e-Participate
PRIMIT
Summary of results
Because most of the population catches coughs, colds, sore throats and other respiratory infections, the spread of these viruses in the general population results in widespread illness. It also causes pressure on NHS services during the winter months, and this pressure is much worse in a pandemic flu year.
The PRIMIT study examined the real-world effectiveness of PRIMIT, a free-access, interactive, web-based programme, which aimed to reduce the transmission of the viruses causing respiratory infections by encouraging more frequent handwashing. The programme has four weekly sessions which explain medical evidence, encourage users to learn simple techniques to avoid catching and passing on viruses, monitor handwashing behaviour, and provide tailored feedback.
Across three winters from January 2011 to March 2013, in the midst of the season for flu and other respiratory infections, 20066 adult patients aged 18 years and older took part from 344 general practices across the UK. Volunteers were randomly assigned access to the PRIMT website or no intervention. Participants were followed for 16 weeks and questionnaires were used to measure episodes of respiratory infections, duration of symptoms, and to check whether other household members had a similar illness.
At 16 weeks, 4242 individuals (51%) in the PRIMIT group reported at least one respiratory infection compared with 5135 individuals (59%) in the control group, equivalent to a 14% reduction in risk. There was a similar reduction in transmission of viruses to family members. The risk of catching a flu-like illness was about 20% lower in the PRIMIT group compared to the control group, as was the risk of getting a gastrointestinal infection (diarrhoea, or diarrhoea and vomiting). The need for primary care consultations and antibiotic prescriptions were also reduced by 10-15%.
Most UK households now have access to the internet, and it has become a central source of health information in a pandemic, so PRIMIT could play an important role in reducing the spread of respiratory viruses (including flu). This could reduce the strain on the NHS not just in a normal winter but also during a pandemic - and at very little cost to the health service. This is a very important finding, as this is the first study worldwide to show that hand-washing can reduce respiratory infections within the home – not only for the person who washes their hands but also for all the other family members.
This study was funded by the Medical Research Council.