Table 1.

Total viable bacteria and MRSA counts on bedsheets: control vs. intervention across different observation periods and gender

		Total Viable Bacteria					Total MRSA
Characteristics (Outcome Measures)	Type of Bedsheets	Mean (viable bacteria) log (CFU·m¯²) with SD	SD error	Log reduction (CFU·m¯²)	Reduction (%)	p-value	Mean (viable bacteria) log (CFU·m¯²) with SD	SD error	Log reduction (CFU·m¯²)	Reduction (%)	p-value
Overall Study	Ctrl group (n = 144)	5.72 (± 0.6)	0.08	0.69	79.28%	0.00001§	4.21 (± 0.7)	0.06	0.89	87.31%	0.00001§
	Int group (n = 144)	5.03 (± 0.7)	0.09				3.31 (± 0.7)	0.05
Observation Period 1	Ctrl group (n = 36)	6.44 (± 0.2)	0.2	0.52	69.60%	0.00001§	4.47 (± 0.7)	0.11	1.22	94.03%	0.00001§
	Int group (n = 36)	5.93 (± 0.3)	0.05				3.25 (± 0.6)	0.10
Observation Period 2	Ctrl group (n = 36)	5.59 (± 0.6)	0.10	0.65	77.88%	0.00001§	4.21 (± 0.7)	0.12	0.82	84.82%	0.00001§
	Int group (n = 36)	4.93 (± 0.5)	0.09				3.39 (± 0.6)	0.11
Observation Period 3	Ctrl group (n = 36)	4.21 (± 0.7)	0.12	0.82	84.82%	0.00001§	4.18 (± 0.7)	0.13	0.87	86.62%	0.00001§
	Int group (n = 36)	3.39 (± 0.6)	0.11				3.30 (± 0.7)	0.12
Observation Period 4	Ctrl group (n = 36)	5.43 (± 0.6)	0.11	0.84	85.45%	0.00001§	3.97 (± 0.8)	0.15	0.67	78.57%	0.00001§
	Int group (n = 36)	4.59 (± 0.6)	0.11				3.30 (± 0.8)	0.13
Male Resident’s beds	Ctrl group (n = 72)	6.02 (± 0.6)	0.07	0.58	74.07%	0.00001§	4.34 (± 0.7)	0.08	1.02	90.48%	0.00001§
	Int group (n = 72)	5.43 (± 0.6)	0.08				3.32 (± 0.6)	0.08
Female Resident’s beds	Ctrl group (n = 72)	5.41 (± 0.5)	0.07	0.79	84.12%	0.00001§	4.07 (± 0.8)	0.09	0.77	83.07%	0.00001§
	Int group (n = 72)	4.61 (± 0.6)	0.07				3.30 (± 0.7)	0.08

Ctrl = Control; Int = Intervention; SD = Standard deviation; § (p < 0.05)