Evaluation of COVID-19 Fear and Hand Hygiene Practices of Healthcare Professionals in a University Hospital

Year 2023, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 133 - 144, 17.04.2023

Aygül Kıssal , İlknur Vergi

https://doi.org/10.38108/ouhcd.1069330

Abstract

Objective: The research aimed to analyze healthcare professionals’ “levels of COVID-19 fear and hand hygiene practice” and “the correlation between COVID-19 fear and hand hygiene practices” in a university hospital.
Methods: The population of this descriptive and correlational research comprised 150 professionals, that is, 50 doctors and 100 nurses working in various units at a university hospital. The number of healthcare professionals who voluntarily took part in the research was 97. The data were collected through the “Healthcare Professional Introduction Form, COVID-19 Fear Scale, and Hand Hygiene Practices Inventory”.
Results: The female professionals’ mean COVID-19 fear level score and hand hygiene practice level score were higher than those of males (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference among the mean COVID-19 fear scores with reference to the education level (p < 0.05). Of the professionals, 96.9% had at least one problem after hand hygiene. It was determined that there was a very weak, positive, and significant correlation between the level of COVID-19 fear and that of hand hygiene performance (r= 0.224; p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The research reveals that hand hygiene practices and the COVID-19 fear are affected by gender, as well as the fact that frequent handwashing and hand sanitizer use play a role in skin problems.

Keywords

COVID-19, hand-hygiene, healthcare professional

Supporting Institution

-

Project Number

-

Thanks

-

Bir Üniversite Hastanesinin Sağlık Çalışanlarında COVID-19 Korkusu ve El Hijyeni Uygulamalarının Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu araştırma bir üniversite hastanesinde sağlık çalışanlarının COVID-19 korkusu ve el hijyeni uygulama düzeyleri ile COVID-19 korkusu ve el hijyeni uygulamaları arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır.
Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı ve ilişki arayıcı tipteki araştırmanın evrenini bir üniversite hastanesinin çeşitli birimlerinde çalışan 50 doktor, 100 hemşire toplam 150 çalışan oluşturmuştur. Çalışmaya gönüllü 97 sağlık çalışanı katılmıştır. Veriler “Sağlık Çalışanı Tanıtım Formu, COVID-19 Korkusu Ölçeği ve El Hijyeni Uygulamaları Envanteri” ile toplanmıştır.
Bulgular: Kadın çalışanların COVID-19 korku ve el hijyeni uygulama düzeyi puan ortalamaları erkeklere göre daha yüksek saptanmıştır (p<0.05). Eğitim düzeyine göre COVID-19 korku puan ortalamaları arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark saptanmıştır (p<0.05). Eğitim düzeyine göre el hijyeni uygulamalarını yapma düzeyi puan ortalamaları arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark bulunmamıştır (p > 0.05). El hijyeni sonrası çalışanların %96.9’u en az bir sorun yaşadığını ifade etmiştir. COVID-19 korkusu ile el hijyeni uygulamalarını yapma düzeyi arasında çok zayıf düzeyde pozitif yönlü ve anlamlı bir ilişki olduğu belirlenmiştir (r =0.224; p<0.05).
Sonuç: Bu araştırma el yıkama uygulamalarının ve COVID-19 korkusunun cinsiyet özelliğinden etkilendiğini, sık el yıkama, el dezenfektanı kullanımının cilt sorunlarında rol oynadığını göstermektedir.

Keywords

COVID-19, el hijyeni, sağlık çalışanı

Project Number

-

References

• Al-Maani A, Al Wahaibi A, Al-Zadjali N, Al-Sooti J, AlHinai M, Al Badawi A, et al. (2022). The Impact of The Hand Hygiene Role Model Project on Improving Healthcare Workers' Compliance: A Quasi-Experimental Observational Study. Journal of Infection and Public Health, 15(3), 324–330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2022.01.017
• Ahorsu DK, Lin CY, Imani V, Saffari M, Griffiths MD, Pakpour AH. (2020). The Fear of COVID-19 Scale: Development and Initial Validation. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 1–9. Advance Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s11469-020-00270-8
• Aktura SÇ, Özden G. (2020). Psychological Effects of The Epidemic: Nurses of COVID-19. The Journal of International Social Research, 13 (73), 1146-1151.
• Araghi F, Tabary M, Gheisari M, Abdollahimajd F, Dadkhahfar S. (2020). Hand Hygiene Among Health Care Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Recommendations. Dermatitis: Contact, Atopic, Occupational, Drug, 31(4), 233–237. https://doi.org/10.1097/DER.0000000000000639
• Arman D. (2013). Hand Washing and Hand Disinfection. Doğanay, M., Şardan, Y., Ünal, S., Ed. Hospital Infections. First edition. Ankara: Scientific Medicine Publishing, 71-87.
• Artan Y, Sözeri İ, Akyol DA. (2018). Evaluation of Hand Hygiene Compliance of Auxiliary Service Staff in Intensive Care. Journal of Critical Care Nursing, 22(1), 10-18.
• Bal YE, Çelik B. (2020). COVID-19 The Role of Nursing in The Struggle Against Outbreaks. Türkiye Klinikleri (Clinics of Turkey) Journal of Nursing Sciences, 12(2), 300-304. https://doi.org/10.5336/nurses.2020-75315
• Chatfield SL, Nolan R, Crawford H, Hallam JS. (2017). Acute Care Nurses' Responses and Recommendations for Improvement of Hand Hygiene Compliance: A Cross-Sectional Factorial Survey Research Study. American Journal of Infection Control, 45(6), 620–625. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2016.12.024
• Demir NA, Kölgelier S, Küçük A, Özçimen S, Sönmez B, Demir LS, İnkaya AÇ. (2013). Level of Knowledge and Compliance to Hand Hygiene Among Health Care Workers. Nobel Medicus, 9(3), 104-109.
• Demirdal T, Uyar S, Demirtürk N. (2007). Evaluation of Practices and Knowledge Level About Hand Hygiene Among Health Care Workers in a University Hospital. The Medical Journal of Kocatepe, 8, 39-43.
• Derin, O. (2021). Hand Hygiene and Isolation Measures Compliance of Healthcare Staff: A Questionnaire Study in Early COVID-19 Epidemic in Turkey. Kocaeli Medical Journal, 10(Supp: 1), 35-40.
• Duman-Karakuş T, Tanyel E, Deveci A. (2022). Evaluation of Healthcare Professionals’ Knowledge Level, Attitude and Use of Personal Protective Equipment about COVID-19. Klimik Journal, 35(1):26-9.
• García-Reyna B, Castillo-García GD, Barbosa-Camacho FJ, Cervantes-Cardona GA, Cervantes-Pérez E, Torres-Mendoza BM, et al. (2020). Fear of COVID-19 Scale for Hospital Staff in Regional Hospitals in Mexico: A Brief Report. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 1–12. Advance Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-020-004 13-x
• Guan WJ, Ni ZY, Hu Y, Liang WH, Ou CQ, He JX, et al. (2020). Clinical Characteristics of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in China. The New England Journal of Medicine, 382(18), 1708-1720. https://doi.org/ 10.1056/NEJMoa2002032
• Güçlü E, Tuna N, Yahyaoğlu M, Utku AÇ, Özcan Ö, Ceylan S, Karabay, O. (2012). Efficacy of Education and Dissemination of Alcohol-Based Hand Antiseptics in the Hospital in Improving Hand Hygiene Compliance. FLORA,17(3), 118-125.
• Huang JZ, Han MF, Luo TD, Ren AK, Zhou XP. (2020). Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi = Zhonghua Laodong Weisheng Zhiyebing Zazhi = Chinese Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Diseases, 38(3), 192–195. https://doi.org/10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20200219-00063
• Israel S, Harpaz K, Radvogin E, Schwartz C, Gross I, Mazeh H, Cohen MJ, Benenson S. (2020). Dramatically Improved Hand Hygiene Performance Rates at Time of Coronavirus Pandemic. Clinical Microbiology and Infection: The Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 26(11), 1566–1568. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.cmi.2020.06.002
• İşsever H, İşsever T, Öztan G. (2020). Epidemiology of COVID-19. Journal of Advanced Research in Health Sciences, 3(Suppl.1), S1-S13.
• Kamara GN, Sevalie S, Molleh B, Koroma Z, Kallon C, Maruta A, Kamara IF, Kanu JS, Campbell JSO, Shewade HD, van Henten S, Harries AD. (2022). Hand Hygiene Compliance at Two Tertiary Hospitals in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in 2021: A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public health, 19(5), 2978. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052978
• Karadağ M, Yıldırım N, İşeri Ö. (2016). The Validity and Reliability Study of Hand Hygiene Belief Scale and Hand Hygiene Practices Inventory. Çukurova Medical Journal, 41(2), 271-284. https://doi.org/ 10.17826 /cutf.237742
• Karaoğlu MK, Akın S. (2019). Evaluation of Nurses’ Views About Hand Washing Habits and Hand Hygiene Compliance Rates. Journal of Education and Research in Nursing, 16(1), 33-40. https://doi.org/ 10.5222/HEAD.2019.033
• Kingston L, O'Connell NH, Dunne CP. (2016). Hand Hygiene-Related Clinical Trials Reported Since 2010: A Systematic Review. The Journal of Hospital Infection, 92(4), 309–320. https://doi.org/10.1016 /j.jhin.2015.11.012
• Lin CY. (2020). Social reaction toward the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Social Health and Behavior, 3(1), 1-2.
• Luszczynska A, Szczuka Z, Abraham C, Baban A, Brooks S, Cipolletta S, et al. The interplay between strictness of policies and individuals' self-regulatory efforts: associations with handwashing during the covıd-19 pandemic. annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the society of behavioral Medicine, 56(4), 368-380. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaab102
• Moore LD, Robbins G, Quinn J, Arbogast JW. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on hand hygiene performance in hospitals. American Journal of Infection Control, 49(1), 30–33. https://doi.org/ 10.1016 /j.ajic.2020.08.021
• Pappas G, Kiriaze IJ, Giannakis P, Falagas ME. (2009). Psychosocial Consequences of Infectious Diseases. Clinical Microbiology and Infection: The Official Publication of The European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 15(8), 743–747. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-0691.2009.029 47.x
• Roshan R, Feroz AS, Rafique Z, Virani N. (2020). Rigorous Hand Hygiene Practices Among Health Care Workers Reduce Hospital-Associated Infections During the Covid-19 Pandemic. Journal of Primary Care and Community Health, 11, 21501 32720943331. https://doi.org/10.1177/2150132720 943331
• Satıcı B, Göçet-Tekin E, Deniz ME, Satıcı S.A. (2020). Adaptation of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale: Its Association with Psychological Distress and Life Satisfaction in Turkey. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 1–9. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-020-00294-0
• Sin CS, Rochelle TL. Using the theory of planned behaviour to explain hand hygiene among nurses in Hong Kong during COVID-19. The Journal of Hospital Infection, 123, 119–125. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.01.018
• Tavşancıl E. (2002). Measuring Attitudes and Data Analysis with SPSS. Publishing, Ankara/Turkey.
• Terzi B, Erdoğan, H, Ertürk M, Özkan AS. (2020). Investigation of Hand Washing Behaviors in Intensive Care Units. Turkish Journal of Intensive Care, 18, 6-12. https://doi.org/10.4274/tybd.galenos.2019.86729
• Toraman AR, Battal F, Çaşkurlu GA, Gürel A, Korkmaz F. (2009). Handwashing Habit of Health Care Workers in an Intensive Care Unit. The New Journal of Medicine, 26, 85-89.
• van de Mortel T, Apostolopoulou E, Petrikkos GA. (2010). A Comparison of the Hand Hygiene Knowledge, Beliefs, and Practices of Greek Nursing and Medical Students. American Journal of Infection Control, 38(1), 75–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic. 2009.05.006
• Wang D, Hu B, Hu C, Zhu F, Liu X, Zhang J, et al. (2020). Clinical Characteristics of 138 Hospitalized Patients with 2019 Novel Coronavirus-Infected Pneumonia in Wuhan, China. JAMA, 323(11), 1061–1069. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.1585
• World Health Organization (WHO) (2009). Hand Hygiene – Why, How and When? 2009. Retrieved September 10, 2021, from https://www.who.int/ gpsc/5may/Hand_Hygiene_Why_How_and_When_Brochure.pdf
• World Health Organization (WHO) (2020b). Interim recommendation 1 April 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2021 from https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/ inaugural-who-partners-forum/who-interim-recommendation-on-obligatory-hand-hygiene-against-transmission-of-covid-19.pdf
• World Health Organization (WHO) (2020a). Getting your workplace ready for COVID-19. Retrieved October 10, 2021 from https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/getting-workplace-ready-for-covid-19.pdf
• World Health Organization (WHO) (2022). WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard 2022. Retrieved January 29, 2022 from https://covid19.who.int/