Staff education, including video guidance, educational presentations, and patient-facing posters, was successful in reducing inappropriate non-sterile glove use in a Sexual Health and HIV department, with a 45.2% decrease in glove procurement observed.
The majority of staff reported reducing their personal glove use following interventions.
Non-sterile glove procurement decreased by 45.2% when comparing 2023/2024 data to pre-COVID 2019/2020 data.
Staff identified education and patient empowerment through posters as the most effective methods to reduce inappropriate glove use.
Multiple intervention types were deployed to encourage appropriate non-sterile glove use among clinical staff.
Reduction of non-sterile glove use was framed within the context of addressing climate change and reducing single-use plastic waste.
This research suggests that targeted educational interventions can meaningfully reduce the unnecessary use of disposable gloves in a clinical setting. A Sexual Health and HIV department implemented several measures — including instructional videos showing blood draws performed without gloves, staff presentations, and posters in patient waiting areas — and then measured whether glove use changed. After the interventions, 63% of staff reported personally reducing their glove use, and the total number of gloves ordered by the department fell by 45.2%, dropping from about 173,000 to about 95,000 pairs per year when comparing post-intervention data to pre-pandemic figures. The project was motivated by environmental concerns, as single-use plastic gloves contribute to healthcare's carbon footprint and waste burden. Staff identified education and patient-facing materials as the most useful tools for changing behavior, suggesting that both clinician awareness and patient involvement play a role in reducing unnecessary glove use. This research suggests that relatively low-cost educational strategies — particularly videos, presentations, and waiting room posters — can drive significant reductions in single-use glove consumption in clinical departments without requiring major policy overhauls. The findings may be relevant to other healthcare settings looking to reduce waste and environmental impact while maintaining appropriate infection control practices.
Smith L, Clarke A, Dean G. (2025). Reducing non-sterile glove use in a sexual health and HIV department: A quality improvement project to address clinical practices.. International journal of STD & AIDS. https://doi.org/10.1177/09564624251326696