Individual hygiene behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ayla İrem Aydın, Derya Akça Doğan, Ayşe Serpici and 1 others
PMID 36621983WHAT IT FOUND
Self-reported hygiene scores averaged 94.62 on a scale from 27 to 135 in 439 Turkish adults.
Younger adults had higher hand hygiene scores than those over 50, and women had higher mask and hand hygiene scores than men.
Key findings
01The 439 participants had a mean total hygiene score of 94.62 ± 26.56 on a scale whose possible total range is 27 to 135, with higher scores indicating more hygiene behavior.
02Hand hygiene scores were significantly higher in the 18-33 age group than in participants over 50.
03Female participants had significantly higher social distancing and mask use scores and hand hygiene scores than male participants.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional and self-reported, so it cannot show that age or sex caused differences in hygiene behavior. Participants were recruited through social media, so the sample may not represent the wider public. The sample was mostly female, young, and college-educated, so it may not reflect older adults, men, or people with lower education. Many subgroup comparisons were not significant, and the study tested several outcomes and groups at once.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that educating men will improve hygiene behavior. The study did not test education or behavior change, and it only describes self-reported differences by age and sex.