Background:
Hand hygiene is essential for infection prevention, yet self-reported practices may be influenced by individual beliefs and previous training. This study examined the relationship between hand hygiene beliefs and self-reported practices among health profession students.

Material and methods:
This cross-sectional analytical study included 432 students enrolled in Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, First Aid and Emergency Care, and Elderly Care programs at a state university in Eastern Anatolia, Türkiye. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Hand Hygiene Belief Scale (HHBS), and the Hand Hygiene Practice Inventory (HHPI). Group comparisons, Spearman correlation, and exploratory path analysis were performed.

Results:
Mean HHBS and HHPI scores were 80.23±13.64 and 63.46±9.31, respectively. Female students had higher HHBS and HHPI scores than males (p<0.05). Prior hand hygiene training was associated with higher HHBS scores (p<0.05). HHPI scores differed by academic year (p<0.01). HHBS and HHPI scores were weakly positively correlated (r=0.275, p<0.001). A small statistical indirect association between prior training and HHPI through HHBS was observed (β=0.06, 95% CI: 0.028-0.099).

Conclusions:
Stronger hand hygiene beliefs were associated with more frequent self-reported practices, although the observed associations were modest and should not be interpreted causally.