What does ABHR stand for in a healthcare context?

In a healthcare context, ABHR stands for Alcohol-Based Hand Rub. This term refers to a solution containing alcohol that is used to reduce the number of germs on the hands. Hand hygiene is a critical aspect of infection prevention in healthcare settings, and alcohol-based hand rubs are widely used because they are effective in killing a broad spectrum of pathogens. They are particularly important when soap and water are not available, providing a convenient and efficient method for maintaining hand hygiene.

The effectiveness of alcohol-based hand rubs is due to the ability of alcohol to denature proteins and disrupt lipid membranes of microbes, thereby reducing the load of pathogens. This practice aligns with the World Health Organization and CDC guidelines on hand hygiene, which emphasize their use in clinical environments to ensure patient safety and prevent healthcare-associated infections.