Self‐reported Side‐effects ofUltraviolet‐CDisinfection Devices

Abstract

The COVID‐19 pandemic increased sales of portable UV‐C devices as a means of inactivating the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus. Research suggests that excessive UV‐C exposure to the eyes and skin can lead to side‐effects, primarily photokeratitis and erythema, but these findings are limited to case studies. This study explores self‐reported side‐effects of UV‐C devices by collating five waves of UK consumer survey data from April 2020–December 2021 (N = 26 864). 30%–46% of owners report a side‐effect after using a device claiming to emit UV‐C. However, detailed analysis of Wave 4 data (N = 309) highlights inconsistencies between reported and plausible side‐effect(s) associated with skin or eye exposure from UV‐C devices. Alternative explanations are considered, namely that the reported side‐effect(s) were psychosomatic or misattributed to direct exposure of UV‐C radiation. Data regarding awareness of warnings about device side‐effect(s) supports the misattribution explanation. For risk assessment purposes, limited reliable information about specific irritation or injury to the eye and skin was found from self‐reporting surveys. To optimize future data collection, we recommend addressing recall errors by: reducing the period under investigation, supplementing responses with empirical measures, and incentivizing respondents to provide accurate information about the make and model of the UV‐C device.