Demographic Characteristics, Experiences, and Beliefs Associated with Hand Hygiene Among Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, June 24–30, 2020

Abstract

Frequent hand hygiene, including handwashing with soap and water or using a hand sanitizer containing ≥60% alcohol when soap and water are not readily available, is one of several critical prevention measures recommended to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).* Previous studies identified demographic factors associated with handwashing among U.S. adults during the COVID-19 pandemic (1,2); however, demographic factors associated with hand sanitizing and experiences and beliefs associated with hand hygiene have not been well characterized. To evaluate these factors, an Internet-based survey was conducted among U.S. adults aged ≥18 years during June 24-30, 2020. Overall, 85.2% of respondents reported always or often engaging in hand hygiene following contact with hightouch public surfaces such as shopping carts, gas pumps, and automatic teller machines (ATMs). † Respondents who were male (versus female) and of younger age reported lower handwashing and hand sanitizing rates, as did respondents who reported lower concern about their own infection with SARS-CoV-2 § and respondents without personal experience with COVID-19. Focused health promotion efforts to increase hand hygiene adherence should include increasing visibility and accessibility of handwashing and hand sanitizing materials in public settings, along with targeted communication to males and younger adults with focused messages that address COVID-19 risk perception. * https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html. † Respondents were provided with the following examples as high-touch public surfaces: shopping carts, gas pumps, and ATMs. § For this question, respondents were asked to rate on a scale from "Not at all" to "Extremely" the extent to which they were concerned about the following statement regarding COVID-19 and infection control measures: "My own risk of infection with COVID-19."

Self-reported handwashing and surface disinfection behaviors by U.S. adults with disabilities to prevent COVID-19, Spring 2020

“…Frequent handwashing has been found to be associated with decreased risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2, 18 therefore it is critical to identify strategies to promote this behavior among people with disabilities who, may be at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 because of higher prevalence of underlying conditions. Several of the factors associated with hygiene compliance among different demographic groups (gender, age, race/ethnicity, education, and household income) were consistent with work conducted among general populations which have been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic 19 , 20 , 21 and during previous respiratory pandemics. 22 Additional work is needed to further examine demographic factors associated with hygiene-related behavior among different disability types during the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

Safe Use and Storage of Cleaners, Disinfectants, and Hand Sanitizers: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among U.S. Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic, May 2020

“…Recent studies have indicated that risk awareness (e.g., having a close friend or relative who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2) was found to motivate more frequent effort in cleaning and disinfecting surfaces 6 and engagement in hand hygiene. 28 Similarly, increasing risk awareness specifically regarding unsafe cleaning and disinfection practices may increase adoption of safety precautions, as low risk perception may motivate lack of adherence to safety precautions. Prevention messages that describe examples of adverse health outcomes experienced by individuals who engaged in unsafe use or storage of cleaners, disinfectants, and hand sanitizers may be effective and should be further evaluated.…”

Applying Implementation Drivers to Scale-up Evidence-Based Practices in New York State

“…The stress from the pandemic and physical distancing is expected to increase both mental health symptoms and substance use, particularly among those already vulnerable to these conditions (Du et al 2020 ; McKay and Asmundson 2020 ). Emerging data (Czeisler et al 2020 ; McKay and Asmundson 2020 ) and anecdotal reports on implementation support calls support this concern. Additionally, those with substance use disorders have higher rates of the comorbid health conditions that increase vulnerability to the impacts of COVID-19 (Farhoudian et al 2020 ; Volkow 2020 ).…”