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Information and IdeasHardEvidence for a claim about a hospital's hand-washing rule

Information and Ideas practice question

A hospital claims that its new rule requiring staff to wash their hands between every patient has reduced infections on its wards.

Which finding, if true, would most directly support the claim?

  1. A. In the year after the rule was introduced, ward infections fell by a third, while infections at a similar hospital without the rule stayed level.Correct
  2. B. Staff at the hospital wash their hands more often than before.
  3. C. The hospital installed new sinks on every ward.
  4. D. Hand-washing is recommended by health authorities.

Answer: A. In the year after the rule was introduced, ward infections fell by a third, while infections at a similar hospital without the rule stayed level.

Infections fell here and not at the comparison hospital.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. Staff at the hospital wash their hands more often than before.
Compliance, not infections.
C. The hospital installed new sinks on every ward.
Sinks, not infections.
D. Hand-washing is recommended by health authorities.
A recommendation is not a result.

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