driest location. The highest conductance was on the
index finger, indicating this was the moistest area.
Change in conductance after 3 weeks of
treatment was calculated by subtracting the period
baseline from the week 3 conductance. An increase in
conductance would indicate improved hydration. The
effect of each method of surgical hand scrubs on
change from baseline was assessed using a mixed
model analysis of variance with individual data from
all four locations on each hand. Fixed effects in the
model were Sequence, Method, Period, Hand and
Location on the hand, and the random effect was
Subject nested within Sequence. The period baseline
conductance was included as a covariate.