

Source: West, Dennis; Zhu Ya Fen. “Evaluation of aloe vera gel gloves in the treatment of dry skin associated with occupational exposure,” American Journal of Infection Control; 2003, Volume 31, page 40-42.

Dr. Dennis Maki – University of Wisconsin-  AJIC 2000

Dr. Dennis Maki conducted a study for the American Journal of Infection Control in 2000 where an experimental group of healthcare employee study participants used a moisturizing hand lotion to improve skin quality while a control group continued normal activities. The study concluded that hand hygiene compliance improved over 50% over the control group that did not use the lotion.

Source: McCormick Ria; Buchman, Tracy; aki, Dennis; “Double-blind randomized trial of scheduled use of a novel barrier cream and an oil-containing lotion for protecting the hands of health care workers,” American Journal of Infection Control; 2000, Volume 28, Page 302 -310

Dr. Didier Pittet – University of Geneva - The Lancet 2000

Dr. Didier Pittet conducted a study in 1999 at a few hospital facilities in Geneva that proved that hospital acquired infection rates decreased in propotion to hand hygiene compliance utilizing bedside, alcohol based hand disinfection. In this particular study, when Hand Hygiene compliance increased by 38%, the hospitals experienced a 41% decrease in their hospital acquired infection rates.

Source: Pittet, Didier; Hugonnet, Stephan; Harbarth, Stephan; Mourouga, Phillipe; Sauvan, et. Al. “Effectiveness of a hospital-wide programme to improve compliance with hand hygiene; “The Lancet; Volume 356, Octoer 14, 2000. Page 1307-1311

Dr. Elaine Larson- Columbia University- Heart Lung -1997

Approximately 25% of nurses report symptoms or signs of dryness or irritation involving their hands, and as many as 85% give a history of having skin problems.

Source: Larson E, Freidman C, Cohran J, Treston-Aurant J, Green S. Prevalence and correlates of skin damage on the hands of nurses. Heart Lung 1997; 26: 404-12

R.D. McCormick – University of Wisconsin- AJIC 2000
Frequent and scheduled use of an oil-containing lotion improved skin condition and thus led to a 50% increase in hand washing frequency among Healthcare workers.

Source: McCormick R.D., Buchman T.L., Maki, D.G. Double-blind, randomized trial of scheduled use of a novel barrier cream and an oil containing lotion for protecting the hands of health-care workers. American Journal of Infection Control 2000; 28: 302-10

R.A. Tupker - Catholic University of Jijmegen -The Irritant Contact Dermatitis Syndrome- 1996
Frequent washing of hands is a primary cause of chronic dry and irritated skinamong healthcare workers.

Source: Tupker R.A. Detergents and Cleansers (Chapter 7). Van Der Valk PGM, Maibach HI, eds. The Irritant Contact Dermatitis Syndrome. New York, NY: CRC Press, 1996.