Association of new coronavirus (COVID-19) with hand hygiene score

Abstract

Aim: In this study, we aimed to investigate the interaction between the COVID-19 pandemic and hand hygiene. Material and Methods: This study was planned as a descriptive cross-sectional involving 856 people living in Turkey between March 22 and April 5, 2020. The difference-in-differences-type design was used to investigate the effect of COVID-19 disease on hand hygiene. Results: Accordingly, the participants' average hand hygiene scores before, during, and after COVID-19 were (X) over bar = 3.350234 +/- 1.092372, (X) over bar - 4.603353 +/- 4628307, and (X) over bar = 3.365169 +/- 1.557933. The average age of the participants was (X) over bar 28.68 +/- 9.34 years. According to education level, the scores obtained from the individuals' hand hygiene score showed a statistical difference (p<0.05). According to the difference-in-differences-type design prediction results, the coefficient (16.65898 +/- 3.685992) of (CX)-X-Tr D-Post interaction gave us the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic disease on the hand hygiene scores of individuals. Accordingly, it can be stated that the COVID-19 disease increased 17 points of the hand hygiene score of individuals by approximately 7.196. Discussion: It was seen that hand hygiene gained significant importance during periods of infectious disease outbreaks.